HOUSING OPTIONS SERVICE LAUNCH

1

• HOUSING OPTIONS SERVICE LAUNCH

Monday 2nd March 2009 LACE Conference Centre
2
Housekeeping

• Toilets
• Emergency exits
• Fire Alarms
• Mobile phones
• Breaks/Refreshments

3

• Welcome and Introductions

Chris Ferns Development Manager, Homelessness
Strategy, Options and Support
4
Purpose of Today

• Launch the Housing Options Service
• Introduce the teams
• Explain how the service works
• How you can support the HOS
• Answer any immediate questions
• Future Developments

5

• Launching the Service

Councillor Marilyn Fielding Executive
Member Housing and Neighbourhoods
6

• Launching the Service

Rob Farnos Interim Assistant Executive
Director Housing and Neighbourhoods
7
Introducing

• Liverpool City Council
• Housing Options Service

Chris Ferns Development Manager, Homelessness
Strategy, Options and Support
8
Why Change

• Different process for singles families
• No uniform procedure, processes
• 5 teams / 3 management lines
• Resources not proportionate to demand
• Only one full time prevention person
• No face to face assessment for families
• No investment in prevention initiatives
• More officers processing homelessness than
  preventing it

9
Great Expectations

• Expectations
• Staffing
• Extra Supporting People Services
• Increased Nominations

10
Introducing HOS Manager / Structure
Karen Kelleher Service Manager
Sandra Alexander Senior Prevention Development
Officer
Sean McCann Accommodation Re Housing
Development Officer x1
Sandra Ravenhill Assessment Development Officer x1
Phil Turtle / Vacancy Prevention Development
Officers x2
Prevention Officers x10
Assessment Officers x 6
Re Housing Officers x4
Out of Hours On Call Rota
11
Meet the Management Team
12
Purpose of the Housing Options Service

• To prevent homelessness whenever possible
• and
• when homelessness does occur to move people into
  settled homes as soon as possible

13
Referral Process

• Person goes to One Stop Shop/ phones Careline
• Referral Information taken / signposting to other
  service if needed e.g. Benefits Maximisation
  Service
• Referral sent to Housing Options Service Duty
  Manager
• Duty Manager prioritises referral

14
Referral Process

• Appointment made to see person (usually at One
  Stop Shop) / advice given over the phone /
  referral to other agency
• Person interviewed / circumstances assessed
• Prevention methods applied
• Assess if temporary accommodation needed /
  interim duty to provide temporary accommodation
  applies

15
Referral Process

• Temporary accommodation provided
• Full assessment undertaken
• If unintentionally homeless / in priority need /
  eligible temporary accommodation provided until
  rehoused. If not, advice and assistance given

16
How Can You Help?

• Refer people at an early stage - before
  possession proceedings start
• Encourage people to go to One Stop Shops as early
  as possible in the day
• Encourage realism about re-housing options

17

• Any questions so far?

18

• Tea and coffee break
• 10.30am to 10.50am

19
The Prevention Toolkit

• Karen Kelleher
• Service Manager
• Housing Options Service

20
Prevention Toolkit Examples

• Home / Confirmation Visits
• Mediation Scheme
• Court Representation
• ECHG Prevention Service
• Sanctuary Scheme
• Homelessness Prevention Fund
• Other tools are being developed

21
Out of hours service

• All out of office hours referrals will be dealt
  with by Careline
• If a person cannot be seen in office hours or
  wait until the next day they should be advised to
  ring Careline (0151 233 3800 / Free phone 0800
  731 6844)
• Careline will establish if the Council has a duty
  to provide temporary accommodation immediately,
  pending an interview with the HOS the next
  working day

22
Out of hours service

• If this is the case they will arrange the
  necessary accommodation
• Whether or not temporary accommodation is
  provided Careline will take a referral that will
  be sent to the HOS for action the next working day

23
Contacting The HOS

• Phone Careline on 0151 233 3800
• Free phone [phone] (service users only)
• Email housingoptionsservice_at_liverpool.gov.uk
• Extra number coming soon for ongoing cases
• To order leaflets email the HOS
• For general comments email Chris Ferns
  chris.ferns_at_liverpool.gov.uk

24
What to do if you are experiencing problems with
the service?

• There will be challenges
• Additional Telephone Number
• Have Your Say process
• E-mail Chris Ferns
• Service Review

25
On Going Monitoring and Review of the Service

• Weekly Operational Implementation Group
• Regular meetings with One Stop Shops and Careline
• Customer Satisfaction Surveys
• Formal review in September 2009

26
Any Questions?
27
Homelessness Strategy Stakeholder Day

• The next Homelessness Strategy Stakeholder Day
  will take place here at LACE on Friday 22nd May
  2009.
• Part of the day will focus on rough sleeping and
  a specialist advisor from Communities and Local
  Government will give a presentation on the new
  national rough sleeping strategy

28
LUNCH