RECOMMENDATION

ACTION

DATE ACTIONED

TARGET

DATE

2.  All health and safety issues identified by the Somer Health and Safety Inspection and by this Review  should be resolved by 3/11/05.  Installing a secure front door and ensuring that adequate fire safety measures are in place and in working order are an urgent priority. We require the provider to complete all identified work by 10th November 2005. At the time of writing, (December 2005),  Bath Self Help Housing Association reported that these essential repairs have been completed and that night time security and extra day time cover has been put in place in order to stabilise the project.

All Health and Safety repairs identified completed; additional other outstanding repairs completed

BSH currently negotiating with BCHA a revision of management agreement allowing BSH greater control over repairs in future

Front door now has a magna lock/fob system

07.11.05

Dec 05 –

current

Jan 06

4.  Five service users are currently subject to possession proceedings because they are in breach of their tenancy agreement.  It is recommended that the Provider follows through with these repossessions and ensures that the voids are appropriately re-let to service users from the target client groups.  Given that Caroline House is a ‘low support’ service, needs and risks assessments need to be systematically carried out to ensure appropriate placement.  It is recommended that Caroline House could be used as move on from the Foyer or Pathways when it is felt that service users needs can be adequately met.

4 repossessions were completed successfully in 2005.  1 tenant currently in custody is due for further court action for possession w/c 28.02.06

Voids were held until 2006 in order that staff could stabilise the service, attempt to engage existing service users actively in their support plans and whilst repairs were being undertaken.  There are 8 voids  01.02.06. We are now

All service users had risk assessments undertaken in April/May 2005 or when they applied if after this date.  These will be reviewed by end March 2006 and every 3 months thereafter.

All new service users have comprehensive  needs and risk assessments in place as part of application, assessment and allocations process. 

Caroline House was open to referrals for move-on  from other BSH services throughout 2005 (e.g. current resident from Green Park) , and before, but this wasn’t maximised by other schemes as it was not perceived as desirable accommodation and funded support level was very low to be considered a next stage move on by vulnerable young people.

31.11.05

April 2005

onwards

August 2006

28.02.06

31.03.06

RECOMMENDATION

ACTION

DATE ACTIONED

TARGET

DATE

4. [continued]

Internal discussions have taken place with BSH team leaders to highlight the changes to Caroline House and encourage move on. referrals  These will be followed up with e mail instructions and further discussion at the next team meeting to market service to service users ready to move on if appropriate

December/  January 2006

10.02.06

5.  Caroline House does not seem to attract very many referrals from other local agencies who are working with the target client groups and stakeholders were unsure of how it fits in locally as a supported housing provision.  It is recommended that the Provider promotes links with, and sets targets for referrals from relevant local agencies including Julian House, Off the Record, Housing Advice Team, Adolescent and Leaving Care Team,  DHI, Avon and Somerset Probation Service and the Youth Offending Team. 

Initial Meetings have been held with DHI, Housing Advice and Housing Options.  An appointment has been arranged with Off The Record.  Meetings will be arranged to raise the profile of the scheme with the other agencies by 28.02.06.

Further work will take place with the agencies to establish working protocols with these agencies to be completed by June 2006

A basic  service information leafleted has been drafted and will be reviewed/revised in due course

January 2006

30.01.06

28.02.06

30.06.06

31.07.06

6.  Support Planning and keyworking  needs to be outcomes focused with the aim of enabling service users to move on into independent living within a period of two years

Tenancy support reviews were undertaken every 3 months at Caroline House but these were very basic, and not comprehensive enough to meet  QAF, there were also difficulties with getting all service users to engage in reviews consistently.

These were replaced with new support planning documents, with outcome focused support action plans when new paperwork and systems were introduced 22.08.05 across all BSH services (currently subject to review)

Following the review report, in addition to (variable) ongoing support established in June 2005, all existing service users have been offered appointments for support plan reviews and support at least 3 times in late November and December.  All service users bar 1 have started to engage in support sessions in January 06.

Assertive action being taken to encourage service user to engage.

Any outstanding support plan reviews will be undertaken by end March 2006. 

22.08.05

June 2005

January 06

Jan/Feb 06

ongoing

31.03.06

RECOMMENDATION

ACTION

DATE ACTIONED

TARGET

DATE

7.  Many service users at Caroline House will have low priority on the B&NES Homeseekers Register and the number of Assisted Move on places is limited.  Therefore, it is recommended that the Provider produces an Action Plan to demonstrate how it aims to facilitate move on for service users. Again, this should be submitted by 1st February 2006.

Staff have encouraged service users to give due consideration to private rented sector.  1 resident moved into private sector flat, another was supported to search for appropriate accommodation.

Staff will draw up a move-on action plan with each service user within the first 3 months of residency. 

Existing service users will have a move-on plan by the end of March 2006

BSH will explore negotiation of potential nomination rights with SCHT and open up discussions with other landlords.  BSH have 25% nomination rights within its own general needs stock.

There are no guarantees that this will result in nomination rights but we hope to  improve access to  move-on situation.

It is noted that single room restrictions apply to young people, that rents in the private rented sector for single accommodation are prohibitive to vulnerable people hoping to achieve work on low incomes and young people starting out in employment, that for some vulnerable people the cheaper option of sharing a house/bedsit land would lead to failure and re-presentation as homeless &/or deterioration in independence skills/mental health/etc

March 05 onwards

31.03.06

Starting from 28.02.06

RECOMMENDATION

ACTION

DATE ACTIONED

TARGET

DATE

8.  Frontline staff at Caroline House have not always been included in Team Meetings or Team Leader meetings at Bath Self Help and as a result staff have felt that they have not received adequate support or guidance. This has adversely impacted on the service provided for users at Caroline House. It is recommended that frontline staff at Caroline House should be fully included in Team and Team Leader meetings as appropriate and  that they should be adequately supported.

Staff at Caroline house have been invited to team leader meetings since March 2005.  There are no team meetings as there has been only one person in the Caroline House  team who has received regular supervision and regular access on a day to day basis to the supported housing manager (sharing an office base)

The member of staff continues to be  invited to the first half of team leader meetings as appropriate.  She was unable to attend in December due to conflicting appointments with service users and the next meeting is 07.02.06.

March 2005