If you are working with a young person who is aged 16 or 17 years old and is in need of housing then the first step is to complete a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) to identify what the young persons needs are and what actions need to be taken.
The CAF should be forwarded to the Young Person’s Homeless Prevention Service and the service should be contacted to arrange an appointment for the young person so their housing needs can be discussed.
A team around the family should be arranged so information can be shared with the agencies involved and the young person about what actions are being taken to address the young person’s issues.
Possible Outcomes of a referral to the Young People’s Homeless Prevention Service
Return home
We can work with the young person and their parents or carers to try to improve things at home so living together is easier - this may be achieved through mediation. This can be a better option for a young person as it is more difficult managing your own home than it seems.
Emergency accommodation
If the young person has nowhere safe to stay then the Homeless Prevention Project Worker will secure emergency accommodation either via the Council’s Housing Options Team or Children and Families Referral and Assessment Team depending on the young person’s needs.
Emergency accommodation is not a long term option and the Young Person’s Homeless Prevention Worker will continue to work with the young person to secure alternative accommodation. In most cases this will be supported accommodation. There is a limited amount of emergency accommodation in Gateshead and in emergency situations you may be placed outside of Gateshead.
Supported accommodation
Moving into supported accommodation is the most likely outcome for a young person in need of accommodation. At present there are only two supported accommodation providers providing accommodation to 16 and 17 year olds, St Bede’s and Aquila Way. The Young People’s Homeless Prevention Service will complete referrals and can support young people to attend the interviews. In some circumstances, usually due to the young person’s behaviour there may be no supported accommodation available to the young person in the Gateshead area and referrals to accommodation outside of the area will have to be considered.
Floating Support
There are various floating support providers in the Gateshead area who can support young people who are moving into independent tenancies. In order to secure a tenancy with The Gateshead Housing Company and most Housing Associations young people who are under 18 are required to have a support package in place before they can be offered a tenancy. A copy of Gateshead Council’s lettings policy| is available.