Leaving and Aftercare Housing Lead

Overview

This post is funded by the DFE and supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for 12 months to provide specific interventions to aid good housing outcomes and a reduction in homelessness for young people who have exited care. This post will work closely with the Social Care practitioners, Leaving and After Care Personal Advisors, Housing Officers and partner agencies to achieve positive housing outcomes for 18 to 25-year-old care leavers.

The post holder will work in partnership with Housing Officers to prevent homelessness and improve housing outcomes for Care Leavers unsuitably housed or approaching a planned transition. Care Leavers are among the most vulnerable in the county, and closer and more effective joint working at strategic and operational levels is essential for the improvement of outcomes for our young people.

It is widely recognised that safe and appropriate accommodation can lead directly to improved health, employment and other positive outcomes. Good partnership arrangements can also lead to efficient use of resources, creating savings and avoiding costs. High level outcomes include:

• Reduce homelessness and risk of homelessness for Care Leavers.
• To improve communication and understanding of Care Leavers and their vulnerabilities and strengths.
• Develop effective partnerships to prevent homelessness and secure safe housing provision for those who are homeless.
• Assist with allocation panels and priority responses.
• Improved utilisation and effective use of existing accommodation options to increase stability and reduce costs.
• Implement the Essex Care Leaver Joint Housing Protocol.
• Collection of accurate data.

• Work with Social Care colleagues to:
  Ensure that knowledge and skills of staff around Care Leavers, housing and homelessness are enhanced;
  Assist with problem solving on complex situations with allocated workers;
  Enhance our offer to Care Leavers in preparation for independence and tenancy readiness.
• Work with key partners to:
  Collaborate with Social Care colleagues to plan sooner for transitions and with Housing colleagues to anticipate need and provide adequate solutions to prevent risk of homelessness;
  Enhance the support packages available for Care Leavers to ensure they are given the best support to access and maintain their tenancies.
• Accountabilities:
  This will include:
  Working with the responsible manager to promote and support NEST provision;
  Working with colleagues in Leaving Care, Fostering, Commissioning and Children in Care Teams to promote the principles of Corporate Parenting regarding accommodation and to influence the approach to supporting skills, planning sooner and making this a system wide responsibility to ensure Care Leavers are better equipped for independent living;
  Strengthening joint working through helping to launch and embed our Joint Care Leaver Housing Protocol;
  Improve understanding of data on numbers of Care Leavers needing homelessness support in each Housing area;
  Helping to upskill the wider Essex Social Care workforce so all play an active part in stable transitions for Care Leavers and preventing homelessness; A review of the input and delivery of a programme of information and training for Housing employees, raising the profile of housing issues for Care Leavers and paving the way for the early identification and referral of Care Leavers;
  The provision of thorough, professional and timely housing advice;
  Quarterly track and plan for the cohort with Housing Officers for proactive identification and housing planning of young people leaving care including those out of county;
  Offer consultation to Leaving and After Care staff;
  To develop good links with Housing Officers to assist in timely problem solving and decision making;
  Working with Housing Gateway Managers in all quadrants on the development and maintenance of an effective professional network with partners who can influence housing related outcomes;
  The provision of regular feedback and data collection for monitoring purposes including homelessness presentations, challenges and prevention successes;
  Collation and completion of Quarterly Monitoring Return to MHCLG;
  Identification, evaluation and communication of operational gaps and barriers as well as sharing national good practice;
  Development of effective interagency meetings to assist individuals in need of specific housing support such as housing surgeries;
  Attendance at multi-agency forums and accommodation panels such as attending the Joint Referral Panels;
  Participate in pre-release meetings to plan for housing of Care Leavers leaving custody;
  Promote tenancy ready course/pack such as AQA modules across all accommodation provisions including young people in foster care and oversee its use;
  Developmental work to support National Agenda and legislation around homelessness for Care Leavers and promote positive outcomes for this group;
  To provide professional expertise around housing and…