Module Seven: Supporting People Policy and Funding Framework and Housing Support Assessment
MODULE 7 - SESSION 1
SUPPORTING PEOPLE POLICY AND FUNDING FRAMEWORK
This session should provide a general introduction to practitioners on the Supporting People policy and funding framework which was introduced to fund Housing Support services for vulnerable people living in different types of accommodation and tenure.
The information was provided by Pat Bagot at Regeneration, Fuel Poverty and Supporting People at the Scottish Executive.
Contact:Pat.Bagot@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Care Management Training Framework
Supporting People is a policy and funding framework introduced to fund Housing Support Services for vulnerable people living in different types of accommodation and tenure.
The Supporting People programme was introduced in Scotland in April 2003 when funding was transferred from the Work and Pensions Department to the Scottish Executive. In 2003-04 a budget of £400 million was in turn administered as a grant to each of the local authorities to purchase Housing Support Services.
The Supporting People grant is ring fenced and is administered by Supporting People staff in each local authority who are required to account to the Scottish Executive for the monies spent on Housing Support Services.
'A "housing support service" is a service which provides support, assistance, advice or counselling to a person who has particular needs, with a view to enabling that person to occupy residential accommodation as a sole or main residence;'
Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001
Many people are eligible for Supporting People funded services, including those affected by infirmity or ageing, vulnerable due to substance misuse, have mental health problems (including dementia), learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairments and people who have been homeless or sleeping rough.
The Objectives of the Supporting People programme are:
- Prevention - helping to sustain people in the community and pick up problems before they become crisis
- Promoting independence - support to enable people to make their own decisions and live their own lives
- Alleviate Crisis - support to help people through crisis's in their lives
- Resettlement - support to help people establish themselves in a new home and community
- Inclusion - supporting people who may not be seeking support, who may have difficult behaviour or unconventional lifestyles, or who have multiple needs or fall outside the traditional 'client groups'.
- Focus on people - these objectives can only be met through a variety of flexible services moulded around people and the way they choose to live their lives.
Whilst Housing Support Services may be purchased using various funding streams, the Supporting People grant can only be used to purchase the prescribed Housing Support Services, which are laid down in statute (Scottish Statutory Instrument 2002 no 444 see extract attached).
Staff involved in Care Management should be aware of the restrictions surrounding the use of Supporting People funds, but also the opportunities that Supporting People offers vulnerable people. This includes the opportunity for service uses to access Supporting People via a Direct Payment.
Staff involved in Care Management should make themselves familiar with local procedures on accessing Supporting People funding.
Prescribed Housing Support Services ( SSI 444/2002)
1. General counselling and support including befriending, advising on food preparation, reminding and non-specialist counselling where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support.
2. Assisting with the security of the dwelling required because of the needs of the service user.
3. Assisting with the maintenance of the safety of the dwelling.
4. Advising and supervising service users on the use of domestic equipment and appliances.
5. Assisting with arranging minor repairs to and servicing of a service user's own domestic equipment and appliances.
6. Providing life skills training in maintaining the dwelling and curtilage in appropriate condition.
7. Assisting the service user to engage with individuals, professionals and other bodies with an interest in the welfare of the service user.
8. Arranging adaptations to enable the service user to cope with disability.
9. Advising or assisting the service user with personal budgeting and debt counselling.
10. Advising or assisting the service user in dealing with relationships and disputes with neighbours.
11. Advising or assisting the service user in dealing with benefit claims and other official correspondence relevant to sustaining occupancy of the dwelling.
12. Advising or assisting with resettlement of the service user.
13. Advising or assisting the service user to enable him or her to move on to accommodation where less intense support is required.
14. Assisting with shopping and errands where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support.
15. Providing and maintaining emergency alarm and call systems in accommodation designed or adapted for and occupied by elderly, sick or disabled people.
16. Responding to emergency alarm calls, where such calls relate to any of the housing support services prescribed in other paragraphs of this Schedule, in accommodation designed or adapted for and occupied by elderly, sick or disabled people.
17. Controlling access to individual service users' rooms.
18. Cleaning of service users' own rooms and windows.
19. Providing for the costs of resettlement services.
20. Encouraging social intercourse and welfare checks for residents of accommodation supported by either a resident warden or a non-resident warden with a system for calling that warden where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support.
21. Arranging social events for residents of accommodation supported by either a resident warden or a non-resident warden with a system for calling that warden.
MODULE 7 - SESSION 2
HOUSING SUPPORT ASSESSMENT WITHIN CARENAP: A GUIDE FOR ASSESSORS
This material was aimed at assessors using Carenap and aims to identify which of the elements of care and support are eligible for Supporting People funding, and gives examples of how this may be applied. The material could be adapted and applied to other SSA tools, by local trainers.
Karen Saunders, Senior Officer (Assessment) at the Supporting people Team, City of Edinburgh Council, provided this material for the training pack.
Contact:Karen.saunders@edinburgh.gov.uk
HOUSING SUPPORT ASSESSMENT WITHIN CARENAP
A GUIDE FOR ASSESSORS
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 introduced the Supporting People ( SP) Programme. This requires Local Authorities to offer housing support assessments to anyone aged 16 or over, who may need support. The Scottish Executive has issued no new guidance since this time, but refers to existing guidance on Single Shared Assessment.
