Listen Up - Social Welfare Portal

listenup!Chapter 5 | 39Each project had its own process for dealing witha young person’s request to change keyworker.However, they all followed the same basic pattern.Firstly, a member of staff consulted with the youngperson as to why they felt their relationship with theircurrent keyworker was not meeting their needs, andthen worked with them to explore ways to resolvethese issues. Finally, if the young person and theirkeyworker felt they could not resolve the issues, theyoung person was provided with the opportunity tochange keyworkers.“You don’t feel like you’re upsetting anyone by sayingyou don’t want to speak to them.”Young personYoung people said that staff made this process feelsafe and comfortable, and they were re-assuredthat it would not hinder the support they receivedin any way. Overall, young people felt that they hadvery positive and beneficial relationships with theirkeyworkers and other staff at the services. Threestated that they had to change their keyworker, andin two cases it was due to a preference in supportstyles used by the keyworkers.Case StudyOne young person at Aberdeen Foyer,Aberdeen described her relationshipwith their first keyworker as very positive.Unfortunately, the keyworker left theproject to go on a training course and theyoung person had to be allocated a newkeyworker. The young person didn’t findthe new keyworker’s approach to be helpfulto them and felt it would not be beneficialto continue. They were able to discuss theproblem with one of the other workerswithout any problem or prejudice. Theyoung person was soon allocated anotherkeyworker, and this proved successful.“They don’t make you feel bad for wantingto change workers … they just understand.”