Supported Lodgings Policy

This document sets out the procedural requirements for the Supported Lodgings Scheme. It covers the procedural requirements for the assessment of young people for the scheme, staff and team responsibilities and the requirements for support, and review of the supported lodgings placement. Young people who are looked after remain subject to the law and regulations governing visits, planning and reviews.

The policy also covers the Council's expectations of Supported Lodgings Carers, requirements for their supervision, support and review. It also details the financial support payable to them.

It is the responsibility of the Fostering Team to recruit and assess potential Supported Lodgings carers and provide support during the process. Once approved, every Supported Lodging carer will be supported by a worker from the Fostering Service.

Supported Lodgings are a form of supported accommodation for vulnerable people who are not ready to live independently for a variety of reasons. It is expected that the scheme will provide places for young people aged 16 to 21 years. If a young person is undertaking a higher education course supported lodgings may be available up to their 24th birthday. Young people placed on this scheme will have their own room in a family home and be given support by the adult or adults in the home. It is a requirement that Supported Lodgings Carer have the capacity to offer each young person a bedroom of their own that is furnished and maintained to a good standard. They will also be expected to offer support and guidance to the young person when required and to help him/her towards independence by assisting the young person in a variety of areas, for example to budget, cook and clean.

Supported Lodgings should be seen as part of the wide range of accommodation on offer to young people preparing to leave care. It should not be seen as the answer to every young person's housing needs.

In some ways the scheme is similar to fostering, but with important differences. It is intended to meet the needs of children 16+, with the focus being more on living an independent life, but having some support available when needed. Young people placed will have been assessed as having reached a level of maturity to manage in a setting where they will be expected to mainly take responsibility for themselves and will not require the intensity of support provided in foster care or residential care.

It will suit those young people who do not wish to live in shared accommodation or who would welcome more personal support. To be considered for the scheme the young person will need to show an ability to live successfully in a family home and be able to make use of support to develop their independent living skills. The aim will be for the young person to reach a point where they are able to move on to less supported accommodation and to have developed the skills necessary for independent living, thereby ultimately moving on to their own tenancy. It is important that young people moving into Supported Lodgings both need support and are prepared to be supported. Clear expectations of both the Supported Lodgings Carer and the young person are essential.

Supported Lodgings will also be available for children in need (CIN) for example, CIN who are at risk of homelessness or who require emergency placements.

Supported Lodgings Carers will be provided with ongoing supervision and support from the Fostering Team. The amount of support necessary will be agreed with the worker and carer before the placement and will be adjusted by joint agreement in the light of experience.

It is important that all those involved with the scheme know what is expected of them. A copy of these policy and procedures will be made available to all Supported Lodgings Carers, Social Workers, Personal Advisors and young people involved with the scheme.

The Children Act 1989 created opportunities for care leavers to access accommodation, support, advice, information and financial assistance from local authorities.

The introduction of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, implemented in 2001, and related government initiatives sought to strengthen the Children Act and offered an opportunity for local authorities to review the services provided to young people in the process of transition to adulthood. The main government objectives were to:

• Reduce the number of placement moves within the care system;
• Increase placement choice;
• Avoid early discharge from care;
• Improve outcomes for care leavers.

The Act invited local authorities to take a broad look at their services for young people leaving care. As Frank Dobson (Health Minister at the time) stated, "I am determined that young people leaving care will get the same support as other young people living in or leaving home. This means a home to live in or return to, a shoulder to cry on, encouragement with work, school or college, somewhere to get the washing done". Supported Lodgings fits this bill in every respect.

The guidance to the Children (Leaving Care) Care Act 2000 outlines the aims and objectives of the legislation. Those specifically relating to accommodation are to:

• Provide stable placements, continuity of carers and the maintenance, whenever possible, of positive links when young people are 'looked after';
• Prepare young people gradually to be ready to leave care, paying attention to practical self-care needs - health, budgeting, domestic skills - and personal and relationship dimensions;
• Ensure there is a contingency provision to support care leavers in the event of a crisis, including arrangements for respite care;
• Provide or enable ongoing personal support. This may include specialist 16-25 Scheme support, support by carers and Social Workers / Personal Advisors and support by youth workers, befrienders, mentors or volunteers. This is underlined by the introduction of personal advisors under the 2000 Act.

Supported lodgings services are not regulated within the meaning of the terms the Care Standards Act 2000 and are not, therefore, inspected by OFSTED. The term “supported lodgings” can mean different things to different people. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government) Supporting People publication Guide to Accommodation and Support Options (2003) describes supported lodgings as a service which “can allow an individual to live in a family home, experiencing domestic life in a shared and supportive environment”.

