NHS Bath & North East Somerset

Working together for health & wellbeing

The Health and wellbeing partnership conprises NHS Bath and North east Somerset (NHS banes PCT) and Bath and North East Somerset (banes) Council working together in partnership.

Supported and Sheltered Housing - Information and Advice

Supported Lodgings Scheme

The Supported Lodgings Scheme is Bath and North East Somerset Council’s response to the growing concern about the lack of housing options for young people.

Many young people aged 16 - 18, whether they are leaving care or whether they can no longer live at home, are just not ready to live on their own.

The Supported Lodgings Scheme will help young people to develop the practical skills and emotional stability they will need to make the transition to adulthood and make a success of living independently – in short, to achieve their personal potential.

How does it work?

Supported Lodgings Providers rent rooms in their homes to young people and give them the support, encouragement and guidance they need to develop the skills and confidence to live independently. The young person renting the room becomes part of the household and shares the facilities.

Lodgings Providers work in partnership with the young person and the Adolescent & Leaving Care Team (ALCT) to provide a programme of support that meets the young person’s individual needs. Some will need help with practical tasks such as cooking, budgeting or shopping economically. Others will need more emotional support. Many will need both. The idea is that they gradually take on more responsibility for looking after themselves until they reach the point where they feel confident about their ability to cope on their own.

Who can be a Lodgings Provider?

We need people from all walks of life and from all kinds of cultural and ethnic backgrounds to become Lodgings Providers. After all, the young people also come from diverse backgrounds and it is important that this is reflected in the lodgings that are available. As a Lodgings Provider you could be:

a family, a single person or a couple living together
black, minority ethnic or white
heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual
disabled or able-bodied
working or unemployed

Being a Supported Lodgings Provider is not about having particular qualifications – it’s more about having the special skills and qualities we are looking for.

Lodgings Providers get on with teenagers and enjoy their company. They are warm, caring and patient individuals who also have a good sense of humour. They have a good understanding of the issues facing young people and are prepared to be advocates for them. Lodgings Providers want to make a positive difference in a young person’s life.

It may be that you have the skills and qualities we are looking for because you have children of your own, or because you have experience of working with young people. All that we ask in addition is that you are in good health, have a spare room and are willing to share your home with a young person.

If this sounds anything like you, we would love to hear from you!

All Supported Lodgings Providers will be subject to health and criminal background checks and must be able to provide references

Training and Support

We recognise that training and support must be made available to Lodgings Providers if they are to fulfil their role. Whilst preparing to be a Lodgings Provider you will be required to complete the mandatory training element of the Assessment Process. This will cover areas such as young people’s issues, confidentiality and working in partnership, as well as provide information on the legal aspects of becoming a Lodgings Provider.

Being a Lodgings Provider may be frustrating and challenging at times. While you may have the support of family and friends, it is important to have access to professional support, too. The Young Persons Accommodation Officer (YPAO) is responsible for supporting Lodgings Providers and will be able to help you to identify and address your support and training needs. You will meet with the Young Persons Accommodation Officer on a monthly basis when you have a young person lodging with you.

The young person will have help, too. She or he will be supported by a worker from the ALCT and it will be your role to work in partnership with Social Services to support the young person.

It can also be helpful to share any difficulties or problems with other Lodgings Providers who may be able to offer support. We organise a regular social event for you to meet with other Lodgings Providers, share stories and experiences, relax and have a good time!

What’s in it for me?

Supporting young people in this way is an exciting and rewarding experience in itself, but we will, of course, pay you for your services. In return for providing accommodation and support to a young person, Bath & North East Somerset Council will pay you an allowance of around £147 each week for each young person who lives with you.

The young people will also make a weekly contribution to help them get used to budgeting. In addition to financial reward, you will also be given regular training and support to help you deal with some of the issues facing young people. You will also be able to access the Council’s Property Accreditation Scheme

What happens next?

Bath and North East Somerset Council needs to be sure that all Lodgings Providers can offer young people a safe and supportive environment. Our assessment process will ensure that you are committed to providing care and support which is of the highest quality.

Once you contact us to say you would like to join the Scheme as a Lodgings Provider, the YPAO will make a home visit to you and any other members of your household in order to fill out an assessment form. Generally speaking, we will be interested in finding out about:

you, the others in your household and your home
any skills or experience you may have of working with teenagers
what your expectations of the young people would be
what you would be prepared to offer a young person

This may take more than one visit but it will be an ideal opportunity for you to ask about anything you are unsure of.

As part of the assessment process you will also be asked to complete a CRB Disclosure form for all members of your household over the age of 16. With your permission, we will contact your General Practitioner to ask if there is any medical reason why you would not be a suitable Lodgings Provider. You will also be asked to provide two personal references.

On completion of the assessment form, the YPAO will present your application to the Lodgings Providers Review Panel. The Panel, which includes at least one member who is independent of Bath and North East Somerset Council, decides whether or not you should be recommended for approval as a Lodgings Provider. Within three days of this meeting, the YPAO will inform you of the Panel’s decision.

If you are successful, you will be asked to complete the mandatory training which also forms part of the assessment process. When you have completed the training to a satisfactory standard, the Group Manager, Children’s Services will make a final decision as to whether or not you can be approved as a Lodgings Provider.

Approved Lodgings Providers will be asked to sign a Partnership Agreement with Bath and North East Somerset Council, which sets out what you can expect from the Council and what the Council expects from you as a Lodgings Provider. It is only at this point that young people can be placed with you.

The whole process may seem rather long and drawn-out but we are sure you will appreciate that all of the relevant checks need to be in place to ensure the safety of our young people.

Interested? If you are interested in becoming a Lodgings Provider, please contact Nicola Robinson (Accommodation Officer) at the Supported Lodgings Scheme to arrange your first home visit.

This information can be made available in a range of languages, large print, Braille, on tape, electronic and accessible formats. Contact the Information Officer on 01225 477983, Minicom 01225 477043 or email information_officer@bathnes.gov.uk

Contact Details for this page:

Team:

Nicola Robinson

Address:

Young Persons Accommodation Officer, Housing and Supported Living, PO Box 3343, Bath BA1 2ZH

Phone:

01225 477802

Fax:

01225 396268

Email:

Nicola_Robinson@bathnes.gov.uk

Minicom: