Social workers and the council | Shropshire Council

Your social worker

If you're put into care, you'll have a social worker. This will be a dedicated person who will be your main point of contact.

They will:

Provide emotional and practical support
Help you make a placement plan / care plan
Listen to you
Ensure your needs are met
Ensure your concerns are resolved
Ensure you're safe
Show respect and dignity to you whatever your circumstances and situation may be
Care about you and be fair
Support you and help you to believe in yourself
Communicate with you regularly and visit at least once every six weeks, more often if needed. You'll have their phone number so you can contact them
Give you information and advice about your long-term future, and facts to help you to piece together important information about your life
Provide you with information about how to access your records
Listen to you and ensure your views are taken into account at all times
Help you to move to independence when the time's right

Wherever possible you'll have the same social worker while you’re in care, but sometimes this isn’t possible because they may change job or move away.

If you’re not happy with your social worker you must tell someone. If you can’t raise this with your social worker speak to your carer or even your teacher. If you’re not happy talking to any of these people you can speak to someone who doesn't work for the council, at Coram VOICE.

The council

Shropshire Council acts as your 'corporate parents'.

Corporate parenting is the term used to describe the council's and its partners' obligations towards caring for those young people placed in its care. Each top-tier council is responsible for caring for looked-after children, and will have a corporate parenting strategy detailing its policies, along with a corporate parenting panel bringing together elected members, senior council officers and children-in-care council members (called the Children’s Care Crew in Shropshire).