What is supported housing?
The Supporting People programme provides housing-related support to a wide range of vulnerable people, including:
- Frail elderly.
- Gypsies and Travellers.
- Homeless families with support needs.
- Offenders (or those at risk of offending).
- Older people with support needs.
- People with alcohol problems.
- People with drug problems.
- People with HIV / AIDS.
- People with learning disabilities.
- People with mental health problems.
- People with a physical or sensory disability.
- Refugees.
- Single homeless with support needs.
- Teenage parents.
- Women at risk of domestic violence.
- Young people at risk.
How can we help?
We aim to help you to do things for yourself and learn to become more independent within your home and the community and we provide practical advice and support, such as:
- Making sure you feel safe and secure where you are living.
- Help to manage responsibilities such as paying bills and budgeting
- Advice on which benefits you may be entitled to claim.
- Assistance in accessing a wide range of other services and support groups.
Find help in your area
Will I have to pay anything?
Short term help is free to but there is a charge for long term help. If you receive housing benefit, you will not have to pay.
If you are not in receipt of housing benefit but have a low income, you can contact us to request a financial assessment to see if you are eligible for financial help.
Information for practitioners
Client involvement as a three way process between customers, service providers and the Supporting People team.
The process enables the views of the people who receive a service to have their chance to be heard in order to make real, sustainable changes.
Client involvement may encompass several actions or processes that can include one off events but overall is likely to be an ongoing process.
What are the benefits?
There are a wide variety of benefits for everyone who plays an active role within the client involvement process ensuring that services available are delivered to a high quality that meet the needs of the people receiving them.
People receiving the service (clients):
- Clients have a right to be involved with decisions affecting their services.
- Allowing people to express their opinions about the services they receive.
- Inform Providers and the SP programme about what works well and what could be done better.
- Become involved in how the SP programme works and decisions that are made.
Supporting People team:
- Help the Supporting People team to drive forward continuous improvement and innovations involving clients in influencing services at a day-to-day service level.
- Strengthen client involvement in governance and strategic decision-making.
- Develop a flexible, effective and meaningful model for consultation and involvement from clients placing specific emphasis on the traditionally 'hard to reach' groups.
Providers:
- Adds value to service planning and development.
- Enables the provider to make effective use of people's skills and experiences.
- Helps ensure that services meet people individual needs and also the needs of groups of users.
- Enables clients to become aware of any future change or developments.
Evaluating and monitoring client involvement
We will do this through looking at the effectiveness of the client involvement strategy and feedback received.
We plan on continually reflecting, building on and monitoring the action plan which forms part of this strategy and overall to see how the involvement of clients has an impact on the Supporting People programme within South Tyneside.
Our priorities
We will be clear about the extent to which client's views will count in any decisions Supporting People in South Tyneside take.
Like all partnerships, we will take into account a multiple set of viewpoints from all clients and stakeholders and the team will be clear about the bearing these different views gathered have on any decisions taken.
How can I become involved?
There are a number of ways you can play a part having your say about your services and influencing the delivery of these services.
Whatever time you have available, there's a variety of ways you can be involved within the process.
If you would like further information please contact the Supporting People team on (0191) 424 4745.
Service Review Programme
- Service Review Methodology
- Accommodation Based Review Timetable
- QAF Core Objectives
- QAF Guidance
- Strategic Relevance Questionnaire
- Strategic Relevance Guidance
- Value for Money Workbook
- Service Review VfM Guidelines
- Appeals Procedure
