Social care information leaflets and newsletters

There are many organisations in Sunderland that provide services for children, young people, and their families and carers, who are in need of care and support.

Children's Services is one of these organisations and is committed to providing information about its services. This area of the website gives a description of all leaflets currently produced about social care services.

Some of these leaflets contain information about other organisations in the city offering support and advice. There are a small number of leaflets included that are produced by other organisations.

Copies of leaflets are available from Children's Services Social Care offices ( 28kb), Answers Health Information shop in Holmeside and Sunderland Carers' Centre in Toward Road. Leaflets can also be downloaded by clicking on the title of each leaflet below.

• General information
• Adoption
• Child protection
• Disabled children and young people, their families and carers
• Fostering
• Help with housing
• Information for children under 11 who are looked after
• Information for young people over 11 who are looked after
• Volunteer Mentoring Service
• Young carers
• Young parents

General information

Children's Services Complaints Procedure ( 35kb)

Children's Services aim to provide quality services to all customers at all times. This leaflet explains Children's Services complaints procedure.

Something to say about Children's Services? ( 35kb)

How to make a comment, compliment or complaint about Children's Social Care Services.

Sunderland Children and Young People's Plan 2007 - 2009 ( 1.14mb)

A document that sets out, in clear, accessible terms what everybody in the Children’s Trust is doing to improve the outcomes and quality of life for all children and young people in Sunderland. The Annual Report of the Sunderland Children and Young People's Plan ( 584kb), which sets out the progress made in 2006/07, is now available.

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Adoption

Adopters Charter ( 143kb)

This charter tells you what you can expect from us at each stage of the adoption process from your first
enquiry through to the making of an Adoption Order in Court and beyond.

Thinking about adoption? ( 66kb)

Sunderland City Council’s Fostering and Adoption Service helps local children who need new families find the care they need for the rest of their childhood and into adult life. There are many reasons why children may need care away from their own families, and many types of care that can meet their needs. This information leaflet is primarily about adoption.

Supporting people after adoption (  54kb)

The City Council has an After Adoption Service available for anyone affected by adoption who lives in Sunderland or for anyone whose adoption was dealt with by Sunderland City Council. This leaflet explains the support available from the After Adoption Service.

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Child protection

Keeping Children Safe - currently being updated

Information about different types of abuse and who to contact if you are worried about a child's safety.

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Disabled children, young people, their families and carers

Direct Payments - A guide for:
- Parents of disabled children from birth to 18 years
- Young disabled people aged 16 or 17 ( 90kb)

Direct payments are a way of arranging support for disabled children and their families. A person with parental responsibility for a disabled child is given money to pay for services instead of the local authority arranging them on their behalf. A young disabled person can also be given money to pay for their
services. Direct Payments for disabled children were introduced in the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000.

Preparing for adulthood - A guide for parents and carers of teenagers who are disabled or have special/additional educational needs ( 205kb)

Information for parents and carers who have a teenager in their family who is disabled or has special/additional educational needs. The leaflet is about the process of transition, the period when a young person gets ready to leave school and move into adulthood.

Real Issues e-newsletter

A e-newsletter for families of children who are disabled or have special needs, which is available to download from the disabled children's website.

Report on Parent Carer Forum 2007 ( 243kb)

The Parent Carer Forum is a well established annual event. It provides the opportunity for Parent Carers of disabled children, and those with special needs, to meet with service providers in Sunderland.

A leaflet giving information about a range of services for disabled children.

Short Break Services for Children with Disabilities ( 790kb)

This leaflet gives you a brief introduction to 10 Sea View West. More detailed information is available on request for parents/carers whose children make use of the service.

Sunderland Network for Disabled Children ( 159kb)

Leaflet giving details about the Network which is one of the ways that Children's Services can get important information to people who need it and get help to plan services for the future. Information is included on how to join the Network.

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Fostering

Foster Carers Charter ( 1.67mb)

This charter describes what can be expected from Sunderland Fostering Service during all stages of becoming a foster carer.

