Supporting People services
Every year thousands of people, regardless of
their background, need help to live more independently, either in
their own home, or in supported accommodation. This help is called
housing-related support and there are a number of organisations in
Tower Hamlets providing housing-related support services.
In Tower Hamlets we spent £15 million in 2009/10 supporting over
5510 vulnerable people into 122 services delivered by 30 support
providers. People who use these services include homeless people,
older people, people with physical disabilities or learning
difficulties, people fleeing domestic violence, young
parents, people with mental health problems, people with
substance misuse problems, ex-offenders, refugees, and young and
vulnerable people.
About the Supporting People programme
The Supporting People programme buys, funds and
monitors housing-related support services making sure
that they are of good quality and meet the needs of the people
receiving them. The main purpose of ‘housing-related support’ is to
develop and maintain a person's ability to live independently,
either in their own home or in supported accommodation.
This can include:
- Helping someone to get their correct
benefits
- Helping someone to learn to budget properly
for rent and bills
- Helping someone to access a GP or
dentist
- Helping someone to get on a training or
education course
- Helping someone to get a community alarm
service
- Helping someone to improve their social
network
Most people access Supporting People services
by being referred by social care services, health services, housing
providers, outreach services or local advice services. If you are
not in contact with any of these services and wish to find out more
you can contact the Supporting People Team.
If you wish to apply for support your needs
will be assessed by a support provider. They will tell you if you
are eligible for a service, what support can be offered, and when
it can be made available to you.
More information about supporting people in
Tower Hamlets:
The Supporting People team is accountable to
the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Further information on DCLG is available on the Communities and Local
Government website.
Floating support
Floating support is a flexible service that
adapts to meet individual needs. For example if you were living in
your own home with no support but felt you were at risk of losing
your home or not managing with daily life then a floating support
worker could visit you each week in your home. The support
worker could help with tasks such as sorting out bills, speaking to
your landlord and accessing other services such as healthcare and
entitlement to welfare benefits. It can also provide practical,
social and emotional support.
Floating support works by ensuring that
problems are identified and resolved, and then at the right time,
'floats off' to work with other residents who need support.
Choice and control for people accessing support services
The Government has set local authorities a
challenging agenda to transform adult social care to deliver
personalised services that are tailored to meet the needs and
preferences of residents. This should enable people to live their
own lives as they wish, confident that services are of high
quality, are safe and promote their own individual needs for
independence, well being and dignity.
Housing and support services in Tower Hamlets
are changing to be more closely modelled around what people want.
Support providers are starting to have a different relationship
with people who use services and greater consideration is being
given to individuals who may wish to pay more for a better quality
service. Increasing numbers of people will have a personal budget
or funding for resources to allow them to buy their own
services.
A number of housing providers have tested how
personalisation fits with models of specialist housing. It is
possible to develop a core service offer and then a menu of options
which are available for purchase, using public or private funding,
either in house or from another source. People may also want to buy
services jointly.
Please read this
press release to see how Tower Hamlets is starting to
offer choice and control to supported housing residents.
Safeguarding
All people who work with vulnerable adults
have a duty to protect them from abuse and to report all incidents,
concerns or suspicions of abuse or neglect.
All statutory, voluntary and private agencies
should be committed to ensuring that people who are victims of
abuse will receive support and protection from further abuse.
When concerns, allegations or incidents come
to light, it must be reported and “staff” must ensure that the
alleged “victim” is safe. This may involve the emergency services
if the victim has been injured.
Discussions will then take place between the
relevant agencies to decide on the most appropriate support and
protection. All reports of abuse are closely monitored by
the Safeguarding Adults Team to ensure that procedures
are followed.
Remember:
- If you are unsure report it!
- The expert will help
- The abuser may be a family member, friend,
medical or social care professional, carer, another resident or
anyone else.
Access more information on safeguarding.
Contact us
Supporting People Team
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 7021
Email: supportingpeople@towerhamlets.gov.uk