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Carefree Cornwall
Services and organisations that have the Local Offer flash have filled out inclusion information, meaning that they meet the needs of people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Carefree's aim is to help care experienced young people have a good life, through positive relationships, support and times of transition and making a difference.  We do this through engaging young people in positive activities using outdoor activities, creative arts, sports and a range of projects designed to support young people's social and emotional development.  In partnership with Cornwall Council, we also deliver a Personal Adviser service to young people of 16 and above as they approach adulthood.  

We enable young people to lead and plan activities and support their peers via our peer mentor scheme, sports and arts leaders and deliver programmes to older young people who are NEET or at risk of NEET.

Our youth work activities focus on working with groups of young people; we believe young people in and leaving care can struggle to form healthy relationships and manage themselves within their peer groups because of the breakdown of their first ever group ~ their family. By working in small groups & by celebrating the endings of each they can develop new healthy memories of being part of a group & go forward to form healthy relationships and be part of the wider community. 

We work with young people who are, have been or are on the edge of care between the ages of 11 and 25.  Our entry points are through a week-long Summer, Easter or October half-term programme or via our support to care leavers. Referrals can be made by young people, foster carers, social workers, PA's and any other professional working with the young people.

Peer Mentors support our activities with young people 11-16 years and older care leavers. We see this internal support of young people, by young people as central to everything we do.

Our offers for Care Leavers are increasing; they can attend evening and weekend sessions to have fun, learn new skills, make friends and find out more about what's available to them locally. For care leavers who are NEET we hold mentoring and group sessions where they can gain accreditations (Ascentis APTEd) and direct them to other services to ensure their needs are met. As of July 2016 Carefree employs a number of PA's who work as part of statutory services for care leavers.

We accredit the majority of activities we do and currently use Ascentis (APTEd), Arts Awards, Duke of Edinburgh and Sports Leaders Award.

We welcome referral to our youth work activities from young people, social workers, foster carers, teachers and others, but the young person has to agree to becoming involved in our work and we also ask for social worker agreement.  

Our Personal Adviser service has a statutory function and all young people 16+ as they approach leaving care are allocated a personal adviser to guide, support and ensure their well being.  We are an independent Cornish charity but we work in close partnership with Cornwall Council and many other agencies.

Who to contact

Contact name
info@carefreecornwall.org.uk
Telephone
01209 204333
E-mail
info@carefreecornwall.org.uk
Website
www.carefreecornwall.org.uk

Where to go

Name
Carefree Cornwall
Address
Carefree
Clinton Passage
Redruth,
Cornwall
Postcode
TR15 2AY
Notes

We are based in Redruth but  Carefree work with young people across the whole of Cornwall using youth & children's centres, community halls and any other venue that suits the type of group being delivered

Time / date details

When is it on?
Various throughout the year
Time of day
Evening
Afternoon
Morning
Session information
After a young person (aged 11-16) has attended their first summer or Easter activity we will send them information about a range of outdoor
creative arts and other activities like Duke of Edinburgh
Sports Leader
Arts Leader and Peer Mentoring.

Other details

Costs

Details
Free to young people

Availability

Age ranges
From 11 years to 25 years
Referral required
Yes
Referral details

Anyone, including the young person, can refer to Carefree.

We will always check with the young person's social worker (if aged 11-16) and ask for some information before they start attending activities. For care leavers we communicate with social workers and PA's and ask young people to complete a self-referral.

We work with young people from age 11 but they need to be in year 7 before starting with us. 

 

Inclusion details

Saint Piran's Flag
How we make our service inclusive

We liaise with foster carers and social workers to ensure that Carefree welcomes and is inclusive to all young people in and leaving care irrespective of ability. We use risk assessed venues and use transport that enable equal access for all.

Staff SEND experience

Our team have a wide range of experience and training. We offer whole team training and training specific to the needs of the young people we work with. We also offer monthly supervision to all our staff

How our service supports providers / schools / colleges

In the past we have offered a bespoke 12 week term time programme to young people in care in school years 7-11.

Our programmes for care leavers aim to support them into education, training and employment.

 

All our youth work builds young people's resilience and ability to learn.

Support at key transition points

We liaise with foster carers, social workers and schools really closely to ensure that events in young peoples lives, like changing school or placement, go smoothly.

As of July 2016 some of our staff will be PA's, supervised by a social worker, and offer statutory support to care leavers; whilst part of the same organisation young people and workers will be made aware of the differing roles of workers and interventions will be identified within the young persons pathway plan, whilst will also clearly identify who is responsible for which aspect.

Other local or national support

We have a website, attend meetings with social workers, foster carers and designated teacher for children in care to keep them informed of activities; we also send out regular newsletters via email to all the above and young people. We offer training to others, like foster carers & organisations and train young people to deliver training and to interview in a range of settings.

 

Resolving disagreements, mediation and making complaints

We use restorative justice approaches where there have been disagreements between young people attending activities and events and our peer mentors play a crucial part in ensuring young people work together to resolve differences.

Complaints and compliments can be directed to Mari Eggins our CEO

Last updated: 01/11/2023

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