Supported lodgings hosts are not legally required to be approved foster carers for young people placed with them between the ages of 16-18. This is about the needs of the young person and objective of the placement being clear at the planning and matching stage.

Placements can be made under ‘other arrangements’, which covers supported lodgings (The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations Volume 2: care planning, placement and case review).

Supportive lodgings placements are not regulated through Fostering Regulations 2011 and National Fostering Standards 2011.

Supported Lodgings Carers can be individuals or families.

The core tasks of Supported Lodgings Carers are seen as:

• To advise/befriend young people;
• To be enablers/motivators for the young person;
• To know about the "system" the young person is part of;
• To be perceptive and understanding - particularly to know when to let the young person get on with things and when to intervene;
• To undertake some direct work on independent living skills (related to the young person's independent living skills assessment and Pathway Plans);
• To provide a safe and consistent environment for the young person, providing them with advice and support as and when required;
• To liaise with the young person's allocated worker, their link-worker and other agencies;
• To take responsibility for decision making on a day-to-day basis on matters that affect the young person's lodgings;
• To contribute to the young person's Pathway Plan and preparation for independence by assisting the young person to develop life and social skills;
• To provide a bedroom for the young person's sole use. To provide bathroom facilities and access to kitchen facilities for the storage of food and preparation of meals;
• To report to the Fostering Team, Young Person’s Social Worker and/or Personal Advisor if the young person is not living in the placement; is unwell; not attending education, training or work as detailed in the Pathway Plan; or not caring for him/herself;
• To keep written record and contribute to the assessment of the needs of the young person to provide information for long term plans for the young person;
• To support the young person in their use of community resources;
• To participate in planning meetings, case conferences, reviews and other meetings specific to the individual young person;
• To assist the young person, as necessary, in advocating for themselves. To listen to the young person's concerns and complaints and help him/her to express these in an appropriate manner.

The supported lodgings carer:

• Lives full time in the property but pursues their own lifestyle (including daily routine, attending work, holidays and weekends away). But will support the young person in line with their care plan/pathway plan and the supported lodgings agreement;
• Provides a home-like environment and domestic routine consistent with the young person engaging in education, training or work, including the provision of some meals according to the needs and requirements of the young person;
• Establishes an appropriate and consistent personal relationship with the young person, including nonintrusive practical help and advice;
• To provide care for those young people who are looked after and developing their independence.

Supported Lodgings Carers must actively safeguard and promote the welfare the young person placed with them.

It is the responsibility of the Fostering Team to recruit and assess Supported Lodgings Hosts and provide support and training during the process.

The recruitment of supported lodgings carers should take into consideration that carers are not foster carers. They are not required to provide the same level of support and availability of foster carers. Many supported lodgings carers will have full time jobs or may go on holidays leaving the young person at home alone. However, they will continue to provide care for those children looked after according to their placement plan.

An enquiry is made by a prospective carer, initially to the Recruitment Team within the Fostering Team. Basic information and background details will be taken.

Contact will be made with the prospective provider by a support worker from the Fostering Team to gather some further information to determine if an Initial Visit is warranted or to establish if there are clear reasons not to pursue the enquiry. This contact will address the prospective carers relevant experience and motivation; if the prospective carer has had any dealings with Children's Social Care in relation to their own family and the nature of these and if the prospective carer has a spare room to be used solely for the young person in placement.

If there is a clear reason why it is not appropriate to take the enquiry further this will be explained to prospective carer and confirmed in writing.

If it is appropriate for an Initial Visit; the nature of the initial visit will be explained to the prospective carer and arrangements will be made to carry out this visit.

During the Initial Visit, the following issues will be addressed:

• Expectations of Supported Lodgings Carers;
• Financial arrangements;
• An overview of the assessment process including what checks and references will be required;
• Any relevant information in relation to health (physical and emotional), any convictions and/ or involvement with the Police and/or Children's Social Care.

An overview inspection of the property including viewing the room proposed for supported lodgings use, as well as the general condition of the accommodation and shared living.

The completed Initial Visit will be passed to the Fostering Manager who has responsibility for the Supportive Lodgings Scheme with a recommendation from the support worker as to whether to progress the application or not and the reasoning.

Within 5 days of the Initial Visit, a decision will be made by the Manager. If the decision is not to progress the application further the applicant will be contacted and informed of this. This will be confirmed in writing.

If the decision is to progress the application to the next stage, a letter will be sent inviting the prospective provider to complete an application form which will include permission for the Local Authority to undertake the necessary checks (including Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check).

