Accomodation based support service for care leavers

Herefordshire council is committed to offering a range of high quality placement opportunities for care leavers. The accommodation based support for care leavers service will provide a new service option for care leavers with complex needs and a light touch support option for those closer to independent living. The service will provide affordable accommodation through property owned by the council and will deliver enhanced housing management to enable the young people to manage and sustain their tenancy.

This service will be delivered across two sites within approximately 200 yards of one another, both owned by the council;
1. Property A comprises of four self contained flats, an assessment unit, communal and staff areas for those with complex needs (category 4).
2. Property B comprises of three flats for those with light touch support needs (category 1).

The provider will lease both properties from Herefordshire Council in a coterminous lease strictly for the purpose of accommodating this vulnerable user group. The Provider will in turn lease the properties to the care leavers. The tenancy will include a requirement that the rent charged must be capped at the appropriate Local Housing Allowance rate to ensure affordability of rent and alignment with benefit entitlements.

Young people with complex needs accessing the service will have chaotic and high-risk lifestyles, including substance misuse, mental health needs, antisocial or challenging behaviour, offending history and vulnerability to criminal or sexual exploitation. Those with light touch support needs will require support to transition fully to independent living.

Property A will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to the needs of young people and provide support both onsite and offsite. In addition to this 24/7 service, a light touch support service of 3 hours per person per week will be available for the young people accommodated in property B. There is no auto transition between property A and property B. The service will also provide staff specifically designated to deliver enhanced housing management across both properties.

The service will enable opportunities for care leavers to develop and achieve improved outcomes through partnership working to develop and implement a personalised support plan for each person, identifying how they can manage their own needs, mitigate risks and take up opportunities. The aim is for young people to transition from the accommodation towards independent living within two years.
This tender is let under the "light touch" arrangements of the public contracts regulations 2015.