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4.2.8 Placement in Supported Housing/Lodgings

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter gives information about supported accommodation available to help Looked After young people make the transition from care placement to independent living and explains arrangements to enable young people to stay put with foster families when fostering ceases


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Our Approach
  3. Preparation and Matching
  4. Responsibilities and Resources
  5. Moving On
  6. Approval of Family and Friends as Lodgings Providers
  7. The Safe Passage Scheme – Approval of Small Bed and Breakfast Providers as Supported Lodgings
  8. Staying Put


1. Introduction

  • Young people leave care placements at different times between their 16th and 18th birthday. Some return home, some are able to continue living post 18 with their existing carers and some go away to university or join the army. Most, however, move from care placement to supported accommodation and then into an independent tenancy
  • Young people leaving care placements out of Bradford may want to return or may want accommodation in the area in which they have been living. There is a range of supported accommodation in Bradford, but this is not necessarily the case elsewhere
  • Young people leave their last care placement at different points between 16 and 18 and the timing generally reflects the flow of the school year. The effect of school year means that some young people are 16 at start of Year 11 while others reach 16 at the end
  • Some young people stay put in their care placement after reaching their 18th birthday, especially where the care placement is fostering or living at home and where the foster placement is converted into supported lodgings
  • Some care leavers become parents at age 16 or 17 and have additional accommodation needs
  • Some care leavers are asylum seekers who often have well developed independent living skills, but may have emotional health needs arising out of their experiences, can present issues around age assessment and may prefer to live in communal supported accommodation projects or supported shared houses for mutual support rather than dispersed tenancies. Asylum seekers may follow different pathways to other young people if applications are refused


2. Our Approach

Individual decisions are made with young people and in consultation with those who know them through pathway planning. Our approach:-

  • Recognises that most young people leaving care are likely to require supported accommodation as a step towards an independent tenancy
  • Acknowledges that individual young people become ready to leave care at different stages between 16 and 18
  • Recognises that the pathway to independent living for some care leavers may be complex
  • Seeks to enable care leavers to make smooth transitions by promoting positive planning and preparation rather than reactive planning
  • Tries to ensure access to a range of accommodation suitable to the diverse needs of care leavers at different stages in the leaving care process
  • Seeks to build on partnerships and give expression to the whole Council’s corporate parenting responsibility
  • Seeks to ensure that young people leaving the service at 21 or over have safe, permanent and affordable accommodation


3. Preparation and Matching

  • Supported accommodation provides a bridge between care placement and independent tenancy, seeks to give care leavers the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours to live independently
  • Preparation for independence begins in care placements and better outcomes are obtained when:-
  • There is opportunity for providers to undertake pre-tenancy work
  • Preparation work addresses the attitudes and behaviours required for independent living as well as the knowledge and skills – young people are more likely to loose accommodation due to un-conducive attitudes and behaviours rather than lack of knowledge and skills
  • Foundation Housing runs a taster flat for care leavers where young people can experience supported independent living while still in care placement as a preparation for leaving care. Applications can be made through the young person’s personal adviser. Information on other initiatives such preparation groups and a pre tenancy course is also available from the young person’s personal adviser
  • The range of supported accommodation falls into 3 main types:
  • Supported lodgings
  • Site based supported accommodation projects
  • Supported tenancies
  • There is an overlap between the different types e.g. shared houses may be run by a supported lodgings provider living nearby or may be a feature on a site based supported accommodation project; core and cluster arrangements may also be a feature of such a project or may be part of a supported tenancies scheme
  • Leaving Care Service workers have responsibility for accommodation finding with young people and matching accommodation to their needs and wants. Each project offers a different experience and young people should have the opportunity of finding out about a range of projects in order to make informed choices. Different projects will be better suited to different young people and matching the young person to the right project is important for successful outcomes
  • Most projects require completion of an application form, want to interview the young person before acceptance and offer accommodation on the basis of a licence agreement in which the young person undertakes to take care of the property, respect neighbours and receive support