When the application form is returned, the assessment will be allocated within 5 working days and the necessary checks will be initiated.

The time frame from initial Enquiry to Approval will be a maximum of 12-16 weeks.

The focus of the assessment will be the underpinning principles in terms of what constitutes good caring skills, the requirements of the task and the applicant's particular situation, experience, strengths and skills in relation to these.

Evidence may be in many forms including:

• 2 References will be required-at least one from outside of the family and where the prospective provider has experience of working in a child setting, a reference will be sought from their employer;
• Personal accounts from others regarding the applicant's experience;
• Observations of the applicant with young people;
• Exercises undertaken during the assessment;
• Attendance at training.

Once the assessment is concluded, a report will be compiled by the assessing support worker detailing the prospective provider's experience and understanding of looked after young people and care leavers; provide evidence of their particular skills, strengths and vulnerabilities and include a recommendation as to whether the prospective provider should be approved as a Supported Lodgings Provider or not and the reasons for this.

If the recommendation is positive, a recommendation should also be made as to the number of young people the applicant might offer support and accommodation to.

The report must be quality assured and signed off by the Fostering Manager.

This assessment will then be presented to the Supported Lodgings approval panel that sits quarterly, to make a recommendation for approval of supported lodgings applications. Following the panel decision, the documentation will be reviewed by the Head of Corporate Parenting to confirm their agreement before it is presented to the Agency Decision Maker (Group Head of Service, Children and Families).

Applicants will be informed, in writing, of the outcome of their application within 10 days of the panel meeting once agreed by the Agency Decision Maker.

This process is shown in Appendix A: Flowchart Supported Lodging Approval Process.

All young people who are to be considered for a placement in Supported Lodgings will have been referred by their Social Worker / Personal Assistant. These young people will be aged sixteen years or above.

Young people will be given a leaflet explaining their options, rights, and entitlements.

Assessment of a young person's suitability for a supported lodging placement:

For the placement to be successful it is vital that the young person actively wants to live in Supported Lodgings and is prepared to make use of the support offered. A full Social Work Assessment must be completed as to the young person's suitability in the form of a Child and Family Assessment or a pathway plan assessment. This must take into account the level of care and support they need to identify the appropriate resource. The Plan will also identify how that young person will be assisted to move towards independence, which may involve progressing through different accommodations, where greater levels of independence and self-reliance can be experienced and tested.

Supported Lodgings will only be considered as an option where it is assessed that a young person has reached a level of maturity to cope in a setting where they will be expected to take some personal responsibility, that they are motivated to continue to work towards developing their skills to become more self-reliant and that they are prepared to take advantage of further education, training or employment opportunities.

Target groups for the Supported Lodgings scheme will include young people who:

1. Are engaged in education courses and need space to study;
2. Or who are at work;
3. Have support needs but do not wish to live in a group living situation;
4. Are asylum seekers with support needs;
5. Are at risk of a young child or are homelessness.

If the Pathway Assessment and Plan and preparatory work identifies that Supported Lodgings may be appropriate and this is endorsed by the 16-25 Team manager a referral will be made to the Fostering Team by the social worker / personal assistant. It is also appropriate to include a copy of the Pathway Assessment or Care Plan and other relevant information. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, referrals will only be accepted if there is full information on that young person and s/he has agreed it can be shared

This referral will be discussed with the Fostering Team Manager and an initial decision made as to the young person's suitability for the scheme. If it appears that the young person is suitable the supervising social worker/support worker for the supported lodging carer will arrange to meet with the young person's case holding worker to consider the young person's strengths and needs, look at their preferences, then identify whether any available Supported Lodgings Carer will be a suitable match.

The placement must be well planned. The strengths and vulnerabilities of the young person and the proposed supported lodgings carers must be assessed. Particular regard to the carers ability to manage the relationship between the young person and the birth family safely. The support needs of the young person or the carers must be addressed. Potential placements with carers will be considered on a county wide basis.

When considering how best to provide a sense of permanence for a young person in their teens plans must take account of the strengths of existing relationships, the young person's sense of identity, views about themselves and their preferences, and how best to provide continuity as well as permanence.

When deciding the viability of a placement the following key areas will be considered:

• The location of the Supported Lodgings carers home;
• Whether there are any pets within the household;
• The religious and cultural requirements of the young person and carer;
• Whether the carer or young person smoke;
• The occupation of the young person and carer e.g. working, college etc.
• The young person's level of needs e.g. emotional, education, health etc.

