1. 23 February 2018 Hilton Hotel Maidstone
Joint Protocol Launch
23 February 2018
Hilton Hotel Maidstone

2. Opening & Introductions
John Littlemore & Naintara Khosla

3. Joint Working and Planning 16 & 17 year old Homelessness

4. Kent County Council and Housing Partners
Through this working partnership there is increased communication and understanding of the challenges facing housing and the work undertaken in Specialist Childrens Services and with Early Help colleagues. My thanks to John Littlemore, Lesley Clay and Maria Gerard along with Stephen Hollands for their co-work and commitment to delivering a partnership policy for young homelessness.
The journey has been rewarding as a new protocol has been agreed and implemented.

5. Kent County Council and Housing Partners
Last protocol in year olds – Newest protocol that we are looking at today has greater focus on homeless 16 / 17 year olds.
Greater emphasis on prevention, greater emphasis on working with families to resolve difficulties and for children to return home where SAFE to do so. Also clarifies roles and responsibilities for those children where they require further statutory intervention from the LA or LHA to ensure that their needs (including housing) are met.

6. Kent County Council and Housing Partners
Young People at the Heart of all we do
Housing and Kent County Council will work towards resolving the presenting housing issue. KCC have a duty under the Children Act to support with other issues which have contributed to homelessness.
The offer of support was piloted with South Kent Specialist Childrens Services working closely with Early Help and housing colleagues
Where is assessed as safe the aim of the work with Adolescent Support Teams and Early Help is to prevent young people coming into care.

7. An Overview of Early Help

8. Kent Early Help Definition
Early Help means intervening as soon as possible to tackle emerging problems. It is about ensuring that every child and young person from pre –birth to 25, and their family, who needs early help services will receive them in a timely and responsive way, so that they are safeguarded, their health, educational, social and emotional needs are met and outcomes are good.

9. EHPS – Range of Services
All children and families have core needs such as parenting, health and education. Children are supported by their family and in universal services to meet all their needs.
Children and families with additional needs who would benefit from or who require extra help to improve education, parenting and/or behaviour or to meet specific health or emotional needs or to improve material situation. Child’s needs can be met by universal services working together or with the addition of some targeted services
Vulnerable children and their families with multiple or complex needs. Life chances would be impaired without coordinated support. A multi-agency plan is developed with the family. A wide range of services, including SCS or Early Help Units, might be involved
Children and/or family members are likely to suffer significant harm serious and lasting impairment without the intervention of specialist services, sometimes in a statutory role such as youth justice services.
Universal
Additional
Intensive
Specialist

10. 5 x Practice Development Leaders
4 x 0-25 Area Head of Service
12 x District Managers
44 x Early Help Units
5 x Youth Justice Units
12 x Youth Hubs
85 x Children’s Centres
5 x Practice Development Leaders
9 x District Partnership Managers

11. Early Help means intervening as soon as possible to tackle emerging problems.
It is about ensuring that every child and young person from pre –birth to 25, and their family, who needs early help services will receive them in a timely and responsive way, so that they are safeguarded, their health, educational, social and emotional needs are met and outcomes are good.
Early Help means intervening as soon as possible to tackle emerging problems.
It is about ensuring that every child and young person from pre –birth to 25, and their family, who needs early help services will receive them in a timely and responsive way, so that they are safeguarded, their health, educational, social and emotional needs are met and outcomes are good.
Early Help means intervening as soon as possible to tackle emerging problems.
It is about ensuring that every child and young person from pre –birth to 25, and their family, who needs early help services will receive them in a timely and responsive way, so that they are safeguarded, their health, educational, social and emotional needs are met and outcomes are good.

