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Supported Lodgings
Supported Lodgings
The Supported Lodgings scheme is designed to help young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who, for a variety of reasons, cannot live at home with their families. They're likely to have experienced many challenges and traumas, and they'll come from a wide array of backgrounds. But what they all need is the opportunity to live in a safe and supportive environment in which they can develop the practical and behavioral skills they need to stand on their own two feet.
Thurrock's Supported Lodgings Scheme can offer them exactly that. It's an important support structure for young people who have been involved with the care system - bridging the gap between living in care and living independently.
Kevin was only sixteen, but in some ways he felt a lot older. As a child, he'd often been left to fend for himself by his mum and stepdad before he was eventually taken into care. Since then, he'd moved around a lot, taking nothing much with him but a reputation for being difficult - sometimes aggressive, always lonely and confused. Now it was coming up to the time when he'd have to look after himself, and while he tried to pretend he couldn't care less, Kevin was terrified. With no family network to turn to for help, he knew he was going to be all on his own out there, and had no idea how he'd manage with simple things like paying bills,cooking supper and doing the washing, as for finding work or staying at college.
Supported Lodgings Carers
Supported Lodgings Carers provide crucial support to young people at a vital time in their lives - when they are getting ready to leave the care system. As a Supported Lodgings Carer you will help a young person aged 16 to 18 develop the skills they need to successfully make the transition to independent living.You will need a spare room and an understanding of the challenges and difficulties that young people face, we provide training, support and financial help. We welcome enquiries from black and minority ethnic communities as there is a particular need for Supported Lodgings Carers from these communities.
Who can be a Supported Lodgings Carer?
We are looking for people with common sense and empathy, who can offer a safe, supportive home environment. You can be a family, a single parent, a couple or an individual, and we welcome carers from all racial and cultural backgrounds, so we can provide supported lodgings that reflect the community as a whole. But you must live within or close to Thurrock so that the young person is able to maintain contact with their family and friends, school, college or employment. It's also important that you show an understanding of the difficulties young people encounter, and that you're able to offer support when things don't go quite right for them. You may well have encountered life's difficulties yourself, and if you have, we're interested in hearing about how you dealt with these problems and how you could apply this experience to help a young person.
Application, Assessment and Training
The selection procedure is designed to help you and us to decide whether or not this is right for you in your present circumstances. If you are interested in finding out more, please call 01375 413730. A worker will then contact you and make arrangements to visit you in your own home and begin the assessment process. After the visit you will receive basic training, followed by further visits to your home to find out more about you, and to discuss in more detail what is involved in being a supported lodging carer. At this stage a number of checks will be made with the Police, your GP and local authority. We will also ask for two personal references.
Generally, the approval process takes up to 3 months from the time of your first home visit, but it can vary. And once you've been approved, your first supported lodgings placement will be planned - matching you the carer to a young person in need. But before a placement is made you will have an opportunity to meet the young person and decide with them, and their social worker, whether you're home is the right place for them to live. During the placement, you'll receive regular visits and guidance from the Supported Lodging coordinator and the young person's own social worker. There'll also be opportunities to undertake further training and meet with other Supported Lodging carers.
Financial Support
Supported Lodging carers receive a regular weekly payment.
Further Information
For further information on supported lodgings call 01375 413713 or email fostering.adoption@thurrock.gov.uk.
Could you be a Supported Lodgings Carer? (PDF 127.5kB)
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