If a potential suitable match is identified the Fostering support worker for the Supported Lodgings carer will arrange a meeting between the relevant parties (carer, young person's Social Worker and the young person to discuss the possible placement and identify areas where the young person may need support. The young person's Social Worker will be provided with a copy of the profile of the Supported Lodgings carer to share with the young person. This will be an aid to undertake appropriate matching and will include:

• Family details/photographs of family members;
• Type and location of accommodation;
• Racial, cultural and religious identity of Supported Lodgings Carers;
• A general pen picture, including hobbies and interests.

If the carer and young person are satisfied that they have sufficient information and wish to go ahead, an introductory meeting will be arranged. Unless there are exceptional circumstances several preliminary visits, possibly including an overnight stay, will be arranged before the placement begins. The final decision about stay, will be arranged before the placement begins. The final decision about placement resides with the carer and young person. A placement will only be made if both are willing and feel able to work with each other. If everyone concerned is willing to go ahead a Placement Planning meeting between all relevant parties should be held prior to the placement starting.

Placement Agreements must be drawn up prior to the young person moving into the placement, between the young person, Supported lodgings carer, young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor and the Fostering support worker. These agreements will be reviewed three monthly by way of Placement Planning meetings between the same group of people. These reviews can take place in conjunction with the review of the young person's Pathway Plan since many of the issues arising will be relevant to both (In the case of looked after children this review can be incorporated into his or her six monthly statutory child care reviews as will the review of their pathway plans.

Issues to be covered in the Placements Agreement include:

• The level of involvement of the young person within the family. Whilst this is mainly the young person's choice very minimal contact may indicate that Supported Lodgings is not the appropriate choice of placement. Active support from the carer is a prerequisite to the setting up of a placement:
• The level of support needed from the young person's allocated worker;
• Standards of behaviour;
• Use of telephone;
• Holidays. What arrangements will be put in place when the carer is on holiday?
• Will the young person be cooking and shopping for him or herself? If the carer is providing the young person with food then they will need to contribute towards the cost of this from their personal allowance. Does the young person have any dietary requirements?
• Smoking/alcohol/drugs guidelines;
• Friends visiting and staying over;
• Education, training and employment. How much support from the carer is the young person requiring in this area?
• Racial, cultural and religious identity and background of both carer(s) and young person. Needs arising and how these will be addressed;
• Health care and development;
• Contact between the young person and their family;
• Frequency of reviewing the agreement, (minimum, three monthly);
• Level of involvement from the young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor and the Fostering support worker;
• Placement Agreements should also identify any additional support that is required to meet the young person's needs and detail how this need is going to be met;
• Protocol regarding entering the young person's room without their permission;
• Allowance;
• Other financial arrangements;
• Information sharing;
• Action to be taken in the event of the young person going missing from the placement.

The care / support plan (agreed between the young person and their support worker and the carer) engages the host, is developed with the young person to address the needs and aspirations identified with them in their assessment, supports the young person’s skills and development through involvement in improving and developing the service, uses a multi-agency approach to address young people’s needs and help them achieve their aspirations.

On the placement commencement, the young person’s worker and/or the Fostering support worker will visit the carer at least once per week for the first 4-6 weeks. A new contact agreement will then be arranged to suit the host’s needs.

The Young Person will receive ongoing support through their social worker/personal advisor and any other relevant agencies as defined in their Pathway Plan.

Within the placement there need to be a clear divide between the support for the Supported Lodgings carers and the support of the young person making use of the accommodation. The young person in Supported Lodgings will have an identified Social Worker/Personal Advisor who will be responsible for supporting the young person and arranging the review of their Care Plan/Pathway Plan. The Social Worker/Personal Advisor will stay in contact with the young person throughout their time in Supported Lodgings accommodation and support the young person as they prepare to move on. The Social Worker/Personal Advisor will visit the young person within the first week of placement and all subsequent visits will comply with legal and regulatory requirements according to the child's age and legal status and the frequency of them will be agreed as part of the Placement Agreement and incorporated into the Pathway Plan and/or Care Plan.

The Care Plan, or Pathway Plan, will identify the work that is being undertaken with the young person, including plans in relation to the placement in Supported Lodgings. The Placement Agreement will add specific details relating to the placement. 