After much deliberation, the Carenap National User Forum felt that it would be in the service users' best interests to have as much of their assessment as possible captured within the main Carenap document. As such, an 'Enhanced Carenap' has been developed in conjunction with the various client groups involved.
This consultation included a Housing Support sub-group consisting of:
- Moira Mackenzie, West Lothian Council
- Sandra Blair, North Lanarkshire Council, and
- Karen Saunders, City of Edinburgh Council
This group felt that the proposed Enhanced Carenap included all relevant areas of housing support (as identified in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (Housing Support Services) Regulations 2002 - referred to throughout the guidance as the '21 tasks' (Appendix 1).
The following housing support guidance notes are intended for use with the Enhanced Carenap, i.e. Carenap Version 2. This will be available through eAssess, following a period of development.
These notes are intended to guide assessors in deciding whether or not the person they are assessing has housing support needs. These tasks may be eligible for funding through the Supporting People ( SP) Grant.
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Section 91(8) defines housing support as:
- 'any service which provides support, assistance, advice or counselling'
- to an individual with particular needs
- with a view to enabling that individual to occupy, or continue to occupy, as the persons sole or main residence,
- residential accommodation'
Housing support is very much about enabling the individual to live as independently as is practicably possible.
In considering whether or not a task is eligible for SP funding, assessors should be reminded that generally the following types of help are not fundable through the SP Grant: nursing care; personal care i.e. physical assistance or doing tasks for the person; Equipment and Adaptations; Specialist Assessment and Carer advice/training.
The following guidance examines each section of the Enhanced Carenap, identifying which of the elements of care and support may be eligible for housing support. The guidance also indicates examples of how the support may be provided, and which of the 21 tasks these relate to.
Karen Saunders advised:
"This guidance has been aimed at assessors using Carenap, but aims to identify which of the elements of care and support are eligible for Supporting People funding, and gives examples of how this may be applied."
Karen was in agreement that this material should be included within the Care Management Training and Resource Pack.
| Element of Care/Support | Nature of Housing Support | Which of the 21 tasks this relates to |
|---|
Mobility | 2. Walking on level ground
(indoors) | Arranging adaptations to enable service user to sustain accommodation( NB - this does not include the cost of the adaptations) | 8 |
3. Walking on level ground
(outdoors) | Arranging external adaptations to enable service user to sustain accommodation ( NB - this does not include the cost of the adaptations) | 8 |
4. Balance and falls | Provision and maintaining of and responding to emergency alarm and call systems, to enable service user to sustain accommodation | 14, 15 |
8. Steps and stairs | Arranging adaptations to enable service user to sustain accommodation ( NB - this does not include the cost of the adaptations) | 8 |
| Health | 1.1 8. Taking Medication | Prompting or reminding re medication ( NB - this is only permissible where training has been given, and all prompts/reminders are recorded - it should also be noted that it is not permissible to actually give or administer the medication) | 1 |
9. Obtaining medication | Prompting or reminding re prescriptions, or collecting medication for the service user (providing that this does not overlap with personal care) | 1, 14 |
11. Smoking | Advising and reminding re safety of accommodation e.g. where there is a risk of fire due to lighted cigarettes | 3 |
| Nutrition | 3. Special diet | Reminding re special diet (e.g. when writing shopping lists/cooking etc) or referring to specialist agencies | 1 |
5. Ability to prepare meals | Advising on food preparation, and development of these life skills | 1 |
6. Using cooking facilities | Advising on how to use cooking facilities and ensuring safety of the service user in using cooker, and developing these life skills | 1, 3, 4 |
| Self Care and Toileting | NONE - all fall into the personal care category | 1.2 Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Mental Health | 1. Mood | General counselling as part of larger housing support package, or referring to GP/ specialist mental health agencies as appropriate | 1 |
2. Motivation | General counselling - motivation may impact on various housing support tasks e.g. ability to prepare food, motivation to clean, getting out and about, shopping etc | 1 |
6. Disturbance/ Disruption | Advising service user re strategies for dealing with instances of disturbance or disruption - minimising impact of this on neighbours | 1, 10 |
7. Aggression (verbal or physical) | General counselling and devising strategies for dealing with aggression, or referring to specialist agencies as appropriate | 1 |
8. Making decisions and planning ahead | Assisting to plan ahead and making decisions regarding housing related issues | 1 |
9. Memory/cognition | Assisting to devise memory aids for housing related issues (e.g. memory cards re locking doors/keeping appointments etc), or reminding service user re various housing related tasks | 1 |
13. Behaviour | General counselling re behaviour in and around accommodation (e.g. advising re acceptable behaviour in order to avoid anti-social behaviour complaints etc) | 1, 10 |
14. Awareness of danger/risks | General counselling and reminding re areas of danger/risk within accommodation (e.g. controlling access to accommodation, security of home, fire/flood awareness, how to safely use appliances etc) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 17 |
| Social Behaviour/Community Living | 1. Communication | General counselling and advice around how to communicate with others, including various methods of communication (e.g. making telephone calls/ developing relationships with others - including other service users within shared accommodation/ professionals/ neighbours etc) | 1, 7, 10 |