4. Responsibilities and Resources

  • Under the Leaving Care Act 2000 Children’s Services are responsible for the accommodation needs and accommodation costs of Eligible and Relevant care leavers; Guidance to the Act states that these young people should be in “suitable” accommodation and that for most young people this will be “supported accommodation”
  • To meet these responsibilities, the Service has:
  • Supported tenancies under a contract scheme
  • A long standing partnership with a Supported Lodgings scheme where young people live in a lodgings provider’s home. As well as providing long term lodgings, the scheme offers respite and emergency placements as well as taster weekends
  • A protocol for access to supported tenancies in the Keighley area
  • Spot purchases from Supporting People funded projects in Bradford and elsewhere and from some private companies using a Preferred Provider List
  • Arrangements with a direct access hostel for emergency accommodation
  • Close links with a Project providing supported shared houses for asylum seekers
  • Obtained private sector accommodation from estate agents to run as a shared house for unaccompanied minors.
  • At 18, care leavers become Former Relevant and Children’s Services no longer has direct legal responsibility for their housing provision. Supporting People has responsibility to fund a range of provision for different vulnerable groups, including 16 to 25 year old homeless young people and post 18 care leavers. Care leavers can access these schemes either when making their initial transition from care placement or when making second or third attempts to live independently
  • Under the 1996 Housing Act and 2002 Homelessness Act, the local housing authority also has a duty to homeless 18+ care leavers who are “vulnerable”. In exceptional circumstances, Bed and Breakfast may be used as emergency accommodation, usually as a last resort when other alternatives, such as direct access hostels, are not available.
  • Under the Leaving Care Act 2000, there is a duty to provide or fund vacation accommodation for care leavers at university if term time accommodation is not available. The service has an arrangement with Bradford University, but experience suggests young people usually either remain in term time accommodation or return to stay with former foster carers as lodgings providers


5. Moving On

  • Care leavers may move between different supported accommodation projects (e.g. from supported lodgings to a supported tenancy) in order to gain the knowledge, skills, right attitudes and behaviours that enable successful living in independent tenancies
  • Pathway planning and support planning within projects helps young people decide when they are ready to take on an independent tenancy. Registered Social Landlords (such as Housing Associations and Incommunities, Bradford’s Community Housing Trust) provide independent tenancies for young people over 18 in recognised social need
  • Supported tenancy projects usually enable young people to take over the accommodation as an independent tenancy when support ends. Additionally, care leavers can apply to a range of registered social landlords or bid for property with Incommunities on Homehunter. The Service has a protocol with Incommunities so that at age 18 and over, care leavers have bidding rights on Homehunter backdated to their 16th birthday
  • Generally the Service discourages care leavers from moving into privately rented accommodation as it does not offer adequate security of tenure and at age 22 housing allowance may not cover full payment of rent
  • Young people usually exit the Service aged 21, but under housing legislation there continues to be a responsibility to treat young people who have been “in care” and are “vulnerable” as priority housing need if homeless


6. Approval of Family and Friends as Lodgings Providers:

Occasionally circumstances arise, often in an emergency, where adult friends or wider family offer to provide lodgings for care leavers, particularly for young people aged 16 or 17. This can be on a temporary basis as a bridge to other housing provision or with a view to longer term arrangements.

Designated Leaving Care Managers will approve temporary lodgings arrangements for up to 3 months, and exercise discretion about any financial assistance according to individual circumstances, on the basis of:-

  • An agreed change to the young person’s pathway plan
  • Immediate checks and enquiries as to suitability as available and appropriate to the care leaver’s age and circumstances
  • Recommendation from the care leaver’s personal adviser

Where the intention is for lodgings to become longer term arrangements, the care leaver’s personal adviser will conduct an assessment within the 3 months with the intention of approving the arrangement as supported lodgings under the Service’s SORTED! Scheme.

Young people aged 18 and over may make their own lodgings arrangements and the Service would normally only become involved in vetting these and supporting them financially where care leavers are vulnerable or there are special circumstances.