In addition to any agreements or work that will be identified within these individual plans Supported Lodgings carers have a duty to ensure that the young person residing with them is safe. Supported Lodgings carers are expected to contact the Fostering support worker as soon as reasonably practicable in any of the following circumstances:

• If a young person ceases to live in the accommodation, or goes missing. Placement Agreements should include a section detailing what action the case holding worker wishes the carer to take in the event of a young person not returning as arranged. As per our Missing Persons Policy;
• If the carer has any concerns about the young person, (this could include changes in behaviour, drug/alcohol misuse, risk taking, changes in their routines or people whom they associate with etc.);
• If the young person's circumstances alter (e.g. gain employment, leave college, training etc.).

In normal circumstances the Supported Lodgings carer will be expected to respect the young person's privacy and generally enter the young person's room if they have been invited to do so. Bedroom checks can take place as part of supporting the young person in developing independence skills. These arrangements will be discussed as part of the placement planning meeting. Exceptions to these arrangements include circumstances where the Supported Lodgings carer has reasonable cause to suspect that the young person is taking or dealing in drugs or is involved in other criminal activities or where there is clear evidence of risk to the young person or others or where the health standards of the young person’s bedroom has become such a concern that intervention is necessary. In these circumstances the carer should liaise with their support worker or the young person's social worker. The young person’s room will also need to be seen during Unannounced visits and to undertake home safety checks.

It is the responsibility of the Fostering support worker from the Fostering Team to supervise and support Supported Lodgings carer and to ensure the carer has the assistance they need to make the placement a success. This includes advising the carer on how to successfully support and motivate the young person, advise on any behavioural issues that might arise and ensure that standards within the home and the expected level of care is maintained. The following support will be made available to Supported Lodgings carer.

All Supported Lodging Hosts will be supervised and supported the Fostering support worker at least 4-6 weekly. Support will be provided on a one-to-one basis and as a group i.e. organised informal support groups of other carers.

More intense support/frequent visits may be required at the early stages of a placement or during difficult times.

Supported Lodgings Carers must actively safeguard and promote the welfare the young person placed with them. If they identify a safeguarding concern this will be raised with the Fostering support worker when identified and should not wait until the supervision meeting.

Their main focus will be offering guidance and support to the carer to enable them to meet the needs of the young person living with them. They will help address any problems, and where appropriate act as the link between the carer and other agencies working with the young person. At times they may help to explore what other resources might be needed to make the placement successful. Supported Lodgings carers will be asked to identify issues to be discussed beforehand. The carer and their support worker will then look at how these may be tackled.

A supervision record will be kept on a pro-forma detailing the main issues arising. Issues requiring action will be highlighted, detailing who is to do what and by when. The carer will be sent a copy of the supervision record and a copy will be kept on the Supported Lodgings carers file.

The Fostering support worker and the social worker or Personal Advisor will meet with the carer and young person at least 4 times a year to evaluate the placement. The format of discussion will include any change in circumstances, health and safety issues, complaints, the young person’s support plan, and any training and development needs.

Supported Lodgings carers will be reviewed on an annual basis.

As part of the process, a meeting will take place that will include the carer, their Fostering support worker and a Compliance Officer from the Quality Assurance Service.

The annual review will include an accommodation check, young person’s room check, and number of placements during the review period, any changes to the household, relevant training attended/required, positives and negatives about the scheme. The meeting will focus on the carers experience of providing placements to young people during the review period and any changes in circumstances or proposed changes to the provider's profile. Written Feedback will be sought from social workers, Personal Advisors and young people regarding the placements provided within the review period.

The Fostering support worker will complete a report detailing how the year has gone and make a recommendation as to future approval as well as any development/ training issues. The Compliance Officer from the Quality Assurance Service will complete review documentation summarising the above and make a recommendation regarding future approval and any development/ training/ work issues.

First reviews and change of approval can go to the supported lodgings panel. Otherwise the ADM can sign off and agree approval.

The Supported Lodgings Host can access support and advice by telephone. The Fostering support worker) will ensure that Supported Lodgings carers are aware of the times he/she is available, the telephone number to call and his/her location. If the matter is urgent and will not wait until the Fostering support worker is next available the carer can ask to speak to the young person's Social Worker in the first instance or to the Fostering Duty worker or 16-25 Manager during officer hours. Outside office hours Supported Lodgings carers can access the Emergency Out Hours Service. The Supported Lodgings carers support worker will ensure that Supported Lodgings Carers have the relevant telephone number and that the Out of Hours service are aware of the scheme and the placement Supported Lodgings Carers.

Accurate written observations about a young person (16 and 17 year olds) and their behaviour can greatly assist both the Supported Lodgings carers and other professionals in identifying trends in a young person's behaviour, help with early intervention and prevent problems from escalating. 18 year plus a good level of communication between carer and personal advisor needs to be maintained about significant events and welfare.

