Page 89 - Getting it Right for Vulnerable Children and Young People in North Ayrshire

The Council funds the local Community Housing Advocacy project (CHAP) to provide free independent advice and information to households who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Council has also provided funding to ensure that our support partners are also trained to national standards for advice and information provision in order to minimise the risk of homelessness. 2.2.2 Youth Prevention Youth prevention work, if appropriate, is undertaken for any single person aged 16-25 who is at risk of homelessness. This will involve a home visit and assessment to ensure access to on-going family support and/or mediation as appropriate to allow young people to remain within the family home while housing options are being explored. During 2012/13 officers undertook prevention work with 20 young homeless households aged 16- 17 and managed to assist 45% to return to the family home. In the same period they assisted 53 single homeless applicants aged 18-25 years, 58% of which returned to the family home or care of friends and family. The repeat presentation figures for this group were 2%. Sustainability is assisted by the follow on work delivered by the Tenancy Support team, who work with households to maximise housing options and where necessary deliver a package of support to assist sustainability within the family home. 2.2.3 Quarriers Outreach Support The Quarriers Outreach support service works with young people aged 16-25 who have previously been homeless, are threatened with homelessness or lack the necessary independent living skills to set up and maintain their own tenancy. The majority of young homeless people involved with the service will have been supported by Quarriers throughout their homelessness whilst resident within a North Ayrshire supported accommodation setting. 2.2.4 Young people leaving care Housing Services are involved within the pathway planning process for young people leaving care. This approach forms the basis of an integrated care leaver protocol developed between Housing Services and Through Care Services. This aims to reduce the levels of young people becoming homeless at the point of discharge from care, whilst ensuring that they are supported throughout this transitional phase of their life. Housing work alongside the Through Care Team and the young person in order to identify the most appropriate accommodation type within the area where the young person has the greatest opportunity for sustainability on leaving care. In addition, the support needs and subsequent support provision will be identified and agreed to ensure it is in place at the point of moving onto interim accommodation. Housing Staff work with Through Care to identify a suitable interim placement that allows the young person to develop their independent living skills. Housing Services will source an appropriate permanent housing solution when it is agreed that the young person is ready and willing to take on the full responsibility for a permanent tenancy. This will be allocated from the North Ayrshire Housing Register (a common housing register) where the young person is given enhanced priority for housing. Housing Services will continue to work with the Through Care Team to ensure the young person is settling well into their tenancy and that it meets their needs, is safe, secure and affordable. 2.2.5 Links with Mental Health The Homeless Assessment Prevention and Advice service includes a Mental Health Housing Officer post. This post was developed in partnership with the Community Mental Health team and Social Services to respond in a multi-agency way to the needs of people with severe and enduring mental health issues in an effort to minimise the risk of homelessness by maximising the potential for tenancy sustainability. The officer proactively works with patients with severe and enduring mental health issues being discharged from hospital to ensure they are not homeless at the point of discharge. 87