We provide supported living placements for young people aged 16 – 18. 

Supported living schemes are in short supply within our communities and many young people don’t have sustainable housing due to family unit breakdowns and other personal and societal issues.

In the face of these issues, we provide comprehensive packages of support that are tailored to each young person. The young person’s tailored independence programme will include 1:1 support as well as regular house meetings and group workshops. Our packages range in length, but all are tailored to the young person’s needs. We deal with re-intervention into the community and teach and develop essential life skills.

We operate an open environment in which young people are encouraged to communicate as much as possible and develop positive relationships with staff, each other, peers, their family and friends. Young people are allocated a Young Person’s Worker so visits are consistent, and relationships can be built and maintained.

As part of the placement, the young person will be actively included in setting up house rules, and house tasks will be evenly delegated between the individuals living within the placement. The placement has a shared kitchen, living and bathroom area; by delegating the housework we encourage the young person to respect their home and the space of the others living with them.

Staff hold a meeting once a month to allow the young person to air any concerns they may have over their living situation, though due to the small-scale and close-knit nature of the placement, positive relationships and mutual respect builds quickly and this is rarely an issue.

We are mindful that our housing must be high quality. We operate by the principle that if it isn’t good enough for us, then it isn’t good enough for our young people. All our placements are warm and relaxed to enable each young person to flourish within their own and shared environment. We are also conscious that our presence must still carry an element of authority – this is a fine balance.

The security and stability of the placement is crucial. The young person will be required to sign a living agreement before being placed. This identifies clear boundaries, general house rules, curfews, and information on ETE the young person must engage in to continue their placement.

Each young person is given a front door key and a bedroom door key and will be supported and encouraged to lock their individual room and the front door when leaving and returning to the property. Staff will monitor this and offer additional support if needed, to demonstrate the importance of locking the property and the rooms. 

Each placement is also fitted with CCTV, so staff are able to view when young people arrive and leave the property.

Skilled Staff to Support Transition to Independence:

Our Young Person’s Workers hold a minimum of a Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care

An in-house direct Mental Health Nurse. 

All staff are trained in communication techniques to ensure all children and young people are properly supported. This includes asking open ended questions, affirming children and young people’s successes and strengths, and summarising in an empowering way

Our packages also focus on educational needs, work placements and employment in preparation for the transition towards adulthood. We have an in-house Education, Training and Employment (ETE) worker to help our young people to achieve this.

Our Placements Team Manager has 16+ years’ experience of residential, semi-independent supported living, working alongside young and vulnerable people with disabilities, complex needs, mental health etc. He is currently working towards Level 5 Children’s and Young People’s Services and has a Level 3 Health and Social Care.