Supported Lodgings carers will be expected to provide written reports on the young person (16 and 17 year old) in placement. Reports will specifically be required for each placement review. The Supported Lodgings carers will also be required to demonstrate that they are keeping weekly records. The Supported Lodgings carers will be expected to send these electronically weekly unless agreed monthly.

Whilst not being an exhaustive list Supported Lodgings carers should keep records on the following:

• Any allegations against the carer or other person. Any such allegation should also be immediately reported by contacting the young person's Social Worker, the Fostering support worker or a Manager from the Fostering or Leaving Care Teams;
• Significant events such as starting college or a job;
• Attendance at college/work;
• When the young person is in placement, (significant time spent elsewhere may indicate that the placement is not being used in the manner intended);
• Contact with family and friends;
• Suspected drug use or excessive alcohol use;
• Progress in meeting goals identified in the Placement Planning Meeting and review meetings;
• Any behavioural difficulties within the placement;
• Frequent changes in appearance (e.g. hair style) or a deterioration in appearance/cleanliness;
• Details of any accidents or injuries, however slight. Detail when, where and how the injury was sustained.

The Supported Lodgings carer should:

• Detail positive as well as negative events;
• Keep separate records for each young person in placement;
• Keep to factual information. If opinions are expressed it should be made clear that this is the case. (As an example the Supported Lodgings Carer should not write that a young person came home drunk, but describe the behaviour that led them to that conclusion, they may then state that, in their opinion, the young person was drunk);
• Use language they are comfortable with. Supported Lodgings carers should not use jargon or worry too much about grammar or spelling;
• Make a note of what happened as soon as possible after any significant event;
• Attempt to keep notes short and to the point.

The Supported Lodging Scheme will not knowingly place young people in supported lodgings who are believed to have serious drug and/or alcohol problems. However, Supported Lodgings carers may discover that the young person has started using drugs whilst living in Supported Lodgings or that they had used drugs previously, but not in a manner which greatly impacted on their lives or was noticeable to previous carers.

It is important that Supported Lodgings carers act if they find out or suspect that the young person lodging with them is using controlled drugs. If the carer is concerned that drugs are being used on the premises, they should always look into it further. If this confirms or supports the original suspicion the carer should take further action. The carer should remind the young person that they are breaking the terms of their placement agreement and ask them to stop. Supported Lodgings carers are within their rights to enter the young person's room if they suspect drug use is taking place. They are also within their rights to ask any friends of the young person to leave the premises.

In the first instance, Supported Lodgings carers are recommended to contact the young person's Social Worker/Personal Advisor or the Fostering support worker without delay. The young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor will then arrange to meet the young person as soon as possible and look at the need to arrange additional help and support.

Support can include the Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service.

Supported Lodgings carers will receive information relating to a young person's life that is sensitive and confidential. This will include information from the young person, information shared by workers and written material. The following guidelines must be adhered to:

• Information relating to that young person, or his or her family, should not be discussed with anyone not directly involved under any circumstances;
• Confidential written information must be kept secure and not accessible to others. Access should only be given to those people who are professionally involved with the young person.

Young people or their family members may wish to share information with the Supported Lodgings carers in confidence. It is important that all involved understand that there is certain information that, if shared, cannot be kept confidential and would need to be passed on to other workers immediately and if out of hours ESWT need to be notified. This would include:

• Disclosures of abuse/child protection concerns relating to their family, or anybody else (friends, neighbours etc.);
• Involvement in any type of criminal activity;
• Information that has, or would, put the young person or other person at risk in some way (this includes substance misuse, talk of self injury, exploitation, plans to abscond, or inappropriate sexual relationships).

Where other information is shared, not related to harm, risk taking, or criminality, as above, the carer should use their discretion. In these circumstances the young person's agreement should be requested before information is shared.

There will, however, be an expectation that Supported Lodgings carers will share information relating to the young person's process with their support worker or the young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor both in supervision sessions and review meetings. This will be detailed in the placement agreement.

In the course of their duties Supported Lodgings carers may be approached by the media. The carer should not, under any circumstances, speak to members of the media without prior written permission from a senior manager of Children's Services. Supported Lodging carers must always check a caller's identity. If in doubt the carer should refuse to answer questions and refer the caller to the Fostering Team Manager.

It is hoped and anticipated that in the majority of cases placements will end in a way that is planned. The work that the Supported Lodging carer undertakes in helping a young person move towards becoming more self-reliant and the work that has been done through the Pathway Plan and Placement Agreement is expected to culminate in the young person reaching a stage where they are ready to move on. This could involve moving into their own accommodation, or into other provision.

