Agreement for the provision of a Support Solutions for Vulnerable Young People in Dorset

From 1st July 2016 Dorset Vulnerable Young People’s Support Solutions will deliver housing related interventions offering a number of solutions to support vulnerable young people aged 16 to 21 years who are homeless or in need of housing related support. (Including Looked After Children and Young Offenders).

Solutions will deliver housing related support services to assist vulnerable young people to develop or maintain their independence within the community thus preventing loss of their home or tenancy and/or the otherwise unnecessary use of more institutional forms of care.

The service will provide support which will help young people develop their potential over time to live more independently.

It does not cover the provision of day services or day opportunities or any service that includes the delivery of personal care.

The support solutions will be accommodation based and will be designed to ensure that as a key priority vulnerable young people are in satisfactory accommodation or receiving housing related interventions and support solutions. Across the Districts and Boroughs of Dorset the partners aim is to provide a range of housing interventions and support solutions for vulnerable young people to include:

1) Independent living skills in money management, DIY, cooking and accessing benefits.
2) WIFI in each property/unit of accommodation
3) Flexible support in a range of tenures including social, council, private and within the family home.
4) Flexible/Tapering, Move-on support - a young person's support worker will continue to support the young person as they move on from supported accommodation ensuring consistency in their relationships.
5) Drop-in support.
6) Virtual support.
7) Advocacy.
8) Support solutions for those very vulnerable young people with complex needs who need additional support with daily living tasks.
Vulnerable young people, and in particular those that are homeless including those leaving local authority care services, face a number of barriers to training, employment and social interaction. We need to help give them better opportunities in life. And by ensuring young people have the necessary life skills.

Vulnerable young people’s housing interventions support solutions will deliver:
• Outcomes to meet individual need
• A joined-up approach to service delivery between partner agencies
• Choice of options for resolving needs, presented at an early stage
• Support to exercise choice where required
There will be multiple ways for young people to be referred to the service.