Private fostering is an arrangement made privately between a parent and another adult, who is not a relative, to look after, in their home, a child or children who are under the age of 16 (under 18 if they are disabled) for longer than 28 days. The person who has been asked to look after the child is a private foster carer. There is a responsibility to inform the Local Council of this arrangement.

There are a number of leaflets produced by the Department for Education and Skills, which explain private fostering and people's responsibility in more detail.

• Do you look after someone else's child? ( 65kb)
• Is someone else looking after your child? ( 63kb)
• What is your role? ( 83kb)

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Help with housing

Keys Project ( 165kb)

This leaflet tells you about The Keys Project which is for 16 to 25 year olds and is run by Housing and Children's Services. It can help young people to get accommodation and support.

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Information for children under 11 who are looked after

Advocacy for Under 11's ( 69kb)

Information for children who have a problem and need someone to listen and help.

Being Adopted ( 235kb)

Leaflet for children and young people about what adoption means and what is involved in the adoption process.

Remember Your Rights! ( 41kb)

A leaflet for children looked after to help them understand what their rights are.

Welcome to Foster Care ( 224kb)

A guide to foster care for young children.

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Information for young people over 11 who are looked after

A Book About You ( 274kb)

A booklet produced for young people who are looked after to help them understand the assessment process.

Advocacy ( 130kb)

Information for young people who are in need of advice and support or have a problem and need someone to help and listen.

Being Adopted ( 235kb)

Leaflet for children and young people about what adoption means and what is involved in the adoption process.

Being looked after ( 180kb)

Information for young people who are placed in the care of the local authority because they are unable to live with their families.

Children's Rights ( 303kb)

A leaflet for children looked after, explaining their rights and responsibilities outlined in The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Go on....Answer back! Children’s Services Complaints, comments & compliments ( 81kb)

Leaflet for children looked after providing information on how to make a complaint, give comments or compliments about the services they receive.

Helping you into Independent Living - A young person's guide to Supported Lodgings ( 171kb)

Leaflet explaining the scheme to provide good quality accommodation for young people, (primarily in the 16 to 21 age group), who need the greater security and support that living in a family environment can offer.

Reviews - What Happens? ( 337kb)

A review is a way of looking at how things are for all children who are being looked after by Social Services. It explains that happens before, during and after the review process.

Welcome to Foster Care ( 293kb)

A young persons guide to foster care.

What's It All About? ( 140kb)

A pack of information for young people who are receiving help from child protection services, with the following inserts:

• Investigations ( 150kb)
• Video Interview ( 85kb)
• Conferences ( 80kb)
• Going to Court ( 67kb)
• Your Rights ( 106kb)
• A Quick Guide ( 85kb)
• Your Health ( 119kb)

Who does What? ( 380kb)

A leaflet for young people who are in contact with Social Services explaining about the different people they will meet or hear about.

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Volunteer Mentoring Service

How a mentor could help you - information for young people ( 128kb)

Leaflet explaining the extra support to young people on top of help that they may already be receiving from Sunderland Youth Offending Service.

Using your experience to help change young people's lives ( 200kb)

Leaflet explaining the Volunteer Mentoring Service, which is part of Sunderland Youth Offending Service.

Young carers

Do you help look after someone in your family who is ill or has a disability? Does this cause you problems at school? Want some help? ( 2.82mb)

The young carer’s card is for young carers who are having problems at school because they are looking
after someone at home. Young carers can carry the card with them at school and they can show the card to teachers when they are having problems.

Young parents

Bump to Baby Plus ( 393kb)

A leaflet explaining the support provided by the project to teenage parents, through education, information and advice on health, parenting and housing. The project is run with involvement from Children's Services, Children North East, Connexions, Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust, Bridge Women's Group and SureStart Plus.

This information can be made available in large print, Braille, audio and other languages. Please contact the Communications Service on 0191 520 5555 or email childrens.services.info@sunderland.co.uk for help.

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The documents above are in PDF () format, which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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