Being a parent when you're a care leaver

Being a parent can be challenging and is a huge learning curve. We will make sure you have all the support and guidance you need when pregnant and during your child's first year of life. 

We will review your pathway plan with you and make a plan for the next steps. If you have any worries, we can discuss these with you. 

Your personal advisor can support you with:

• discussions about pre- and post-natal appointments
• discussions about birthing partner
• travel costs to attend appointments
• purchasing essential items or one big item up to the value of £500 to help you prepare for when your baby is born
• family network meetings and building your support network
• attending parenting classes
• paying for one of your scan photographs if there is a cost
• registering your baby’s birth
• finding local groups and activities that you can attend to meet other parents and get advice

We can help you start a family at a time that is right for you and can prepare you for becoming a parent.

To support with this, we can discuss:

• sexual health
• contraception advice
• healthy relationships
• family planning advice
• access to local support groups

If you are becoming a parent, we would like to support you. You can get in touch and ask for an allocated personal advisor to provide help and advice. 

We will make sure that you have all the support you need at this important stage and to help you prepare for your new baby. If we become aware that you are becoming a parent we will reach out and offer support to you.

We can arrange a family meeting during pregnancy to identify support within your friends and family network. 

If you are pregnant, you can get support from health professionals. This is called antenatal care.

Your personal advisor can help you access health services such as:

• doctors
• midwives
• health visitors
• dentists

A member of the leaving care team can go with you to your appointments if you want extra support.

We will help you get the support you need when your baby is born. To welcome your newborn, we’ll give you a baby box that has essentials like: 

• collapsible toy box
• baby quilt
• teddy plush comforter
• cotton wool balls
• sudocrem
• baby shampoo
• baby wipes
• hand gel

If you are the non-birthing parent, we will offer you opportunities to access support during the pregnancy as the birth will affect you too. This includes the financial support like the Sure Start Grant. We’ll suggest ways you can support your partner during pregnancy. If both you and your partner are care leavers, you will both be entitled to the support in our offer.

If it’s agreed that your baby should have a social worker, we’ll support you to speak to them and meet with them. We will

• make sure that you understand what’s happening
• attend any meetings with safeguarding teams with you
• support you with family network meetings
• support with assessments, plans, and meeting notes before or after meetings
• support with carrying out the safeguarding plan that is agreed 

 make sure that you understand what’s happening. We can also show you how to use support from other agencies such as Family Rights Group website.

If you are living apart from your baby or children, we will continue to support you in maintaining a connection with your children. This could be through the letterbox service or through direct family time.

If you have had or are at risk of having more than one child removed from your care, Pause can help you so that you do not have to go through this more than once. You can contact them directly by email at nssg@pause.org.uk.

If your children have been adopted, Birth Links can support with advice, information and guidance.

Sure Start Grant

You could get a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child. This is known as a Sure Start Maternity Grant. You usually qualify for the grant if both of the following apply:

• you’re expecting your first child or you’re expecting a multiple birth such as twins and have children already
• you or your partner already get certain benefits

You must claim the grant within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within six months after the baby’s birth. You do not have to pay the grant back and it will not affect your other benefits or tax credits.

Child Benefit

You get child benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

There is no limit to how many children you can claim for.