Why?
Joined up working agreements between housing and leaving care mean that care leavers are well supported in their accommodation.
What?
Oldham have developed a Protocol between housing and their leaving care service with commitments to:
- Joint working between leaving care and the housing department starts at 17 years and 6 months to allow time for individual planning to meet young people’s needs.
- Multi-agency discussions to avoid early risks of homelessness.
- Involvement of the voluntary sector to support prevention plans through the Young Futures group.
- Additional support to care leavers with complex needs from Housing First – A Greater Manchester wide resource.
- A clear pledge from corporate leaders that no young person will be made homeless.
Impact
- Your Life your care survey findings: 75% of care leavers in Oldham reported feeling safe where they lived and 61% always felt settled compared to 64% and 51% of care leavers nationally.
- Good working relationships between managers: The protocol provides a basis for regular meeting between housing and leaving care managers and a strong emphasis on findings solutions to the issues young people are facing
- Acting when young people say they don’t feel safe: When young people have reported that they do not feel safe in commissioned accommodation, action has been taken to review the contract and where necessary change providers.
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