12. Early Help and Preventative Service Delivery Model Intervening as soon as possible in a timely and responsive way to ensure good outcomes
Early Help Units
Triage
Open Access
Youth Justice and PRU, Inclusion and Attendance
Youth Hubs
Children's Centres
Integrated systems and structures
Management Support & EH Toolkit
Unit Meetings and Step Down Panel
Kent Family Support Framework
Outcome focus - Dashboards and Trackers
Strengths based family practice

13. Youth Justice Delivery Model
Working across the Partnership
Unit Structure
Specialisms within Youth Justice
Signs of Safety and Destinance
Performance and Outcomes
Integration with Districts
Unit Meetings
Asset Plus Framework
The delivery model on one slide!
(Clockwise from top left)
Universal offer – activities that are aimed at and can be accessed by everyone
Targeted Provision – Activities, usually in groups, aimed at specific demographic or need. Targeted provision is an important element of support to families , children and young people and will form the majority of the Level two offer in open access
Outdoor Ed, DoE and Youth participation – provides challenging opportunities that promote personal growth and resilience
Links across the threshold - Open access supports all levels o f need including those families, children and young people involved with Youth Justice, PIAS and specialist services, and delivery is supported by staff across the service
Additional Support – Support tailored to individual and specific needs with a light touch assessment and plan. This may include 121 intervention and may include facilitating attendance at targeted provision.
Open access work is underpinned by strength based practice and Signs of Safety
Estart is being used across Open Access to record the work we do – this means we can produce performance information and scorecards that show how we are doing and how to improve
Reflective Practice Groups are now available in all districts to support and promote good practice and staff development
Running across the delivery is an integrated system, management support, governance through the DAB’s and YAG’s, and a quality assurance framework

14. Open Access Delivery Model
Children’s Centre and Youth Hub Universal Offer
Targeted Provision
DofE, Outdoor Education, Youth Participation
Interface of Open Access Across the Thresholds
Youth Hubs
Children's Centres
Integrated systems and structures
Management Support & Early Help Toolkit
Reflective Practice Groups
Additional Support in Open Access
Performance Indicators and Scorecards
Strengths based family practice
The delivery model on one slide!
(Clockwise from top left)
Universal offer – activities that are aimed at and can be accessed by everyone
Targeted Provision – Activities, usually in groups, aimed at specific demographic or need. Targeted provision is an important element of support to families , children and young people and will form the majority of the Level two offer in open access
Outdoor Ed, DoE and Youth participation – provides challenging opportunities that promote personal growth and resilience
Links across the threshold - Open access supports all levels o f need including those families, children and young people involved with Youth Justice, PIAS and specialist services, and delivery is supported by staff across the service
Additional Support – Support tailored to individual and specific needs with a light touch assessment and plan. This may include 121 intervention and may include facilitating attendance at targeted provision.
Open access work is underpinned by strength based practice and Signs of Safety
Estart is being used across Open Access to record the work we do – this means we can produce performance information and scorecards that show how we are doing and how to improve
Reflective Practice Groups are now available in all districts to support and promote good practice and staff development
Running across the delivery is an integrated system, management support, governance through the DAB’s and YAG’s, and a quality assurance framework

15. Preventing or minimising the risk, of problems arising or occurring again – usually through universal services such as schools, children's centres, youth work and health provision.
Targeting individuals and families at high risk, or those showing early signs of a particular problem, to reduce family breakdown or problematic behaviour before concerns escalate leading to statutory intervention
Providing edge of care early help services that respond effectively to needs, to redress the situation, stop problems getting worse and sustain and improve outcomes.
Multi disciplinary and Multi-agency, including SCS and Health, services delivering in a joined up way to have maximum impact on improving outcomes.
Early Help and Preventative Services work across tiers of need and risk

16. EHPS, SCS and Education working together across Kent
Dartford
Gravesham
Swale
Thanet
Sevenoaks
Canterbury
Listening to children young people, families and communities
Swale
Tonbridge and Malling
Maidstone
Dover
County wide Function –
Youth Justice, PIAS, Information and Intelligence
Tunbridge Wells
Shepway
Ashford
Area HoS & District Managers
Open Access in Youth Hubs and Children’s Centres
Early Help Units
Outdoor education and DofE
VCS Commissioned Provision
Partnership with Early Years, Schools, ETE Providers, Health, Police and Districts