Family and Friends approved as foster carers can convert into supported lodgings through the SORTED! Scheme when care leavers become 18.


7. The Safe Passage Scheme - Approval of Small Bed and Breakfast Provider as Supported Lodgings

The Service runs a Safe Passage scheme to provide temporary supported lodgings for a few care leavers with small, family run bed and breakfast providers, as a bridge to more permanent accommodation.

In line with central government targets, the Service aims to minimise the use of Bed and Breakfast for care leavers through use of alternative emergency accommodation but recognises that for some young people, staying temporarily in a small, family run guest house with supportive proprietors can be a positive step towards independent living.

Additionally, the Scheme supports the Service in meeting the immediate accommodation needs of unaccompanied asylum seekers on first arrival in the city.

The Scheme provides:-

  • A Designated Worker (Housing Support) to give support and act as a link with the Leaving Care Service (in addition to the young person’s worker)
  • Care Leavers referred through Designated Worker (Housing Support) who will vet the young people and check suitable matching
  • Confidential sharing of information about the young person and any concerns to enable the provider to understand them and take an interest in their welfare
  • Opportunity for involvement in training and events run by the Service
  • Support to help the young person move on and troubleshooting in the event of difficulties

When approved as a supported lodgings provider, the Bed and Breakfast proprietor is expected to:

  • Take a personal interest in the young person and their welfare
  • Provide temporary lodgings within the bed and breakfast and give support to arrangements for evening meal if needed (such as at a local café or take away if no facilities on site)
  • Keep in contact with Designated Worker (Housing Support) and the young person’s allocated worker, informing them of any developments affecting the young person’s welfare
  • Agree not to take anyone else referred by a social care agency without first consulting the Leaving Care Service

Approval under the Schemes is made by the Designated Manager (Housing) on the basis of:-

  • Inquiries and checks, including with the Criminal Records Bureau
  • A report and recommendation as to suitability from the Designated Worker (Housing Developments)
  • A supported lodgings agreement

Under the Scheme, payment is made above the normal Bed and Breakfast room rent in recognition that the young person will be occupying a room normally available for commercial let and that additional support is being provided.


8. Staying Put

8.1

General

Bradford Looked After young people are fostered in a variety of circumstances, in Bradford and elsewhere, under different schemes or with different organisations – local authority, family and friends and independent fostering agencies. Around the age of 16, pathway planning looks at future arrangements for the young person, the route out of care and their transition to adulthood. Research suggests that young people achieve better outcomes where they are able to remain in family placements beyond the age of 18 and the Service aims to enable care leavers to stay put in foster homes by converting them into supported lodgings, usually through its own SORTED! Scheme whose aims are:

  • to enable the young person to remain with their existing carer on ceasing to be Looked After
  • to help the carer make the transition to supported lodgings provider
  • to give vulnerable young people extended opportunity to reach maturity
  • to provide stability so that young people can maximise life chances and continue the development of self-care and independent living skills

Decisions about foster home conversion should be made jointly in the course of care planning and pathway planning. Initially, this should be a matter for discussion between the adults involved in the care of the young person – the foster carer, the Looked After worker, the fostering worker and the Leaving Care Service. The young person can become involved in discussions once it is established that conversion is a viable and appropriate option. In some cases, an application for a Special Guardianship Order at 16 or Adoption Order at 16 might be a preferred option.

The process to be followed for foster home conversion will involve initial information, interest and clarification, enquiry, application and initial commitment, assessment and approval, final commitment and ongoing support.

Where the foster home is outside Bradford, it may be appropriate to consider

  • referral to a local supported lodgings scheme for conversion where there is one
  • the possibility of a small provider contract with the local Supporting People team where there is no lodgings scheme

Where another local authority is responsible for the young person living in Bradford, it is for that authority to decide whether to pursue conversion through

  • any Scheme of its own
  • referral to the Supporting People funded Supported Lodgings Scheme
  • referral to the Leaving Care Service SORTED! Scheme with commitment to reimburse costs to Bradford

The Service also pays a temporary Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance to enable a young person studying A levels (or equivalent) during Year 12 to remain with their Bradford local authority foster carers post 18 in order to complete their course of study.

