Support services

We aim to keep families together wherever possible.

Some of these services can only be provided following an assessment of need.

For more details about our services, please see the list below:

• Adoption:  Advice on adopting a child and support to families who adopt is available through our adoption team and the social work teams.

• Benefits advice:  Advice on how and where to claim any benefits through the Benefits Agency or DSS.

• Child Protection:  Specialist intervention with children and young people.  For instance children who are being, or have been, abused or are in trouble and need our help.

• Children and Family Centres:  We have a number of children and family centres which provide a range of services to support families and children in need, such as sessional day care.

• Children's Rights Service:  A service offering advice and support to children that the local authority is involved with. 

• Fostering:  Advice on fostering a child and support to families who foster.

• Hospice and Palliative Care:  Help supporting parents with terminally ill children.

• Independent Visitors - Some children in foster care or in residential homes have little contact with parents or family. It is vital that they can meet regularly with someone who is independent of Children and Young People's Services and who is not already involved in their care.

• Leaving Care: A comprehensive service is provided for young people leaving the care of the local authority.

• Leicester Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership (LCYPSP) - Has the overall responsibility for putting Every Child Matters into practice in the City.

• Missing or out of contact client (child): Children who go missing from social services care invariably place themselves, and often others, at risk.

• Out of Hours Social Services Support: An Emergency Team offering out-of-hours emergency support to children and families.

• Residential Care: An option for children and young people who have to live away from their families for a variety of reasons.

• Respite Care:  Sometimes known as ‘respite care’ for a child, either with a family or in a children’s home.  This provides the break needed for families of disabled children or those with special needs, to enable them to continue coping with caring.

• Shared Care:  The Shared Care scheme aims to provide short term breaks for children and young people with disabilities.

• Support for children with HIV:  Specialist social workers that can provide information, offer advice and arrange support for people living with HIV/AIDS and their carers.

• Young carers - advice and support: Being a young person and caring for parents, a sibling or any other relative can be especially difficult.  We understand this and can provide support, help and advice.

• Young Offenders:  Support, guidance, supervision and training for young people in trouble with the law.