17. EHPS an Integrated Service aligned to structures and partnership
North: Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks
West: Tonbridge & Malling, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells
East: Thanet, Canterbury, Swale
South: Ashford, Shepway, Dover
SCS, Statutory and Third Sector Partners across Kent
0-25 Area Heads of Service with Strategic Responsibilities
District Partnerships, Education, training and schools
Young people and parents/carers
Health partners and CCGs
Communities and volunteers
Youth Justice, Court Processes, Enhanced and Intensive Supervision, Attendance & Inclusion, Intelligence & Information
12 Districts
4 Areas
County wide Function

18. District Partnership Manager Practice Development Leader
0-25 Area Head of Service
Area Leads
District Partnership Manager
District
0-25 District Manager
Children’s Centre
Youth Hub
North Kent Nick Moor County Role: Central Referral Unit, Intensive Support, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service – Lots 1 and 2, Safeguarding ov.uk
Youth Justice Paula Desai
Inclusion and Attendance David Boyd
Practice Development Leader
Michelle Coles
Jackie Marks
Colin Green
Dartford
Tim O’Brien
Faye Newman
Zoe Harris
Gravesham
Mark Ford
Becca Spencer
Jodie Hamilton
Sevenoaks
Christine Kiely
Clare Ginn
Sarah Gaunt
West Kent Nick Fenton County Role: Children’s Centres, Free For Two, Public Health: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Public Health Outcomes, Young Carers v.uk
Youth Justice Paul Walker
Inclusion and Attendance Cathy Edwards
Practice Development Leader Susan Ashmore
Paul Kennedy Chris Beale
Maidstone
Hema Birdi
Kareen McKeown
Natalie Penfold
Tonbridge & Malling
Karen Coffey
Bethany Hodges
Ellen Shaw
Tunbridge Wells
Dan Bride
Simon Fry
Sara Fletcher

19. District Partnership Manager
0-25 Area Head of Service
Area Leads
District Partnership Manager
District
0-25 District Manager
Children’s Centre
Youth Hub
South Kent Louise Fisher County Role: Youth Justice, Signs of Safety, Front Door Demand Management Project .gov.uk
Youth Justice Katie Knight
Inclusion and Attendance Heidi McGee
Practice Development Leader Rebecca Roche
Mark Wiltshire
Jayne Hagues
Ashford
Helen Anderson
Ann Woodberry
Jim Winter
Shepway
Julia Easton
Karen Roberts
Julian Streader
Dover
Jo Hook
Leanne Watson
Erin Bell
East Kent Nigel Baker County Role: Additional Support, NEET,
Child Sexual Exploitation, Missing Children, Youth Offer
Youth Justice Pat Rouse Barry Weeks Inclusion and Attendance
Melanie Higgins Practice Development Leader
Mark Walsh Hayley Bodiam
Amtul Uzma
Jenny Bullows
Janine Collins
Canterbury
Rob Jobe
Alison Bounds
Dawn Ledingham
Swale
Joanne Terry
Mags Windeatt
Ben Rose
Thanet
Sharon McLaughlin
Vicky O’Riordan
Justin Wanstall

20. An overview of the Adolescent Support Team

21. AST Teams and Districts
AST North
Sevenoaks, Swanley, Gravesham, Dartford
3 social workers and 3 social work assistants (SWAs)
AST West
Maidstone, Tunbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells
3 social workers and 3 SWAs
AST South
Dover, Ashford, Shepway
AST East
Thanet, Canterbury, Swale
4 Social workers and 4 SWAs

