Housing & Community Safety Scrutiny Committee	23 January 2023
Report of the Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration

Update on the Resettlement Pathway

Summary

1. This report provides an update on work in progress to review the single homeless resettlement pathway which is developing the early intervention and intensive support approach for single people who become homeless or are rough sleeping. The report sets out the review findings, gives an update on external funding secured to support homelessness and rough sleeping initiatives and presents an update on existing service delivery arrangements.

Recommendations

2. Housing & Community Safety Scrutiny Committee are asked to:

Consider the ongoing review of the Resettlement pathway and the interim contractual arrangements that have been put in place to continue the existing service until the pathway review is concluded and a future delivery model is agreed.

Background

3. The current resettlement pathway is made up of a range of services, buildings and contracts with other wider services, such as health, probation and substance misuse services, contributing to the management and wellbeing of those involved in the pathway. There are over 350 people within the resettlement pathway at any one time and this fluctuates daily as people move into more permanent accommodation and other people come into the service.

4. A diagram illustrating the pathway is attached at Annex A. It is made up of :-

a. Tier 1 supported accommodation traditionally described as hostels with 24 hour on-site support and provision to provide extra emergency beds :-

b. Tier 2 which is comprised of shared houses and

c. Tier 3 which is more permanent housing with varying levels of support in social housing and the private rented sector.

5. There are 2 main Community Wellbeing Contracts in place contributing to the Pathway procured by Adult Social Care and an Early Intervention & Prevention (EI&P) contract procured by Housing Services and delivered by the Salvation Army, contributing to our work engaging with people sleeping rough. These operate alongside the services provided and managed by CYC form the core resettlement pathway.

6. The Community Wellbeing Contracts are the Community Adults Wellbeing Contract (Changing Lives) and the (Young People’s Community Wellbeing & Support Service (Safe and Sound Homes -SASH). These have been extended until January 2024 to allow for the review of the Resettlement Pathway to complete. The EI&P contract is due to end on 31.03.23 and officers are considering the potential for a short extension of this contract by allow for the review of the Resettlement Pathway to complete.

Resettlement Pathway Review

7. One key driver for the review was the fact that four Community Wellbeing Service (CWS) contracts were reaching the end of their initial 5 year term in early 2022 with the Early Intervention & Prevention (EI&P) contract ending in March 2023. Given the significant changes in the landscape since these services were last commissioned in 2016 (CWS) and 2018, and the extremely close inter-relationship between these contract areas and a number of other contract/services areas and developments, a one year contract extension for the four CWS contracts was granted so as to enable a whole-system review of the resettlement pathway and related services and support.

8. This review so far has been overseen by a multi-agency Project Board co-chaired by Denis Southall (Head of Housing Management and Housing Options) and Jamaila Hussain (Corporate Director of Adult Services and Integration).  Jamaila replaced the Head of Commissioning as the co-chair representing Adult Social Care from April 2022. A new Head of Commissioning joined the Council in January 2023.

9. A series of on-line workshops were arranged in 2022 to form the ‘spine’ of the review and to ensure that a wide range of stakeholders have the opportunity to engage in the process and offer their experience and views. The workshops were well attended with around 50 – 60 delegates attending.

· Workshop 1 – 16^th Feb – Where are we now?

· Workshop 2 – 10^th Mar – Where do we want to be?

· Workshop 3 – 6^th Apr – Taking stock / sifting / prioritising ideas

· Finance / Commissioning Workshop – 16^th May – this was poorly attended by organisations invited to contribute to the process.

· Workshop 4 – 8^th Jun – How do we get there – this was postponed whilst the review was put on hold.

10. Following the departure of the Head of ASC Commissioning the review process was paused and Adult Services extended existing contract arrangements ahead of a decision on future procurement.

11. A summary of the findings of the review to date are attached at Annex B. The tasks of a reformed core Project Board through 2023 will be to:

· Agree the findings of the review to date

· Review the contracts, assets supporting the future pathway and to decide on the future delivery model

· Engage with partners to review finances and governance arrangements

Current Service

12. The Council and partners have successfully bid on an annual basis for RSI money and developed a range of services using this to support people who have slept rough. Most notable is the successful introduction of the Navigator team who have worked alongside the EI&P staff and delivered more intensive support and engagement with rough sleepers. This has led to many entrenched rough sleepers being brought into ongoing contact with resettlement services many of whom have been successful in maintaining Housing First accommodation. This is housing for our most chaotic and vulnerable people, with bespoke wraparound support. The intention is to do more of this through the expansion of the Navigator Team.

13. The latest round of RSI money is a 3-year award from 22/23 – 24/25. This provides some stability to better shape services going forward.

14.  In addition to RSI money the Council receives Homeless Prevention Grant which contributes to homelessness services and initiatives generally. HPG this financial year was £392,145. We do get a yearly allocation at the moment however the criteria keeps changing and is changing again this coming year with a focus on those areas with the most challenging housing pressures linked to HCLIC (homeless statistics for government) returns and see below for future years (not a huge increase). Its purpose is to prevent or manage homelessness under the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 and the extra burdens it brings. It is primarily paying for additional staff in housing options but does also contribute toward temporary accommodation etc.  including half a Mental Health worker post, the remainder funded by ASC and half a Navigator post that wasn’t funded by RSI in the last round. Indicative amounts for coming years are £408,545 and £430,080.

15. We have also just been notified of a grant of £61,015k for winter pressures. This is used to prevent homelessness, pay for B&B, hotels etc where we need these and have a shortfall in Housing Benefit or where we have to pay fully for accommodation. It’s part of the HPG overall but an acknowledgement of extra burdens during winter.

16. Some of this money has been passed to the Salvation Army to help with work over the winter and we may be able to use this to work with SA to bring four units of accommodation known as the nappads back in to use. We are currently discussing arrangements around this.

Consultation

17. Consultation the review has been undertaken with external stakeholders, Health services, Mental Health services, providers and people with lived experience of the resettlement pathway. This input has already contributed to the Resettlement Pathway review through the review process.

Contact Details

Author: Denis Southall Head of Housing Management Services	Chief Officer Responsible for the report: Tracey Carter Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration
	Report Approved	√	Date	13/1/23
For further information please contact the author of the report

Annexes

Annex A – Diagram of the Resettlement Pathway

Annex B – Early findings of the Review of the Resettlement pathway