Youth Homelessness Prevention and Assessment

Integrated Youth Support Service

Practice Standards

These standards are in place in order to clarify expectations of staff working with young people of 16 or 17 years old who are at risk of homelessness, or are homeless within the Integrated Youth Support Service.

These standards are supported by the legal and regulatory framework outlined below:

  • Working Together 2015
  • South West Child Protection Procedures
  • Torbay Children’s Service Policy Manual
  • Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation

Practice Standard 1: Homeless Prevention

STANDARD / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / TIMESCALE
1.1 / All young people who are referred to the Youth Homelessness Prevention Service are raised as referrals on Civica (Housing Database) and on Paris (Children’s Services Database) / Youth Homelessness Prevention Workers / Within 48 hours
1.2 / Youth Homelessness Worker contacts young person and parents to establish risk of homelessness / Youth Homelessness Prevention Workers / Within 1 week of referral
1.3 / Youth Homelessness Worker completes an IYSS early help assessment of the young person and their circumstances, and plan of work. / Youth Homelessness Prevention Worker / Within 3 weeks of referral
1.4 / Case is discussed at Youth Homelessness Prevention Panel / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 2 weeks of referral
1.5 / Review Cases / YHPW / Within 3 months of referral
1.6 / Practice Supervision on cases / IYSS Practice Manager / Monthly whilst case open

Practice Standard 2: Homeless Young People

STANDARD / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / TIMESCALE
2.1 / Parents to be contacted on receipt of the referral / YHPW / On the day of Homeless Presentation
2.2 / Young Person’s status to be changed to Homeless on Civica / YHPW / On the day of Homeless Presentation
2.3 / Organise emergency accommodation via approved provider / YHPW / On the day of Homeless Presentation
2.4 / Referral to MASH to be made for Single Assessment / YHPW / Within 24 hours of Homeless Presentation
2.5 / Screen for open cases and refer to open Social Workers or to IYSS for new Single Assessment via PARIS. / MASH / Within 24 hours of referral from YHPW
2.6 / Practice Manager to accept referral, allocate to IYSS Social Worker, and open an assessment with indicative timescales for assessment on PARIS. / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 24 hours of referral from MASH
2.7 / Contact Young Person and offer appointment / IYSS Social Worker / Within 24 hours of allocation
2.8 / Meet Young Person and begin assessment / IYSS Social Worker / Within 5 working days of allocation
2.9 / Complete assessment or request 20 day exemption / IYSS Social Worker / Within 5 working days of allocation
2.10 / Assess exemption request and note on assessment. / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 20 days of allocation.
2.10 / Complete Single Assessment / IYSS Social Worker / Within 20 or 45 days (subject to exemption)
2.10 / QA assessment and approve plan / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 24 hours of assessment completion
2.11 / Approve LAC status / IYSS Head of Service / Within 24 hours of assessment completion
2.12 / Close case to YHPW / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 24 hours of assessment completion

Practice Standard 3: Young People who become LAC as a result of Single Assessments of Youth Homelessness

STANDARD / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / TIMESCALE
3.1 / Referral to LAC team- where young person is under 17.9 months / IYSS Practice Manager / Within 24 hours of assessment completion
3.2 / Complete Needs and Outcomes form and refer to Access to Resources Panel for placement costs to be approved / IYSS Social Worker / Within 5 working days of decision
3.3 / Organise transfer planning meeting between IYSS Social Worker, LAC Social Worker and PA / Business Support / Within 5 working days of decision
3.4
3.5

Page 1 of 1

Template October 2016 V.1