22. Who do we work with? Young homeless (Southwark Judgements)
Ages 16 – 18, young person has presented as homeless and is seeking accommodation and a Joint Housing Assessment is required under the Southwark Ruling
Our work is set out as per the joint housing assessment protocol, we have the duty to assess and provide support that meets that young persons needs.
This could involve rapid response because the home situation at the point where family breakdown is imminent without immediate, intensive intervention
It could also involve provision of signposting or referrals to services, to prevent family breakdown
We will utilise partner agencies as part of a support plan to enable that young person to remain at home, or identify a safe place to live
We will work with the local housing teams to ensure that the young person is able to understand their options and make an informed decision about what they wish to happen

23. Case holding
Ages ( will be considered if presenting with family breakdown due to high risk adolescent behaviours)
Young person’s aggressive/disruptive/anti-social behaviour causing family breakdown
Young person’s substance or alcohol abuse causing family breakdown
Parents expressing inability to manage CYP’s behaviour
Regular occurrences of truancy which is impacting on family relationships
Family dynamic showing clear signs of deterioration
Young person’s mental health issues causing family breakdown
Case has not already been open for more than 6 months
Index referred child is the adolescent - not part of a family requiring social care or the parent of a child requiring social care
Not Child protection (although we will work a case up to an initial child protection conference if CP concerns arise on a case we are already holding)
Non case holding (an agreed plan of intervention must be in place)
Possibility of family breakdown due to CYP behaviour
Case has been open for more than 6 months and requires a short intervention to make changes
Index referred child is part of a family requiring social care or the parent of a child requiring social care CP

24. Referral pathways

25. Current cases held North
29 case holding – 11 potential Southwark Judgements, 2 Looked after children, 16 Children in need
West
34 case holding – 8 potential Southwark Judgements, 1 Looked after child, 25 Children in need
East
49 case holding - 5 potential Southwark Judgements,12 Looked after children, 32 children in need
South
26 case holding - 7 potential Southwark Judgements, 5 Looked after children, 14 children in need

26. Overview of Homeless Legislation & The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
Marie Gerald
Housing Options & Private Sector Manager
Dartford Borough Council

27. The Teams
Each district has it’s own structure – some bigger than others
Each may incorporate different elements of the wider housing team – e.g. Private Sector, Allocations etc.
Each will have different ways of accessing the service and the process
16/17 makes up a very small percentage of overall work done by the Housing Options Teams.

28. What do we do? (Dartford example)
Nominations and liaison with Housing Associations
Housing Register Provision
Allocations
Deposit Guarantee
One Stop Shop (domestic abuse)
Disabled Adaptations
Empty Homes
Kent Home choice/ Locata Homeless Prevention
Service Requests (tenants)
Housing Advice
Temporary Accommodation
Homelessness
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s)
Joint Stock & Quota cases
Landlord Services
Decent Homes Assistance
Downsize for Cash
Private Leasing Scheme
Young Persons Team
And more……

29. Existing Legislation
Part VII Housing Act 1996 – provides statutory underpinning for tackling homelessness.
Homelessness Act and Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002 – requires LHA’s to develop homelessness strategies and extended the priority need categories.
Homelessness Code of Guidance (2006) – The Code provides statutory guidance on local authority housing and social services statutory functions in respect of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Code is issued by the Secretaries of State under section 182 of the Housing Act 1996, and local authorities must have regard to the Code, by law.
General duty – to ensure that advice and information about homelessness and preventing homelessness is available free of charge to anyone in the district.

30. The 5 Tests of homelessness
A household automatically has priority need if they have dependent children, pregnant, care leavers aged or 16/17 year olds. Everyone else subject to a vulnerability assessment
When a household deliberately does or fails to do anything in consequence of which they leave, or are forced to leave, the accommodation
A person subject to immigration control is not usually eligible for assistance unless granted refugee status, leave to remain or habitually resident. This includes EU citizens who are correctly using their treaty rights.
Council must provide temporary accommodation and an offer of a permanent home
A person becomes homeless or threatened with homelessness if her or she is likely to become homeless within 28 days
Main duty accepted
Local connection?
Was it intentional?
In priority need?
Is established if applicant has lived in the borough6 out of the last 12 months, 3 out of 5 years, employment, family or special circumstance
Are you eligible?
Are you homeless?

