Greenwich Enhanced Housing Options Service Choice and Opportunity for vulnerable and socially excluded people
Jo Beck, Enhanced Housing Options Manager, Greenwich Council
[email protected],uk Tel: 020 8921 6825
Greenwich Enhanced Housing Options • For all ‘homeseekers’: Home Employment Connections, accessible information via the website, Housing Options Service, partners and outreach to address needs around housing, financial and debt advice, employment and training and health. • For Young People: An integrated ‘one stop shop’ service where housing options and support staff work with Connexions, Health, substance misuse and other specialist services for young people, • For vulnerable adults: Multi agency and outreach arrangements to reach people before the point of crisis and to provide a range of options and advice.
Focus on socially excluded people to meet local needs… • •
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24th most deprived borough in England and Wales, and 8th in London 40% of children are living in families affected by income deprivation. 5th highest in England and Wales for households headed by a lone parent 56.5 teenage pregnancy(45.4 London, 40.7UK) 5.2% JSA claimants (4.4% London, 4.2% UK) 9.6% 16/17 year olds are NEET, and amongst homeless young people only 24% are known to be in education/training/work 5000+ per annum DV incidents reported to police, 45% of which have an alcohol indicator A third of assessed Probation Service clients have accommodation needs, 2/3 have alcohol/drug needs, ¾ have employment and training needs, 2/3 have mental health needs
Moving up a Gear – The Next Steps for DIP 2009 A national review of the Drug Intervention Programme (DIP) assessed DIP’s ability to drive down drug related offending… • Housing was identified by offenders as the most important intervention • But current provision assessed as unsatisfactory and in some areas non existent • 2nd most important intervention is support in development of life skills • Also important crisis support, peer support, daytime activities
Providing housing and support for vulnerable adults Enhanced Housing Options linked to Supporting People (SP) services and the (Every Child Matters) outcomes framework • be healthy- manage physical health, mental health, substance misuse; aids and adaptations, • stay safe- maintain accommodation, comply statutory orders, avoid harm to self and others, • enjoy and achieve- participate in training & education, cultural/faith/informal learning activities, volunteering/unpaid work, establish contact with services/family, friends • achieve economic well-being – maximise income, reduce debt, find and maintain work • make a positive contribution – developing confidence & ability to have greater control/involvement
Housing Support to achieve positive outcomes • • • • •
Mental Health Resettlement Team Hospital Discharge Team Community Team Family Support Team Moving On Support Team (MOST) Over 500 clients 7% in employment or training 6% want support with finding work 11% with training/education
MOST: A multi agency ‘virtual’ team for people with a substance misuse and/or offending history M.O.S.T. Coordinator – Debbie Potter 8 housing support officers, including a specialist Domestic Violence and Substance Misuse Support Officer Located in: • Resettlement Service co-located with Housing Options • Probation Service • Drug Intervention Programme • Greenwich Addiction Service (Alcohol Support) From 1 post, to 5, to 8 and a 3 year SP contract! First Greenwich SP service to be assessed as all ‘A’s on QAF and SP review Cheaper than equivalent services, and with better outcomes
Outreach and partnership • Referrals via criminal justice, substance misuse, DV and housing services • Referral links with 15 prisons • Regular options clinics at substance misuse services and HMP Belmarsh • Work with Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Prolific and Priority Offender (PPO) panel • Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and work closely with DV refuge and advocacy services
HMP Belmarsh Options Clinic • Prevent tenancy loss for prisoners going in to custody • Monthly + service for Greenwich prisoners close to release • Identify needs, provide advice, look for housing solutions – supported housing, Newtrac, family and friends, options pack • Initiate resettlement support – housing, treatment, benefits, employment training
Into housing ….and beyond? • • • • • •
Supported housing with NACRO, Thamesreach etc Newtrac – Rent Deposit Scheme, SP funded for vulnerable adults Over 120 clients housed in private rented accommodation with support since June 08 45% of these are MOST clients Majority are not in ‘priority need’ but are socially excluded, repeat offenders, on the ‘journey’ to recovery from drug/alcohol abuse Over 95% continue to sustain their tenancy •Support with Education Employment and Training (ETE) via Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLAB), and other specialist ETE services •Working with JCP outreach pilot, in Belmarsh and on 2 estates •But as ‘Hard to reach’ clients are also hard to refer an ETE adviser is being placed within the service
Quotes from Newtrac SP review Actual outcomes:
• A young couple with learning disabilities, previously sofa surfing, were placed close to family. • A rough sleeper accessed his first settled home for years and his serious physical health problems are improving. • A woman with a very chaotic lifestyle has engaged with services since moving into a private rented flat • A former serviceman with multiple health problems who had attempted suicide has re-engaged with family and is maintaining abstinence from alcohol. Service users said… • I'd been waiting less than three months, its kept me clean, its saved my life • I only waited 5 months versus the 10 years I could have waited on the council waiting list, and I'm still allowed to bid. I've got options now, before I had no options, I've been very lucky, It’s been very good. • I am excited and happy about it and I wouldn’t want to change it for anything, I have the doctors the hospital everything is a bus ride away and close by, it is ideal. • The plumbing went wrong, that was the fault of the flat above, but the landlady was on it straight away, it was sorted.