There may be occasions when placements do not end at the planned time or in the planned manner. In these circumstances the Supported Lodging Carer, the Fostering support worker and the young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor will work closely together. If the young person leaves suddenly payments to the Supported Lodging carer will continue for the 28-day notice period unless a new placement is accepted and the young person moves in.

In circumstances where a young person is not adhering to the License agreement or placement agreement, there will planned placement stability meetings to ensure that the young person and carer can talk openly about any issues and resolution be found in order to support the longevity of the placement. If resolution is not possible 28 days' notice can be served by the carer to end the placement.

In emergencies the Social Worker/Personal Advisor will endeavour to move a young person as quickly as possible where it is agreed that this would be desirable. In extreme situations this may be immediately. However, when an unexpected move is necessary, it is good practice to manage this in a way that is planned in order to avoid undue disruption to the young person and carer. The Fostering Team and 16-25 Service will expect the Supported Lodging carer to give an early indication when events begin to happen which may lead to a placement ending prematurely. In these circumstances discussions will take place to attempt to resolve difficulties that have arisen. This may entail a consideration of whether additional resources are available. If the situation cannot be resolved planned alternative accommodation will be identified at the earliest opportunity.

There are the same expectations of Supported Lodgings Carers as with Foster Carers and where there are standards of care or Child Protection Issues these will be investigated.

The young person and Supported Lodging carer will be asked to complete an exit interview with their respective Support Worker. As part of this interview they will be requested to complete a feedback form. Separate forms will be used for the Supported Lodging carer and young person. All parties involved will be asked to attend the end of placement review meeting which will be set up by the young person's Social Worker or Personal Advisor. The support worker will use the information gathered to identify issues which may then be followed through by making changes or improvements to the scheme e.g. training, procedures etc.

Packing up of the young person's property

The young person will normally take responsibility for this. Where this is not an option the young person's Social Worker and the supervising social worker/support worker will reach an agreement with the young person and Supported Lodgings Carer over how this task will be undertaken. It is unacceptable for any young persons items to be packs in black bags, suitcases or holdalls must be used.

The 16-25 Service will make arrangements for the storage or removal of possessions left behind by a young person when the tenancy has ended where necessary.

Keys

Any keys that the young person has been given for the use of the Supported Lodgings accommodation should be returned to the Supported Lodgings carer once the tenancy has ended. The young person should replace any lost or stolen keys. If the keys are not returned and there is a clear safety risk to the Supported Lodging carer and/or their property the Fostering support worker will arrange for a change of locks.

Cancelling Housing Benefit payments

The cancellation of Housing Benefit at the end of a placement will be the responsibility of the young person assisted by their Social Worker or Personal Advisor in liaison with the support worker.

Possible debt owed to Supported Lodgings Supported Lodgings Carers

Supported Lodgings carers should not lend money to the young person placed with them. Milton Keynes City Council can take no responsibility for debts accrued. If a young person is struggling with their finances, they should be encouraged to contact their Social Worker/Personal Advisor who will consider the issues with the young person and can help financially if the need is genuine.

Supported Lodgings carers will be encouraged to maintain some level of contact with the young person after placements as it is likely that their relationship will have been significant in the young person's development and transition to independent living.

Where contact will continue, details will be incorporated into the young person's Pathway Plan.

Supported Lodgings carers will be paid fortnightly whilst providing accommodation and support to a young person. They will be paid in circumstances where the young person is on holiday. Supported Lodgings carers will be paid by direct transfer of funds into their bank account. The payment to the carer is made up of three components, rent where the young person is not entitled to housing benefit), support and utilities payments.

In most circumstances, young people aged sixteen or seventeen will not be eligible for benefits payments. For this group of people, the allowance (rent, support and utilities components) will be paid directly to the Supported Lodgings Carer by Milton Keynes City Council (see Leaving Care and Transition Procedure).

Personal allowances for sixteen and seventeen year olds will be paid to the carer who will give these to the young person.

Some young people aged eighteen or over will be entitled to benefit payments, as are some young people aged 16/17 who are disabled or have a child. Where the young person is eligible for Housing Benefit they will make a claim for the rent component of the allowance payable to the Local Authority.

Where the young person will be claiming Housing Benefit an application will be completed by the young person and lodged with the Housing Benefit department at the start of the placement or at the point they become eligible to claim, whichever is the sooner. Failure to do so may result in loss of benefit. The young person's Social Worker / Personal Advisor is responsible for supporting this process.

