Redesign of Housing Related Support Services
Feedback updated 15 Dec 2023
We asked
Warwickshire County Council undertook a 12-week public consultation period on the redesign proposals for Housing Related Support Services (22 May 2023- 11th August 2023). The aim of the consultation was to inform Warwickshire citizens about the proposals to redesign the current Services, to ask for views on these proposals and their impact and to gather alternative proposals. The consultation also asked people’s views on the equality impact assessment that was produced in relation to each proposal; whether people felt all impacts were identified, anything missing and ideas about how to reduce the impact.
Social Engine and Kaizen were commissioned to help target and tailor consultation methods and approaches for people whose voices are heard less frequently and those with lived experience.
You said
There was good engagement with the consultation, with 583 responses across the different engagement methods. This included: Ask Warwickshire public survey, outreach work in community settings, focus groups, email responses and a consultation workshop with organisations who work with people who are homeless and with the current services.
For each proposal, people were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the proposal, their reasons for this, and how the proposal would impact on them and other people/ organisations. They were also asked for thoughts on what could be done instead.
Two analysis reports on feedback were provided by Social Engine.
Click on this link to read the summary anlaysis report.
Click on this link to read the detailed analysis report.
We did
In relation to the specific proposed changes, and following consideration of the analysis reports the following recommendations were made to Cabinet following consultation:
Recommendation 1 – keeping both floating and accommodation-based support, allocating budget in similar proportions as current commissioned services. Both professionals and service users (and potential service users) welcomed the retention of both accommodation–based and floating support services.
Recommendation 2 – integrating disabled people’s service into inclusive floating support services for young people 16-25 years and adults 25+ years. To support consistency in service and quality, within the specification we shall strengthen the staff training requirements. This may result in providers choosing to have specialist staff with dedicated caseloads or adopting alternative ways to address this.
Recommendation 3 – offering flexible, shorter interventions. We recommend proceeding with an enhanced triage process that offers early information, advice, signposting and brief intervention. This will improve the customer’s journey to get the right service at the right time, telling their story only once to services.
Recommendation 4 – shortening the maximum duration of services. For young people’s support services, we recommend not reducing the time limits. For adults’ support services we recommend the reductions are taken forward. All services will offer holistic and personalised support to meet need, promoting wellbeing, safety, resilience, independence to prevent, reduce and/or delay an individual’s need for ongoing care and support
Recommendation 5 – not changing the current names to Supporting Independence services. We recommend tendering two services: Young People (16-25 years) and Adults (25+) and changing the name to Accommodation Related Support Services.
Recommendation 6 – current additional services (Street Outreach and Hubs in Nuneaton and Rugby) are not included in future service specification. It was suggested that the redesign with clearer signposting, more streamlined services and working smarter with other hubs/community spaces across Warwickshire could help mitigate some of the impact.
The Cabinet approved these recommendations on 12th December 2023.
The next steps are to tender for the redesign services in Spring 2024 to start as redesign services on 1st April 2025.
Results updated 7 Dec 2023
Feebdack from this consultation has now been analysed and considered. Warwickshire County Council Cabinet will consider a report seeking approval to tender for redesigned services on 14 December 2023. Please click on this link to read the report and appendices. This includes a copy of the consultation analysis.
You can also view a webcast of the Cabinet meeting (live at 1.45pm or at any point afterwards). Click on this link to access the meeting webcast.
Overview
We want to know your views on the redesign of Housing Related Support Services in Warwickshire.
The proposed redesigned support services will be different from what is provided currently. The proposals will have an impact on many people accessing support services both now and in the future.
We wish to hear everyone’s views on the proposed changes, including people that use these services or may use them in the future, so that we can work together to re-shape support services.
Please read the information below to find out more. We have provided links to supporting information at the bottom of this page. This includes Frequently Asked Questions which we will keep updated.
What are Housing Related Support Services?
These services support vulnerable people to enable them to attain the skills required to be able to live independently in the community. They aim to reduce the need for more intensive/longer-term social care support and/or health care, or risk of homelessness. They support people who are in need and eligible as determined by a Care Act 2014 assessment or who are assessed as vulnerable to not being able to sustain their independence.
More Information
Vulnerability is likely to be a key issue identified through multiple needs (for example mental health needs, debt and financial issues and risk of homelessness) with one main need being complicated by others or a combination of lower-level issues that together give cause for concerns in terms of ability to maintain independence (‘edge of care’).