31. Why the current system is broken
Homeless application – restricted to risk within 28 days so early help when early risk identified is not legal requirement
Gatekeeping accusations as prevention help is non statutory – people sent away until bailiff’s warrant
No obligation on applicant to accept any prevention help
The tests for homelessness, priority need and intentional homelessness are ‘means tests’. People ‘fall out’ along the assessment journey with little help if they fail tests
By contrast for those who make it through to the end with a main 193(2) duty owed have around 70% chance of having duty ended with offer of social housing. Only just 5% have it ended through social housing offer due to the restrictions placed of a 12 month AST (Localism Act 2012)

32. ALLOCATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING
PRIORITY
Each Local Authority decides how much priority is given based on the individual allocations policies – rules are different
Different in all local authority area’s
Some may still use points but most used bandings
Some award additional priority, for instance if you are working or leaving the armed forces
WAITING TIMES
Dependant on availability of social housing in each area
Levels of demand for social housing
Level of priority or preference
How flexible in terms of areas that is considered.
REASONS YOU MAY NOT JOIN REGISTERS
No local connection
Not eligible - immigration
Does not qualify - No housing need
Owes money to that local authority
Anti-social behaviour
SUMMARY OF PART VI
Each LA has own policy and own way of deciding priority
Some LA’s are stock holding authorities and some aren’t – may affect some decisions
Local connection rules will probably always apply
ALLOCATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING
Part VI Housing Act

33. Homeless Reduction Act 2017

34. HRA Background
In 2015, Wales implemented new homeless legislation which had a focus on prevention
Following this, the homeless charity Crisis carried out a mystery shopping exercise to understand rising homeless numbers in England, particularly rough sleepers (Turned Away 2014)
The House of Commons Select Committee then undertook an inquiry, from which came a report and the Homelessness Reduction Bill (HRB), which aimed to improve the support and advice offered to all homeless people
Conservative backbench MP, Bob Blackman, presented this as a Private Member's Bill to Parliament which sailed through the parliamentary process - rare that legislation receives such strong cross-party support but the HRA attempts to tackle a problem that shows no signs of easing
The HRA sets out a framework for the biggest changes to homelessness legislation since the 1977 Act was introduced
It proposed several new duties, many of which will require a change in working practices, and additional resources.
The Bill was enacted in April 2017 and despite reservations from across all sectors, Government have confirmed start date for 3rd April 2018

35. Definition of homelessness and threatened with homelessness:
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Definition of homelessness and threatened with homelessness:
This clause extends the period during which a local housing authority (LHA) should treat someone as threatened with homelessness from 28 to 56 days, and sets out the action LHAs should take when someone applies for housing assistance, having been served with a notice to end an assured shorthold tenancy.
Duty of Local Housing Authority to provide advice
This clause strengthens and extends the general advice duty, requiring the LHA to design a service that meets the needs of certain groups at risk of homelessness.
Homelessness Assessment & prevention duties:
this clause includes new duties to those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness, to:
carry out an assessment;
agree a personal housing plan;
help prevent homelessness (for 56 days+); and
help to secure accommodation for all eligible applicants, regardless of priority need.

36. Duty owed to those who are homeless:
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Duty owed to those who are homeless:
This clause further amends the 1996 Act, placing a duty on LHAs to relieve homeless for 56 days by helping applicants to secure accommodation
Deliberate and unreasonable refusal to cooperate:
This clause also amends the 1996 Act to introduce the provision for the LHA to serve a notice on the applicant where it is considered they have deliberately and unreasonably refused to cooperate with the authority to help prevent their homelessness.
Local connection of a care leaver:
This clause amends the 1996 act to clarify the circumstances under which care leavers should be treated as having a local connection with the LHA.

