Sandwell MBC FIP Stuart White ASB Co-ordinator 21 April 2010

Sandwell Homes We are an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) (2004) We have approximately 30,000 properties We have signed up to the Respect Standard for housing management (2006) We achieved three stars with excellent prospects for improvement (2008) We achieved Customer Service Excellence status (2010) Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Sandwell MBC FIP Sandwell MBC commissioned Action for Children to provide the FIP, sits within Targeted Youth Support. Work with 24 families in 12 month period Work cross tenure Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Who do the FIP work with? ASB FIP ‘Neighbours from hell’- ASB Family with children under 16 Willing to engage There is a threat of eviction due to ASB Often: Dysfunctional families High debt, poor health, mental health issues Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Who do the FIP work with? Youth Crime FIP Families with Prolific Priority Offenders Family member known to YOT Child excluded from school Significant parental risk factors e.g. domestic abuse/ substance misuse Quality Housing, Excellent Services

How do they work? Floating support Dispersed tenancy support Residential core block Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Sandwell MBC FIP In total 27 Sandwell Homes families supported. Currently working with 17 families of which: 12 families received outreach support 5 families re-housed in dispersed properties

Quality Housing, Excellent Services Dispersed properties We decided to follow dispersed unit model Use Family Intervention Tenancy Sept 2006 committed to provide 3 properties Since committed to further 6 properties Developed FIP service level agreement Developed Tenancy Support Service SLA

Process of moving Request made for dispersed property Add family to direct offers list Locate void property Check suitability for dispersed property Sign up:end tenancy,serve FIT notice,sign FIT FIP visit every day 1 st 2 weeks Six month review- if ok introductory tenancy. Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Challenges Nothing to benchmark to Getting senior managers on board Finding suitable properties- can take months Neighbours wanting an eviction Negative publicity ‘rewarding bad behaviour’ Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Outcome 100% families that engaged sustained their tenancies Dramatic reduction in ASB & crime Improved school attendance & wellbeing 9 families exited FIP successfully 4 dispersed families given introductory tenancies Reduction in evictions Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Successes Audit commission's finding for tenancy management: “Strengths significantly outweigh weaknesses” “There is a very strong partnership approach to addressing ASB” Family Intervention Project identified as positive practice Customer satisfaction with ASB 8/10 Quality Housing, Excellent Services

Any Questions? Stuart White ASB Co-ordinator Telephone: Gillian Austin FIP Manager Telephone: Quality Housing, Excellent Services