Young people over the age of eighteen or between sixteen and eighteen who are entitled to housing benefit will need proof of tenancy. A license agreement must be signed by the young person and the Supported Lodgings Carer. The following documentation must also be provided in original format (not photocopies) by the claimant (young person):

• Proof of ID;
• Proof of National Insurance Number;
• Proof of earnings (5 recent wage slips or 2 months' salary slips;
• Proof of capital (e.g. bank statements);
• Proof of benefit entitlement.

This group of young people will claim benefits for their own personal income. In circumstances where a young person over 18 is engaged in full time education or training they may be entitled to top up allowances from the 16-25 Services. This will be arranged through their Personal Advisor.

If the young person is in paid employment, they will be asked to make a contribution towards the rent. In these circumstances the young person will be expected to pay the carer directly. Milton Keynes City Council will accept responsibility for non-payment in circumstances where a young person refuses to pay, in order that the carer is not penalised financially. However, the young person must be encouraged to take responsibility for paying any contribution to their rent form their income and failure to do so could result in them breaching their tenancy agreement.

The carer's supervising social worker/support worker will advise Supported Lodgings carers of young people's entitlement to benefits and will liaise with his or her Social Worker / Personal Advisor to ensure relevant benefits are claimed. Allowances available to young people are outlined in the Leaving Care policy.

Financial Considerations for Supported Lodgings Carers

Supported Lodgings carers are advised to seek advice on any implications for themselves of providing Supported Lodging Placements, for example if they need permission from their mortgage lender or landlord or if there are any income tax implications or impact on any welfare benefits the Supported Lodgings carer is receiving.

Council Tax considerations for Supported Lodging Carers

There may be occasions where a placement made with a Supported Lodgings carers affects the householder's liability for Council Tax. For example, if a young person over the age of 18 is placed with a carer who is a single person the carer may lose their entitlement to a single person's discount. The entitlement can be reclaimed via discretionary payment by the Revenues and Benefits Team. The Supported Lodgings Carer will need to make the application for the discretionary payment.

Where a placement of a young person does affect the Supported Lodgings carers liability for payment of Council Tax Milton Keynes City Council will refund the difference on receipt of the relevant paperwork.

Insurance considerations for Supported Lodging Carers

Insurance cover is essential for all Supported Lodgings carers. Supported Lodgings carers should retain their own contents and house insurance. When the Carer signs their agreement with the Milton Keynes City Council they are accepting responsibility for maintaining adequate and up to date insurance.

Supported Lodgings carers must always inform their insurance company in writing that they are providing a Supported Lodgings placement and that the young person placed will be regarded as a member of their household whilst living there. Should they not do so there is a risk that the Carer may find they are not adequately insured and that the company refused to meet a claim.

The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (1991) require that all fostering agencies include arrangements for insurance cover in their agreement with each carer. Included in this must be a statement of the Milton Keynes City Council arrangements for meeting any legal liabilities of the Supported Lodgings carer arising by reason of a placement having been made with them.

Milton Keynes City Council has extended its own insurance cover to include foster carers and Supported Lodgings carers. However, this is provided on the basis that, when making a claim, Supported Lodgings carers must first approach their own insurance company to ascertain if they are covered on their own home insurance.

Insurance cover provided by the borough for incidents not covered or coverable under the Supported Lodgings Carers own insurance is summarised as follows:

1. Loss (including theft) or damage to or destruction of the Supported Lodgings carers own property (other than motor vehicles) as a direct result of caring for a foster child or young person placed in Supported Lodgings;
2. Legal liability for injury to a third party (including illness or death) or for damaged to third party property as a direct result of caring for a foster child or young person placed in Supported Lodgings.

Milton Keynes City Council is also a member of the Fostering Network. This membership entitles Supported Lodgings Carers to legal liability insurance, provided they are not eventually found guilty of a criminal act.

The insurance cover provided by the Council only operates during the period the Supported Lodgings carers is approved. If an incident has occurred during the course of a Supported Lodgings carers work for the scheme, which may render them liable to a claim at a later date, it is advisable for that carer to take out individual insurance under the Fostering Network's legal expense scheme.

Cars are not covered by the Milton Keynes City Council arrangements. Supported Lodgings carers will need to secure cover for business use if they intend using their car for transporting the young person. Most insurance companies do not charge additional premiums for business use. However, for some Supported Lodgings carers, this may incur additional costs, for which they will be responsible.

The Supported Lodgings Scheme will carry out checks to ensure that adequate insurance cover is in place before a placement starts.

Click here to view Appendix A: Flowchart Supported Lodging Approval Process.