8.2

Initial information
8.2.1 The Leaving Care Service will provide information about foster home conversions in a variety of ways. It is likely that workers in Looked After and fostering will be the first to be involved in either being consulted about conversion or in raising it as a possibility with foster carers.
8.2.2 Designated workers (Housing Support) within Leaving Care take responsibility for developing and disseminating promotional materials

8.3

Interest and clarification
8.3.1 Designated workers (Housing Support) within the Leaving Care Service will be available at any stage to advise Looked After and fostering workers about any aspect of the scheme or to visit foster carers to clarify issues, explain how the scheme works or register interest

8.4

Enquiry, application and initial commitment
8.4.1 Pathway planning can be undertaken from the age of 15 and a half onwards. Where it becomes clear that foster home conversion is an appropriate and desired option, the worker undertaking responsibility for the pathway plan should contact the Leaving Care Service Designated Worker (Housing Support) to refer to the SORTED! Scheme or discuss alternatives, particularly where young people live outside Bradford
8.4.2 In order to check whether foster home conversion is being considered, the Designated Worker (Housing Support) will also pro-actively contact the allocated workers of Looked After young people in foster care from age 16 onwards
8.4.3 Where the young person is going to stay put under the SORTED! Scheme, the Designated Worker (Housing Support) will liaise with relevant workers (case holder, fostering worker) and arrange to visit the foster carer to explain the SORTED! Scheme and complete an Application Form

8.5

Assessment and approval
8.5.1

Approval for foster home conversion under the SORTED! Scheme will be made by the Designated Manager (Housing) on the basis of previous approval as foster carers by Fostering Panel and:-

  • A SORTED! Application Form
  • A copy of the most recent foster home annual review
  • A current CRB check (i.e. within the last 3 years) on all adults in the household
  • The young person’s most recent Looked After review
  • The young person’s most recent pathway plan
  • A report from the Designated Worker (Housing Support) confirming:
    • The foster carer and the young person understand the nature of the Scheme and tenancy rights
    • Any kinship relationship the foster carer has with the young person and its effect on a housing benefit claim
    • The foster carer has appropriate liability, contents and buildings insurance cover
    • The foster carer is willing and able to commit to a Support Plan to enable the young person to develop self-care and independent living skills
    • A supported lodgings agreement has been signed
    • Whether the arrangement is to provide stability so that young people can maximise life chances and continue the development of self-care and independent living skills young and whether the young person is also vulnerable, requiring extra time in placement post 18 because of delayed maturity

8.6

Commitment
8.6.1 Approval under the SORTED! Scheme will normally be given about 6 months before a young person ceases to be Looked After and will take effect from the point at which the young person ceases to be Looked After, which will normally be the 18th birthday
8.6.2 In consultation with the allocated worker, the Designated Worker (Housing Support) will help the lodgings provider and young person draw up a support plan to identify the areas in which the provider will help the young person develop self-care and independent living skills. The support plan will be incorporated into the young person’s pathway plan
8.6.3 The Designated Worker (Housing Support) will complete a lodgings agreement with both the lodgings provider (former foster carer) and the young person. As part of the agreement, both will take joint responsibility for informing Leaving Care of any changes in circumstance or young person’s income which might affect a Housing Benefit claim

8.7

Ongoing Support and Review
8.7.1 Where required, the Designated Worker (Housing Support) will be able to provide advice and support to the lodgings provider in addition to the support provided to the young person by his / her allocated worker
8.7.2 The Designated Worker (Housing Support) will be responsible for ensuring that CRB checks remain current and are updated as required and that required information is collected for an annual review of approval
8.7.3 The annual review of approval will be carried out by the Designated Manager (Housing)
8.7.4 The Designated Worker (Housing Support) will ensure that appropriate payments are made to the lodgings provider and that claims are made and maintained for housing benefit where appropriate
8.7.5 The young person’s allocated worker will assist in finding appropriate accommodation for the young person when the time comes to move on
8.7.6 The SORTED! Scheme will normally end once a young person has become 21

