Transcript Document

J
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PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
Early Intervention Joint Protocol
Service for Young People
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PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
What is the Joint Protocol?
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PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Agreement between agencies on how they will work
together to meet the needs of 16/17 year olds experiencing
or at risk of homelessness
• Involves:
• Housing Solutions
• CYPS Young People’s Service
• One Point Service
• Youth Offending Service
• Foundation
• Night Stop
The aims of the joint protocol
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PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Increase joint working to meet the needs of homeless 16/17
year olds
• Assisting Young People too return home where appropriate
• Improve communication between agencies
• Prevent homelessness amongst 16/17 year olds
• Ensure homeless 16/17 year olds get the support they need
• Ensure homeless 16/17 year olds access appropriate and
suitable accommodation where necessary
The key principles of the protocol
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PROTOCOL
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Most 16/17 year olds are better off at home unless at risk
of harm
• Young people should not be passed between agencies
• To assist young people to access appropriate
accommodation when they are unable to return home
• Only providing accommodation to a homeless 16/17 year
old, is unlikely to resolve their homelessness in the long
term as additional support likely to be needed
• Support for 16/17 year olds can and does come from a
variety of agencies
Why do we need a Joint Protocol?
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
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Prior to the Joint Protocol, more than 335 16/17 year olds presented to local
housing authorities in County Durham each year
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16/17 year olds are much more vulnerable than other homeless households
owing to their age and relative lack of life skills
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The Joint Protocol has brought agencies together to help prevent
homelessness amongst 16/17 years olds by taking a more pro active and
preventative approach
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Early intervention and support can ensure that young people are aware of
their options and the move on to independent living is a gradual process
rather than in an emergency situation
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Both housing and CYPS have statutory duties towards homeless 16/17 year
olds
•
A recent judgment (G v Southwark) clarified roles further
CYPS – Young People’s Service
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PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Young People’s Service (YPS) is a service for Young People Age 16+ and
includes those considered to be Children in Need and those who are either
Looked After or Care Leavers
• Safeguarding & support for these client groups
• Statutory duties set out in Children Acts 1989 & 2004
• Duties to Children in Need include:
– Section 17 places a general duty on social services authorities to
safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who
are in need, by providing a range and level of services appropriate to
those children’s needs.
CYPS Young People’s Service cont…
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
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Who are ‘children in need’
Children “in need” are defined in law as children who are aged
under 18 and:• need local authority services to achieve or maintain a
reasonable standard of health or development
• need local authority services to prevent significant or
further harm to health or development
• are disabled
CYPS – Young People’s Service
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
– Section 20(1) states that every local authority shall provide accommodation
for any child in need within their area who requires accommodation as a
result of:
• there being no person who has parental responsibility for him
• being lost or having been abandoned
• the person who has been caring for him/her being prevented from
providing suitable accommodation or care
– Section 20(3) states that accommodation shall be provided for any child in
need who has reached the age of 16 and whose welfare the authority
considers is likely to be seriously prejudiced if they do not provide her or
him with accommodation.
Housing Solutions
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County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Assist with prevention of homelessness and referrals to
prevention services where possible
• Provide information on all housing options available such as
Housing Applications, supported accommodation
• Signposting and provide advice
• Complete homelessness application if necessary
• Homeless assessments do not have to be made the same day
Emergency Accommodation
Options
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Set process in place to access emergency accommodation
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Following options need to be considered:
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
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– Wider family and friends network
– Night Stop (cut off 4pm)
– Stonham Emergency Bed ( Shotton)
– Stonham Emergency Bed (Consett)
– Churchill Square (DASH) referrals through HS only
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Supported Lodgings – Via CYPS – (only considered if receive referral form & risk
assessment)
– Bed & Breakfast as a last resort
•
Bed and Breakfast is only used as a last resort – needs to be approved by
locality managers from Housing Solutions and team managers from Young
People’s Service
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Crash Pad Service
PROTOCOL
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Joint Protocol
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• 7 Crash Pads in place throughout Durham
• Managed by Foundation as part of the Joint Protocol contract
• Self contained furnished flats
• Support provided by Foundation Crash Pad Workers
• Referrals for the crash pads are identified at the Panel Meeting
• Accommodation provided for 8 weeks
(with support)
• Step Forward Service – 14, 2 bed properties with support to move on
from supported housing to free up bed spaces
Outcomes April & May 2012 figures
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• 50 Young people (16&17 yr old) presented to Housing Solutions
• 43 New cases referred
• 63 panel meetings held to include review meetings
• 40 outcomes recorded;
returned home
living with friends/family
accessed emergency accommodation
own tenancy (private/social housing)
All agencies’ responsibilities
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Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds
• Partnership working
• Agree and adhere to actions set within the young person’s
action plan
• Keep the young person at the forefront of everything
• Attend panel meetings when requested
• Ensure that the paper work is forwarded to the voluntary
agency (Foundation)
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Any Questions ?
PROTOCOL
County Durham
Joint Protocol
for homeless
16 & 17 year olds