Warwickshire County Council pays providers to deliver services that support customers to acquire living skills to enable them to live independently after the support ends. This can include support for customers to enable them to:
- stay safe within the home and local community
- manage finances, including budgeting, utilities and benefits
- acquire general housekeeping skills
- maintain independence, good health and wellbeing
- access and maintain a secure tenancy in accommodation
- participate in training and/or education
- obtain paid work or volunteering opportunities
More Information
There are two types of services available to anyone over the age of 16 with support needs:
- Accommodation-based Support: temporary housing and short-term support are delivered together
- Floating Support: short-term support for those in their own accommodation or temporary accommodation.
For the Accommodation-based Support service, Warwickshire County Council pays providers for the cost of support only, not property/rental costs. All rental costs, including housing management, are paid via Housing Benefit claims payable by the relevant Local Housing Authority (LHA) and/or customer contributions where applicable.
Services are currently provided to customers for up to 2 years for Accommodation-based Support; up to 2 years for Floating Support for people aged 16-25 years and 1 year for Floating Support services for people with disabilities aged 16+ years and for adults aged 25+ years
To check whether this includes services you use please see the supporting document ‘Overview of Current Housing Related Support Services’. (You can find this document at the bottom of this page.)
For further information please see: Housing-related support – Warwickshire County Council. (This link will open in a new window).
What is happening in Warwickshire?
We are consulting on re-designing these services to become more efficient and effective within a reduced budget, while still focussing on those people in the greatest need and those whose support will prevent them needing care services.
We have developed the proposals, with input from strategic partners and stakeholders, including housing teams in the five District and Borough Councils; Warwickshire Probation Service; Warwickshire County Council Adult Social Care and Support; and Children and Families Service. The proposals have been developed to maximise the impact of the funding and to ensure that wherever possible, the services will help people with targeted, time-limited and effective support that equips and enables them to self-manage once the service ends.
Aim of this consultation
The aim of this consultation is to inform you about the proposals to redesign services and to ask for your views. What the people of Warwickshire tell us during this consultation about the impact of our proposals and what we could do instead will help us consider how we redesign services.
We wish to offer and deliver as many of the right services to the right people at the right time as possible and your views about how we should do this are important.
How to have Your Say
You can put forward your views either individually or as part of a group in the following ways:
- Complete the online survey below.
- If you need assistance in completing the survey online, or if you need information in another language or format, please get in touch using the contact information below and we will arrange help.
- A paper version of this survey is available - telephone (01926 410410) or email (peoplestrategyandcommissioning@warwickshire.gov.uk) and we shall send one out to you.
- If you need easy read information and questions please see the information below. (Easy read uses pictures and simple words to make written information easier to understand for people with learning disabilities and people who have difficulty using standard versions of information)
- You can also respond directly in writing to: Warwickshire County Council, Housing Related Support Consultation, Shire Hall, Market Place, Warwick, CV34 4RL or by email:
peoplestrategyandcommissioning@warwickshire.gov.uk.
If you need an easy read survey you can:
Print a copy
Use the 'Print Easy Read' link at the bottom of this page
Print the survey and answer the questions.
Return it to -
Warwickshire County Council
Housing Related Support Consultation
Shire Hall, Market Place, Warwick, CV34 4RL
Or you can ask us to send you one:
Email - peoplestrategyandcommissioning@warwickshire.gov.uk
Telephone – 01926 410410
Help and advice about the consultation
If you have any queries or need any help or advice about the consultation, please email peoplestrategyandcommissioning@warwickshire.gov.uk or telephone Warwickshire County Council Customer Service Centre on 01926 410410 and they will direct you to the Maintaining & Promoting Independence Team for support.
Please also ring the above number or email if you require help completing the survey or would like the survey in another format.
What will happen with all the information gathered?
We will collate all the consultation responses and use the information provided to inform the future of support services in Warwickshire.
What happens next
This survey has now closed. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to share their views with us. All feedback is now being considered and will inform our thinking on the future of support services in Warwickshire.
We shall share the Consultation Report and Proposal for the new services to be considered by the Council’s Cabinet in December. Links to the reports will be available on this webpage when published. Subject to their approval we shall be tendering for new services to start on 1st April 2025.
Areas
- Any area
Audiences
- Anyone from any background
- Service users (current or previous)
- Community Groups
- Voluntary and third sector organisations
- Partners
- Providers
- Specialist staff
- Professionals and professional bodies
- Housing associations
Interests
- Health and wellbeing
- Disabilities
- Mental health
- Communities
- Housing
- Strategic commissioning
- Consultations
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