8.8

Payments
8.8.1 The Leaving Care Service will make a weekly payment to the lodgings provide and the young person will also be expected to contribute towards their board from their benefits, training allowance or wage. Amounts will be set out in the lodgings agreement and are subject to yearly review
8.8.2 Where the young person is in employment, he / she may be required to contribute to the cost of room rent up on the basis of a sliding scale with agreed disregards revised each year in line with benefit rates. The corresponding amount will be deducted from the lodgings provider’s allowance
8.8.3 With the help of the lodgings provider and the Designated Worker (Housing Support), the young person will maintain a Housing Benefit claim where entitled to do so
8.8.4 Where the lodgings provider is in receipt of welfare benefits, he / she will be given advice by the Designated Worker (Housing Support) about the effect of lodgings payments on benefit claims.
8.8.5

Where there is no close kinship and the lodgings provider is a tax payer, it should be possible to claim a tax allowance against lodgings payments either under the HMRC “Rent a Room Scheme” or the profit method where the arrangement is intended

  • to provide stability so that the young person can maximise life chances and continue the development of self-care and independent living skills

Where there is no close kinship and the lodgings provider is a tax payer, it should be possible to claim a tax allowance under the HMRC tax rules relating to adult placement schemes where the arrangement is also intended

  • to give vulnerable a young person extended opportunity to reach maturity

The responsibility for obtaining advice, informing HMRC and claiming any relevant tax allowance will rest entirely with the lodgings provider. The Leaving Care Service is unable to give advice on this matter, but information is available from Fostering Network

8.9

Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance
8.9.1

Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance is a temporary payment to Bradford local authority foster carers designed to enable them to continue providing accommodation for young people who have become 18 during Year 12 while studying for A levels or equivalent, up to the end of their course.

  • Young people become 18 at different points during Year 12, but fostering fees and allowances always cease the day before the young person’s 18th birthday
  • Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance aims to bridge the gap, if there is one, between the young person’s 18th birthday and the completion of their A Levels (or equivalent qualification) so that the young person can remain with their carers.
8.9.2

Post Fostering Lodgings Placements are not the same as Foster Home Conversions into Supported Lodgings under the SORTED! Scheme 

  • Post Fostering Lodgings Placements are temporary arrangements to enable a young person to remain with their carers post 18 in order to complete their course of study. The allowance is only available until the 1 July and only available when the young person is studying for A Levels or equivalent. It is also only available to foster carers where Bradford is the fostering agency
  • Foster Home Conversions into Supported Lodgings are longer term arrangements to enable young people to remain with their former foster parents up to the age of 21. Post Fostering Lodgings Placements may, however, become Foster Home Conversions into Supported Lodgings once the young person has completed their course of study
8.9.3

By making a Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance, the Leaving Care Service aims to maintain the equivalent of the fostering fee and the young person takes financial responsibility for their own maintenance (i.e. for the costs which, while fostered, would have been met from the fostering allowance)

  • Fostering fees and allowances cease on the day before the young person’s 18th birthday, but at 18, a previously fostered young person studying A Levels or equivalent can usually claim Income Support (unless working part time and earning beyond benefit thresholds)
  • The former foster carer will receive a payment from Leaving Care Service and the young person will be expected to make a contribution to their keep from their income
  • Details of payments, contributions and benefit entitlements will be discussed with foster carers and young people by the Leaving Care worker
8.9.4 Post Fostering Lodgings Allowance will be agreed as part of pathway planning. The Leaving Care Worker will draw up an agreement between the young person and their former foster carers to cover the period from the young person’s 18th birthday up to the following 1st July and this will be incorporated into the young person’s Pathway Plan.

End