JOINT PROTOCOL AND GUIDANCE REGARDING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE CARE LEAVERS AND LOCAL AUTHORITY TENANCIES
CHILDRENS SOCIAL WORK SERVICES (CHILD ASYLUM & 16+ TEAM)
AND SOLIHULL COMMUNITY HOUSING (HOUSING OPTIONS)
DECEMBER 2015
1. PURPOSE
This Protocol is designed to set out the arrangements for the allocation of social tenancies via Solihull Home Options for the following group of young people:
· Young people who are Care leavers aged 16 to 21 years (24 if in further education) who are owed a full leaving care service by Children’s Social Work Services under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000;
· Qualifying Young People (young people under the age of 21 who have spent at least one day in care while over the age of 16 but who have not spent sufficient time in care (13 weeks) to qualify for the full leaving care scheme) (This will be reviewed after six months)
It does not include:
· Young people aged 16/17 identified as “in need” under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
2. INTRODUCTION
All young people who are/have been ‘looked after’ by Solihull Children’s Social Work Services (CSWS) aged 16 years or over may require assistance from Solihull Community Housing where there is a plan for them to move to independent living.
Applications can be made to Solihull Community Housing via the CA16+ team by young people placed within and outside the borough by Solihull CSWS, either before or after their 18th birthday. Applications are to be submitted to SCH as soon as the young person’s personal adviser/social worker establishes, via pathway planning, that the young person is able to manage in their own tenancy and a social tenancy is considered the best option in their transition to adulthood.
In considering what type of accommodation will best meet a young person’s needs when they move to independence, there should be the recognition that a housing tenancy is only one in a range of options to consider. Other options may include ‘staying put’ in their foster placement, supported lodgings, hostels, floating support, and accommodation in the private sector.
3. REFERRAL
A referral can be made for a tenancy where:
A young person has ‘Former Relevant’ status or is a Qualifying Young Person and is eligible for related services from Solihull’s CA16+ team;
and is assessed as having the necessary skills to live independently;
and there is an appropriate package of support for young person when they move to independence;
and the young person’s needs will be best met by the allocation of a housing tenancy.
A referral can be submitted up to 6 months prior to a young person turning 18 to allow time for a tenancy to be secured when they turn 18.
4. PATHWAY PLANNING
The Social Worker/Personal Adviser responsible for the management of the work with the young person will co-ordinate all the information from people/professionals involved with the young person to inform the basis of their assessment as part of their pathway plan reviews.
In making an application for accommodation to Solihull Community Housing, the responsible Social Worker/Personal Adviser will provide their assessment of whether it can be reasonably expected that the young person can live independently with support. This will mean that the responsible Social Worker/Personal Adviser will provide a copy of the most recent pathway review and plan as well as an accompanying letter which shall include the following information:-
· A formal request for priority to be awarded in line with this protocol
· Confirmation of the leaving care status of the young person
· Current address, type of accommodation and length of stay. If within last 3 months details of previous accommodation
· How the young person has developed independence skills, highlighting areas of competence and areas requiring further support
· Period of stay in training flat and the outcome of an assessment.
· The proposed package of support for the young person when living independently.
· Why the young person should live in certain area if required
· Any issues relating to potential violence, or any risk of self-harm, drug or alcohol misuse must be disclosed.
· If, in exceptional circumstances, it is considered that a young person would benefit from securing accommodation via Solihull Home Options before they turn 18, details of a rent guarantor shall be provided with these requests. Where the young person has been accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act, their parents will be expected to act as rent guarantor. When a parent is not willing/able to act as a rent guarantor, Children’s Social work Services may act as guarantor pending resolution of this.
The Housing Options Officer may also request to see the original Pathway Plan if considered appropriate (see below)
5. SENSITIVE INFORMATION
It may not be appropriate for all information to be shared with Solihull Community Housing. Sections of the Pathway Plan may therefore be removed by the Personal Advisor if it contains sensitive information that the young person does not wish to share. It should only be removed if the information is not relevant to their housing application. There is a responsibility on the Assistant/Team Manager in the 16+ Team to ensure that the responsible Social Worker/Personal Adviser has made an adequate assessment and followed guidelines given the individual circumstances of the case.
If in any doubt any sensitive information should be relayed to the Housing Options Manager who shall then decide which details should be relayed confidentially to the Housing Options Officer dealing with the case.
6. APPLICATION PROCESS
It is recommended that, where possible and appropriate all applications made under this protocol will be processed via part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) as opposed to part 7 of the same Act. However, where a part 7 application (homelessness) has been triggered, enquiries will commence.
All applications made under this protocol will be emailed to the designated Officer in the Solihull Housing Options team (currently Judith Cook) who will allocate the case to an officer.
Once a housing options officer has been appointed it is expected they will make contact with the allocated Social Worker/Personal Advisor to advise them that they will be dealing with the application.
The young person may be invited to attend an interview with the allocated Housing Options Officer to help inform the officer’s decision. The young person will need to have two forms of ID (birth certificate, medical card, driving licence, passport, benefit letters) in order to claim housing benefit and they will therefore need to have these available at the start of the application. Proof of eligibility will also be requested for those young people who have claimed asylum (see section 20).