2. Socialising | Assisting to develop social networks/link into social activities (including residents within sheltered housing complexes) | 7, 20, 21 |
3. Taking part in social activities | Encouraging and enabling to participate in social activities, including introducing to these, and ensuring regular attendance | 1, 7, 20 |
4. Pursuit of personal interests | General counselling and advice re personal interests, including gathering information, linking in to activities etc | 1 |
5. Maintaining relationships | Encouraging and enabling relationships to be developed/ sustained, at various levels, including professional, social, family and neighbour relationships | 1, 7, 10 |
6. Using the telephone | Assisting and supervising the use of a telephone - developing confidence and encouraging to make telephone calls with regard to housing or personal circumstances (to prevent social isolation) | 1, 7 |
7. Transport (for outings, appointments etc) | General counselling and advice around the use of transport to get to important appointments/get to social events etc ( NB - this does not include payment of transport costs for the service user or the support worker) | 1 |
Life Skills/ Opportunities | 1. Literacy/Numeracy | General counselling, getting advice or information, or referral to agencies for assistance with literacy/numeracy | 1 |
2. Education | General counselling and assistance getting advice or information re education opportunities (college courses, informal local courses etc) | 1 |
3. Training | General counselling, getting advice or information, or referral to agencies re training opportunities, and encouragement/assistance to attend training as necessary | 1 |
4. Employment | General counselling, getting advice or information, or referral to agencies re employment opportunities, and encouragement/assistance to attend | 1 |
6. Parenting/ Grandparenting | Assisting to get advice or information, or referral to agencies re parenting/Grandparenting advice ( NB - parenting itself is not an eligible area of housing support) | |
7. Engaging with services/professionals | Assisting/encouraging individuals to engage with a wide variety of services and professionals, appropriate to the setting up or sustaining of accommodation, keeping medical appointments, attending benefits appointments etc | 7 |
8. Summoning help/alerting others | General counselling and advice about who to contact, and when, in the case of an emergency; this may also cover raising the alarm through community alarm systems/dispersed alarms etc | 1, 15, 16 |
9. Arranging and keeping appointments | General counselling about and assistance to make appointments (with a variety of individuals and professionals), and reminding to keep them, as required | 1, 7 |
Maintaining the Home | 1. Doing housework (inc window cleaning) | General counselling and advice re window cleaning - it is also permissible to actually do the housework or window cleaning, where the service user is unable to do this for themselves (e.g. physical disability etc) - this may also involve advising the service user how to use domestic appliances, and providing general life skills training | 4, 6, 18 |
2. Doing laundry | General counselling about doing laundry, or supervising service user to use washing machine - it is not permissible to actually do the laundry for the service user, as this is deemed personal care | 1, 4 |
3. Using heating | Advising the service user re the safe use of heating facilities, e.g. electric/gas fires, central heating systems etc; ensuring that safety is addressed and advising how to arrange repairs to heating systems, if required | 1, 3, 4, 5 |
4. Using appliances | Advising and supervising the service user re the use of appliances, and addressing how to arrange repairs, if required | 4 |
5. Using gas | Advising and supervising the service user re the safe use of gas, including fires, cookers, central heating systems etc; referring for an assessment, where the service user is at risk using gas themselves; assisting to or advising how to arrange repairs to be carried out as required | 3, 4, 5 |
6. Maintaining a safe and secure home (inc minor repairs) | Advising and assisting re how to keep accommodation safe and secure e.g. ensuring locks are safe, arranging additional security measures if required e.g. door chains etc; advising re smoke alarms; assisting or supporting the service user to report any repairs required to the tenancy, as required; this may also include controlling access to the accommodation | 2,3 |
7. Shopping and general errands | Advising and assisting the service user re shopping and general errands (e.g. collecting benefits money; dealing with prescriptions etc); it is also permissible to actually do the shopping or errands for the client, where they are unable to do this for themselves (e.g. due to physical/ mental health problems etc), providing that this does not overlap with personal care | 14 |
8. Managing household and personal affairs | Advising and assisting the service user to manage household and personal affairs e.g.: making referrals for income maximisation; assisting with benefits/grant applications; advising re budgeting; setting up payment plans for utility bills; money management; dealing with correspondence; etc | 9, 11 |
9. Moving to other accommodation or resettlement | Advising or assisting the service user to move into other accommodation; this may be helping someone that is currently homeless to access accommodation for the first time; it might involve moving from supported accommodation to less supported accommodation, or vice versa; the tasks included in this element of support can be quite varied; examples of these are: completing an application for housing; making regular bids/applications for housing; actually moving in to the accommodation; ensuring that the
accommodation is habitable (in terms of repairs, décor etc); ensuring that the accommodation is adequately furnished; ensuring that there are heating/ cooking facilities in place; ensuring that utilities are connected; assisting client to register with local GP/ dentist etc | 12, 13, 19 |