Young People Aged 16-17
Where a young person aged 16 or 17 is threatened with homelessness, prevention of homelessness will always be the primary objective. The Housing Advice Team will always attempt to make contact with the parents or guardians who are making the young person homeless if appropriate to do so. The Council will also always contact Children's Services if a young person presents to us as homeless.
It is the joint responsibility of Children's Services and the Council to carry out an assessment of the young person's circumstances. This means a joint assessment involving Children's Services and the Housing Advice Team will always need to take place to establish a housing pathway. This will primarily focus on returning the young person to the parental home, where it is safe and practical to do so. A formal mediation process may be necessary, which will comprise of Children's Services, the Council, and potentially a support service such as St Basil's or Doorway communicating with the parents or guardians of the young person.
Where returning home is not possible and mediation has been unsuccessful, if the young person remains homeless, supported accommodation is likely to be sought. In the Stratford-on-Avon district, St Basil's and Doorway provide supported accommodation for certain young people who are homeless. St Basil's can also provide housing related support.
What is a Care Leaver?
You are a care leaver if you have been in foster care for at least 13 weeks since you were 14. This must include at least a day when you were 16 or 17, and you may be eligible for further support from Social Services with housing and money. If you aren't sure if you are a Care Leaver, we'd suggest you visit the following website and use the quiz to determine your Care Leaver status: Coram Voice - Am I a Care Leaver?
Care Leavers Aged 18-20
If you are a Care Leaver aged between 18 and 20 and are facing homelessness, we can help you with your housing options. You are usually considered to have a priority need if you are a Care Leaver up until your 21st birthday.
Your Leaving Care Personal Advisor can talk with you about your housing options and this discussion should be noted down in your Pathway Plan. Your Leaving Care Personal Advisor will also be able to support you to contact us for advice.
If you approach the Homeless Team for advice, we will ask you for the name and contact details of your Leaving Care Personal Advisor so that we can speak with them about how we can all best support you. We will also ask for a letter from the Care Leavers' Team to evidence your status as a Care Leaver.
We may also ask for evidence of your independent living skills from your Personal Advisor. This is because we need to know that you understand your responsibilities around living on your own (such as paying rent, budgeting, keeping a property safe and clean etc). We will want to work with you and your Personal Advisor to discuss the most appropriate housing options for you if you are facing homelessness. This may look like supported housing via St Basil's or Doorway, but it could also look like applying for social housing or privately rented housing.
Care Leavers Aged 21-25
If you are a Care Leaver aged between 21 and 25 and are facing homelessness, we can help you with your housing options. You aren't automatically considered to have a priority need, but the Council will assess if we think you may have a priority need. This depends on whether we consider you as being vulnerable as a result of being in care. We will likely want to talk to your Leaving Care Personal Advisor. We might also ask you some questions about:
- How long you were in care for.
- Why you were in care.
- How long it has been since you left care, and what kind of housing you've had since then.
- Whether you have any support networks.