If in agreement that the young person is ready for their own tenancy the Housing Options Officer will register them with Solihull Home Options (if not already registered) to enable them to place bids on properties.
A standard letter (specific to Care leavers) will be sent to advise them that their application under the protocol has been accepted.
7. BIDDING PROCESS
Solihull Council’s Allocation Scheme makes provision for those children leaving care under Section 23 of the Children Act as amended by the Children Leaving Care Act 2000. They will be awarded band B with a twelve month review and provided with a pin number. This will allow the young person the opportunity to bid on properties of their choice.
A Housing Options Advisor will monitor the young person’s application. A period of 12 months is more than adequate to secure a 1 bedroom property in this band and at the end of this period the Housing Options Officer will look at what properties have become vacant and whether they would have been suitable for them. Unless there are exceptional circumstances the band B priority will be removed by the Housing Options Officer once the 12 month bidding period expires.
If a young person becomes threatened with homelessness during this period, Solihull Community Housing will consider making a direct offer of accommodation to them.
8. OFFER/SUITABILITY
Once a young person has been successfully matched to a property an offer letter will be sent to them in the post.
A pre-tenancy interview will be arranged with them to discuss the conditions of their tenancy agreement and the responsibilities of holding a tenancy.
The young person will be invited to attend an accompanied viewing of the property. It is recommended that the allocated Social Worker/Personal Advisor views the tenancy with the young person to talk through any issues related to accepting/declining the offer. Viewings may take place when the property is still in void works and it is important that the young person understands that further repairs may be taking place before the property would be considered fit for letting.
When considering suitability of accommodation, Solihull Community Housing will take into account the following:
· Area within the borough where the young person can access support networks
· Access to education or employment
· Medical needs
· Reasons to avoid a particular area
9. REFUSAL OF AN OFFER
If the young person wishes to refuse the offer, a discussion must take place with the Housing Options Officer as to the reasons why.
Suitability of the property will be considered should the young person refuse an offer along with any other reasons that are put forward by them or the Social Worker/ Personal Advisor. If it is agreed that any offer was un-suitable a note should be added to CRM by the Housing Options Officer.
In accordance with the Allocations Policy an applicant who refuses 2 ‘suitable’ offers of accommodation will be suspended from bidding for a period of 3 months. This will be included within the 12 month bidding period they have been awarded.
10. 16/17 YEAR OLDS (Care Leaver)
All young people aged 16 and 17 years who are allocated a housing tenancy must continue to receive the agreed level of support detailed in plan. The minimum this should entail is:-
· An allocated social worker/support worker
· A rent guarantor
· Financial assistance with the payment of rent/personal allowance
· An up to date Pathway Plan, detailing future plans/support
· Floating support scheme (see next section)
Any 16/17 year old who have been deemed capable of independent living and accepted under this protocol will be offered an introductory tenancy by Solihull Community Housing in the same way as any other new applicant.
11. FLOATING SUPPORT
When applying for a tenancy for a young person aged 16/17 under the protocol, the application must be accompanied by a commitment from a Floating Support Provider to support the young person for a limited period of time. This duration could be as long as two years.
The intensive support offered by Floating Support Services enables the young person to maximise their opportunities to ensure their tenancy is a success.
The role of the Floating Support Provider is to concentrate on support around tenancy related issues enabling the CA16+ Team to concentrate upon the emotional/social aspects of living independently. The floating support should serve to enhance the overall support package offered to young people leaving care.
12. FUNDING FROM CHILDRENS SERVICES
If the young person is to receive funding from Children’s Social Work Services for rent/water rates, then this information needs to be shared with Solihull Community Housing during the application. The process for payment of rent needs to be agreed between the Social Worker and the Housing Options Officer.
13. ACCOMMODATION OUTSIDE OF SOLIHULL BOROUGH
If a young person wishes to apply for social housing outside of the Solihull borough they will need to have a local connection to the area they wish to reside. Under homelessness legislation local connection can be established in the following circumstances:
· The person has resided in the borough for 6 out of the last 12 months or 3 out of the last 5 years; or
· Has permanent employment in the borough; or
· Has a family member in the borough who they have a close relationship with and whom has resided in the borough for 5 years or more; or
· There is any other special reason (i.e. require support services only available in that particular area)
They can request to make a homeless application to the relevant authority upon 28 days notice of termination of their accommodation. If the young person has a local connection in more than one area they can choose which Authority they wish to apply to. A letter from the Social Worker/Personal Advisor giving reasons why the young person specifically wishes to apply to an Authority other than Solihull and how they meet the local connection criteria outlined above may be helpful to support their application.
14. ACCOMMODATION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
In view of the mismatch between demand for, and availability of, social housing in Solihull, it may not be possible to meet the needs and expectations of all young people in terms of property type and location. An alternative path may be to seek to accommodation in the private rented sector. Should this option be pursued, the following guidance will apply: