Fill in the Me and My Review booklet to help you have your say in your review. You can fill the whole booklet, or just the parts you want to complete – it’s up to you!

First things first!

This is your review, so who do you want to come? Usually you, your social worker and your foster carer or key worker, will be at the meeting. You will be asked who you think should be invited.

Here are some top suggestions from the young people in Wakefield;

• Designated Teacher
• Advocate
• Foster Carer
• Grandparent
• Mum
• Leaving care worker
•Support worker

There are some people that have to be invited to your review, these may include you, your Social Worker, your carer, your Independent Reviewing Officer and maybe your Mum and Dad (your social worker or foster carer can explain this to you).

“Talking to my social worker before my review made it easier because they told me what they were going to talk about so I could prepare myself.”

“I like my review as it is a chance to see people I know."

“Take someone you can trust, who can support you. I did and it made my review better.”

As well as who to invite, you will also have to think about where and when you would like your review to take place. You will agree on a date, time and venue.

Here’s a checklist you may like to think about:

• I have asked my social worker what will be talked about
• I have planned who to invite
• I have spoken to my Reviewing Officer
• I have contacted an advocate or friend to attend with me
• I have agreed a time and date
• I have agreed a venue
• I’ve thought about what I want to say
• I have seen my present care plan
• I have made a list of questions I want to ask
• I have got together any certificates, awards or school work I want to show at the meeting

There are several sections you can fill out in your Review pack, some of these include:

• Where I live now.
• My Family and Friends: This will be talked about at your review because the law says that you have a right to keep in contact with your family and other people who are important to you. Unless this would put you at risk.
• My Health: This will be talked about at your review because being healthy helps you to succeed and achieve in other parts of your life.
• My Education: This will be talked about at your review because being settled at school or college and doing well will help you to have a successful and happy future.
• My Hobbies.
• Religion: You can follow your religion whilst being looked after. If you have been brought up in a particular religion, and it is important to you, your social worker should help you in making sure you can follow your religious beliefs.
• My Feelings and Emotions.
• My Future: The law says your review must look at the plans for your future, including how you will be supported. When you are 16 you must have a ‘pathway plan’ which will be talked about with the leaving care team.

You should know what was talked about at your review and things should have been clearly explained to you. You should get a copy of the notes of your review and your Care Plan after each review. If you don’t get these you need to ask your social worker for them.

Reviews will help to check:
 • You are being well looked after
• That your care plan is working for you. A care plan says what Wakefield Council is going to do to support your health, education, religion, your culture and hobbies, and how they can help you have contact with family and friends. The plan might also say how your parents or guardians will help to look after you. The plan should be written within 10 days of you being looked after.

You will be given a copy of the plan so you can see:
• That the things that have been agreed have been done for you
• What plans need to be made for your future
• THAT YOU GET TO HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE

Advocacy can help you with things like bullying, problems in your foster placement or children’s home, difficulties with your social worker or other professionals, worries about contact with your family and a whole range of other things.

Advocates do not work for Wakefield Council. They are independent and can help you to put forward your views. They are also there to give you full information and advice about your rights and make sure people in authority take account of your point of view. Get an Advocate by calling 01977 552493

• On the day before your review – relax, rest and eat well.
• Use the review as your chance to tell people what’s going on for you
• Take your workbook to your review as it might help you remember

Does anyone listen - really listen - to you? Mind Of My Own is a great way to put down your thoughts and send them to those who need to hear from you.

Step 1
Go to one.mindofmyown.org.uk and either sign up to a new account or log in to your existing account. You can also download the app from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play store.

Step 2
Choose one of these options (My worker is visiting, Share good news, Prepare for a meeting etc.)

Step 3
Answer as many of the questions as you like and add more information where you want to.

Step 4
Now you have created a statement to send to a professional you trust and you will get a drop down menu with options to send it to your social worker, your social worker's manager etc. If the person you would like to send it to is not in the list you can input their email yourself and send it to them that way.

Step 5
If you want, we can notify you when the person you sent your statement to has received it. Simply input your phone number and we'll give you a text when your statement has been picked up.

“Mind Of My Own IS AMAZING! I love Mind Of My Own, my social worker first introduced Mind Of My Own to me. I think it’s the easiest way for every child to get their views across.”

“I finally found a way to feel confident and tell someone what was happening to me. I got help”

“I find speaking in this way much easier. It’s revolutionary. :D”