37. Duty to refer Review of decisions
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Review of decisions
This clause proposes additional rights of review in relation to new duties in the HRA. There is now 13 opportunities to request a review
Duty to refer
This new duty applies to all public authorities specified in the regulations to refer cases to the LHA if they consider that a person in England, to whom they exercise functions, may be homeless or is at risk of homelessness.

38. How the Act is intended to work 1 2 3 4
STAGE 1 1
the application and assessment of the test of eligibility and whether the applicant is homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days 2
STAGE 2
The prevention stage – to take reasonable steps to help the applicant from losing accommodation. If fails then;
STAGE 3 3
The relief of homelessness stage – to take reasonable steps to help the applicant find somewhere else to live. If fails then 4
STAGE 4
The final main duty owed for those in priority need and not intentionally homeless

39. Why the HRACT is better
A Council is required to take a homeless application far earlier (56 day risk of homelessness). This increases the chances of that early help being successful.
If someone is homeless or threatened with homelessness there is a duty to provide real help – ‘the reasonable steps’ – real help that is ‘blind’ to whether they are or may be owed a main duty
The right to real help must be set out in a personal plan that has been developed to reflect that applicant’s needs and circumstances
A family or individual can only be intentional homeless if the duty to help them find somewhere to live fails
The extra rights are balanced by understanding that although the response to homelessness would best be long term social housing this is not realistic given the housing pressures
Therefore any suitable accommodation secured of any tenure with a reasonable prospect of being available for 6 months or more ends the Council’s duties
Non cooperation with the help provided has a consequence as does refusing suitable accommodation made to resolve homelessness

40. New duty for named public authorities to refer
Duty from October 2018 that if a named public authority is dealing with a person who may be homeless or at risk of homelessness they must seek their consent to refer the case to an authority of the person’s choice
Likely to be – the police, hospitals, GPs, probation, schools, colleges, Adult social Care, Children Services
Will not be Housing Associations
No national web based referral system:
The procedure for referrals should be decided by service partners in each local area
Housing authorities are responsible for setting up local procedures for managing referrals
It is recommended that housing authorities set up a single point of contact which public authorities can use for submitting referrals
Local procedures should be tailored to each public authority

41. The Process

43. Information for Young People

44. Presentation by Young person
Young people may present as “Homeless” for a number of underlying reasons and may present to a variety of places, (Gateway, Local Housing Office, Youth Hubs, SCS offices).
First Contact – Key questions:
How long have they not been living at their normal place of residence?
What are the reasons for them not living there now?
What has led them to presenting now?
How long can they stay in their current accommodation?
Do parent(s) / carer(s) know that they have presented?
First Contact to discuss with Family – No significant Safeguarding concerns. Mediation may be able to return home with minimum intervention.
If clear safeguarding concerns or attempts to return home unsuccessful then refer into CDT

45. Place into TA (not B&B) JHA (within 3 days) Not successful
First contact with SCS / E Help & confirmed as homeless
First contact with LHA & confirmed as homeless
Place into TA (not B&B)
Referral to CDT
Referral to CDT
JHA (within 3 days)
Not successful
Not successful
Explore prevention and alternative accommodation (including AST / E Help interventions)
Explore prevention & alternative accommodation
Outcome of JHA
Duty owed under
S 17 but not S 20 (i.e. young person returns home with support)
Duty owed under S17 and S 20 applies, and YP accepts accommodation provided by SCS
No S 17 or
S 20 duties owed
Duty owed under S17
but not S 20 due to
y person refusal of S 20
Found to be intentionally homeless
Part VII Assessment carried out
Homeless Application accepted

46. MHCLG Roundtable Discussion
Joint Statutory Guidance on 16/17 Year Olds under HRA 2017

47. Background to the discussion
Roundtable session to discussion the joint MHCLG and DfE Guidance on the provision of accommodation 16/17 at risk of homelessness.
Attendance from LHA’s DfE, Upper Tiers, Children’s Charities & Shelter
Guidance will be jointly issued by the MHCLG & DfE as a stand alone document.
Group looked to share views, raise concerns and questions and things that may need to be considered.
Key questions that were considered:
What do you think the implications of the changes to homelessness legislation will have for joint working between housing and children’s services
What approach should the guidance should take relating to the respective responsibilities under the prevention/relief duties
Other area’s of guidance that should be changed other than the HRA 2017

48. Outcomes – Duty to Refer
Further work needs to be developed to establish how this will work alongside the Children’s Act
Concern around how this will work – should not be referred when the duty lies with Children’s Services (Prevention & relief stage needs to be looked at separately)
Although already set out in existing guidance, it needs to be explicit that the Children’s Act takes precedence over the Housing Act.
Guidance should seek to resolve the issue of some organisations not accepting their duties towards 16/17 year olds.
Acknowledges that in some areas, young people are still being bounced between children’s services and LA’s
The use of pathways is positive and the legislation will reinforce them
Concern that the YP might approach other agencies/organisations for housing support that are not aware of their duties.
LHA’s must refer to Children’s Services when a housing application has been triggered.

49. Outcomes - Prevention/Relief
The process of dealing with YP at the relief stage is a lot clearer and there will need to be clearer guidance on how they deal with YP throughout the prevention stage.
There needs to be more focus on services that are working on prevention and the guidance needs to make clear the importance of joint working and involving other agencies as appropriate
This should be led by children’s services (which will address any safeguarding issues), but the guidance should set out how they should work with the necessary organisations and authorities.
Need clear information on when then the Housing LA will be able to discharge their duty towards the YP.
Draw out the role of ‘early help’ in the prevention stage and the interplay with this and the Child in Need assessment
There needs to be clarification on the timelines and timeliness of delivering responsibilities for local housing authorities and children’s services.
The duty of relief may be potentially damaging to the private rental market locally as housing authorities look to discharge their duties in this market. Any further increase in prices and availability may have a negative impact on children’s services that are looking for sufficiency for children in care and care leavers, and to place UASC under the National Transfer Scheme.

50. Outcomes – Other Short-term accommodation Assessments
Interim/emergency accommodation such as crash pads should be provided to YP, where necessary whilst the preventative work is carried out to enable the YP to return safely to parents or family.
Emergency accommodation can provide respite for YP during the prevention stage
There needs to be clarification on what acceptable temporary accommodation is (Ofsted have criticised the use of self contained and shared TA unless it’s supported housing which is appropriate for YP needs) and the timeframes for remaining in TA. This should build on existing guidance that B&Bs are not suitable, and where similar rules might be applicable to shared or self-contained accommodation.
Assessments
A ‘child in need assessment’ must always be completed for any YP who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within 56 days of homelessness
The guidance should include explicit information on the assessments; who is responsible and whose expertise should be drawn in to aid the assessments.
When would the Children Act assessment be carried out during the prevention duty or do you wait for the relief duty? General view is that the referral at prevention stage should trigger a Child in need assessment

51. Outcomes – Other Advocacy
Need a person centred approach that asks what the YP wants
There needs to be a focus on advocacy for YP engaging with services
Deliberate and unreasonable failure to co-operate
A high threshold for ending the duty on this basis is needed with guidance setting this out in terms of sign off.
The guidance also needs to be clear that where no duty is owed by Housing for whatever reason, then a referral to Children’s Services must be made to ensure the YP is not ‘lost’ and Children’s Services pick them up
Other matters:
There will still need to be a ‘child in need plan’ for YP who do not wish to be looked after

52. Workshop Session
Work as a group to identify the challenges post HRA 2017 and work together to identify solutions