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PARENTS & CARERS - HOUSING

Parents and carers of children who have additional support needs often experience anxiety and fear when considering the possibility of their son/daughter/young adult leaving home. Many things may contribute to these natural protective feelings. Naturally, the most prevalent anxiety and concern is about the care and support their young adult will receive from external care agencies.

How do I start this process? Who chooses an appropriate care agency? Will this support be beneficial, meaningful and fulfilling? Where can I find a house? Most importantly, will this support keep your young adult healthy and safe in today’s world?

Your first point of call would be your local Social Work Services. All Social Work Services have a central call centre covering your Local Authority area (South Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council and North Ayrshire Council); the service is very friendly and helpful. Someone will ask you questions (date of birth, nature of impairment/disability, family). This information (known as a self-referral) will be confidentially passed to the appropriate adult services team (Physical Disability/Sensory Impairment (PDSI) or Learning Disability (LD) etc.).

Your ‘referral’ details will then be allocated to an Adult Services Social Worker (this can take a few weeks). The Social Worker will organise an introduction and arrange an assessment of your young adults needs, with the young person and you involved. The Social Worker might be able to provide a service or make recommendations about services you can contact. Your son / daughter, with your support, will always be involved in decision making.

If your young adult has a named Social Worker or Care Manager: contact them and tell them you would like to start planning for your young adult’s transition towards living independently.

Some options are:

1) Adult Placement (AP -which is basically the same as fostering - if you're the current foster carer, you will need to be assessed by adults, de-register from Child Care & register as a AP carer - it's not as complicated as it sounds),

2) "Outreach" support (she/he lives with family/foster/AP & someone takes him/her out/provides some help in the home),

3) Supported Living (in a joint house or in private single tenancy)

4) There may also be residential colleges / residential educational placements available, depending on assessed need and these places are very limited.

5) ‘Home Care’ support may be available in your local area to promote independent living within your present home. This service offers support at certain times of the day only, maybe with a low level of support for certain things (e.g. for personal care in the morning or a bed time, washing, cooking, getting out & about socially).

Most of these support arrangements can be accessed through the support from your social worker. You may also consider completing a housing application form on behalf of your young adult. Finding suitable accommodation in the right location can take some time.

Local Authority Housing services are responsible for allocating the properties. Properties are allocated on the basis of need. Some local authorities use a points system of assessment.

Points are awarded due to your personal circumstances. Where you are placed on the waiting list will depend on the number of points you have. Generally speaking, the more points you have the higher you are on the waiting list and the more likely your chances are of being offered a house.

When a housing application form has been received, there will usually be a letter sent advising your young adult of their points total and confirm that have been placed on the appropriate waiting list. Some times you may be asked to provide further information, before your points total can be calculated. Letters of support from health, social work or educational professionals to support the application can sometimes increase the allocated points and push you up the waiting list.

An offer will usually be made when you have the greatest number of points for the size and type of property in your chosen areas, and a suitable property becomes available.

There is no limit to the number of offers made. However, if you refuse three offers you will be councelled by staff to make sure that, if possible, you are offered a property which meets your particular needs. Your young adult will be entitled to Housing Benefit if they are on a low income and need financial help to pay all or part of their rent. Housing Benefit helps people pay their rent. When applying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit you will be required to fill in the appropriate application form for benefits. You will also be required to provide the relevant information to your son or daughters circumstances supporting information to support the assessment to any benefit entitlement: