East Kent Homelessness Strategy 2010-2013 Action Plan
East Kent Homelessness Strategy 2010-2013 Action Plan
East Kent Homelessness Strategy 2010-2013 Action Plan
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
1. Maximise Options and Choice<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – October <strong>2010</strong><br />
1.0<br />
Implement the <strong>Kent</strong> Reconnection<br />
Policy<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local Authorities<br />
Provider<br />
Agencies<br />
Policy has been implemented. The SP<br />
Team collates monthly data from<br />
providers of short-term accommodation<br />
based services. Data presented to the<br />
SP Commissioning Body on a 6<br />
monthly basis. Policy is due to be<br />
reviewed by March 2011.<br />
1.1<br />
Support vulnerable households to<br />
bid through <strong>Kent</strong> Homechoice<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local Authorities<br />
and Support<br />
Provider<br />
Agencies<br />
LAs continuing to provide support.<br />
<strong>Action</strong> needs to be defined and an<br />
appropriate and meaningful<br />
performance measure determined<br />
1.2<br />
Implement effective solutions to<br />
reduce overcrowding in <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong><br />
December<br />
<strong>2010</strong><br />
Additional<br />
resources being<br />
sought from CLG<br />
Local Authorities<br />
Potential project has been included in<br />
<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> Local Investment <strong>Plan</strong><br />
1.3<br />
Implement the Multi Agency Protocol<br />
for the Resettlement and Housing of<br />
Offenders (previously known as the<br />
Ex-offender protocol)<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local Authorities<br />
and other<br />
agencies<br />
Offender protocol reviewed and<br />
available on JPPB web site<br />
1.4<br />
Continue partnerships with local<br />
housing advice agencies to<br />
maximise options available to clients<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local Authorities<br />
Arrangements are in place and there is<br />
a commitment to continue partnerships<br />
subject to funding being available.<br />
22-Nov-12<br />
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
1.5<br />
Explore the options for introducing<br />
an <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> wide set of Housing<br />
Options information leaflets<br />
April 2011<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local Authorities<br />
Information leaflets for young people<br />
have now been designed by JPPB sub<br />
group in conjunction with young people<br />
and previewed at the YPHP launch on<br />
12 th October. These leaflets will be<br />
distributed <strong>Kent</strong> wide and will be<br />
available to download from the JPPB<br />
website. Information leaflets for<br />
Offenders are now in progress and are<br />
presently being written and designed<br />
by JPPB Offender sub group, with help<br />
from prisoners and offenders.<br />
2. Prevent Rough Sleeping<br />
2.0<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
Continue to quantify levels of rough<br />
sleeping within <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong><br />
Annually<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Porchlight<br />
Street count taking place on 21 October<br />
<strong>2010</strong><br />
2.1<br />
Continue to support the <strong>Kent</strong> Wide<br />
Rough Sleeper outreach Service<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
All partner<br />
agencies<br />
The service has been split between<br />
Rough Sleeper service and outreach.<br />
Service managed by Porchlight.<br />
Referrals for the outreach service come<br />
via the SP team.<br />
Strategic Review of Outreach is<br />
underway by Supporting People.<br />
Outcome of the review expected by<br />
November <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
3. Promote a Sustainable Private Rented Sector<br />
3.0<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
Arrange joint training for private<br />
sector housing & housing options<br />
staff on private sector housing issues<br />
and areas for sharing good practice<br />
March 2011<br />
Existing Resources Local<br />
Authorities<br />
LAs to look at how private sector housing<br />
and housing needs teams can work most<br />
effectively together. Dover, Canterbury &<br />
Thanet services are subject to shared<br />
service review.<br />
3.1<br />
Promote private rented sector as a<br />
viable long-term housing solution to<br />
applicants<br />
March <strong>2013</strong><br />
Existing Resources Local<br />
Authorities<br />
HALs scheme introduced. Training may<br />
help identify good practice & potential new<br />
initiatives. HALs up and running but level<br />
of procurement appears to be quite low<br />
across all districts. Avenues considering<br />
further marketing initiatives and also<br />
bidding for temporary social housing grant<br />
to help deliver more units<br />
3.2<br />
Continue to provide rental deposits<br />
and bonds to enable applicants to<br />
access private rented<br />
accommodation<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing Resources Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Details of LA eligibility criteria have been<br />
collated and circulated.<br />
LAs committed to maintaining schemes.<br />
However, the future of this scheme hinges<br />
on the continuation of homelessness<br />
funding in the forthcoming Comprehensive<br />
Spending Review.<br />
22-Nov-12<br />
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
4. Help Homeless Households to secure and retain good quality accommodation<br />
4.0<br />
4.1<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
Implement effective mediation<br />
services across <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong><br />
Respond to the need identified<br />
through the Supporting People<br />
Needs Assessment<br />
Dec <strong>2010</strong><br />
March <strong>2013</strong><br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Where<br />
appropriate<br />
additional<br />
resources<br />
through SP<br />
Growth Bid<br />
Process<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
<strong>Kent</strong> Supporting<br />
People Team<br />
LAs exploring potential for joint<br />
commissioning<br />
CCC pays for mediation service for 16<br />
to 18 year olds and their families<br />
Dover DC: 10 supported housing units<br />
for young homeless people opened in<br />
August. Possible provision of a further 8<br />
unit scheme being explored.<br />
Shepway DC: Suitable SDC owned<br />
property identified for conversion to a<br />
supported housing project for young<br />
people. Work underway to obtain HCA<br />
funding to cover the capital costs. The<br />
<strong>Kent</strong> SP Team have indicated their<br />
support for the scheme in principle.<br />
Thanet DC: Previous proposal of<br />
looking at developing YP scheme at<br />
Marlow Academy in Ramsgate, has<br />
since been superseded by developing<br />
Old Schools Lodge homeless hostel,<br />
with funding available for 8 units.<br />
Canterbury CC: CCC has included<br />
within the <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> Local Improvement<br />
<strong>Plan</strong> bids to provide emergency<br />
accommodation for young single<br />
people: move-on accommodation for<br />
young single people: improved<br />
provision of temporary accommodation:<br />
the re-modelling of Craddock House (an<br />
existing Porchlight scheme).<br />
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
5. Reduce the use of Temporary Accommodation<br />
5.0<br />
5.1<br />
5.2<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
Porchlight to complete study to<br />
investigate the outcomes of single<br />
Existing<br />
April 2011<br />
people leaving temporary<br />
Resources<br />
Porchlight<br />
accommodation in <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong><br />
Continue to minimise the use of Bed<br />
and Breakfast Accommodation and<br />
use only in emergency<br />
circumstances<br />
Implement the County-wide<br />
Emergency Accommodation Protocol<br />
to reduce concentrations of<br />
vulnerable households in temporary<br />
accommodation and improve<br />
services to them.<br />
Ongoing<br />
March 2011<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Porchlight to seek clarification from the<br />
forum as to what data they would like<br />
analysed.<br />
Continuing LA commitment.<br />
Need to define what would be a<br />
meaningful and useful performance<br />
measure.<br />
Emergency Accommodation protocol<br />
was singed off by JPPB, KHG and was<br />
presented to CE and Leaders. This has<br />
now been distributed <strong>Kent</strong> wide.<br />
6. Tackle Youth <strong>Homelessness</strong><br />
6.0<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
Provide housing advice/information<br />
sessions in schools to raise<br />
awareness of housing issues<br />
amongst young people in <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong>.<br />
22-Nov-12<br />
March 2011<br />
Existing<br />
Resources –<br />
Homeless<br />
Grant<br />
Porchlight<br />
Page 5 of 7<br />
Youth Homeless Education programme<br />
now been in place for 6 months.<br />
Programme has been a great success.<br />
Visited a total of 12 schools across<br />
<strong>Kent</strong>. Workshops and assemblies have<br />
been arranged in a further 40 schools.<br />
The summer holiday period was used to<br />
develop the Youth Homeless Education<br />
Programme Resource Pack. 2-3 copies<br />
of the resource pack will be left with<br />
each school visited as<br />
an on-going resource.
<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
6.1<br />
Develop accommodation based<br />
support services for young people in<br />
Dover and Shepway<br />
December<br />
2011<br />
SP Funding<br />
Revenue<br />
Funding for<br />
support<br />
services<br />
Homes &<br />
Communities<br />
Agencies<br />
Funding for<br />
capital costs<br />
Dover and<br />
Shepway<br />
councils<br />
Dover: see 4.1<br />
Shepway: see 4.1<br />
7. Monitor Performance and Develop Best practice in <strong>Homelessness</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> Timescale Resources Lead Progress – July <strong>2010</strong><br />
7.0 Monitor the delivery of this strategy<br />
Existing All partner<br />
and report progress to the EKHF, Ongoing<br />
Resources agencies<br />
Members and other local forums<br />
7.1 Evaluate the impact of the EKHF,<br />
reviewing membership and terms of<br />
reference<br />
7.2 Standardise customer satisfaction<br />
surveys across all local authority<br />
services.<br />
7.3<br />
7.4<br />
Complete Equality Impact<br />
assessment on all new policies and<br />
initiatives<br />
Report emerging homelessness<br />
trends to the EKHF<br />
April <strong>2010</strong><br />
March 2011<br />
Ongoing<br />
Quarterly<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
All partner<br />
agencies<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
All agencies<br />
Progress against actions to be reported<br />
to quarterly Forum meetings<br />
Completed April <strong>2010</strong><br />
Standard survey forms prepared. Forum<br />
approval to be sought on 20 th Oct <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Strategy</strong> was subject to an EIA and<br />
any further policies/initiatives will be<br />
impact assessed<br />
CCC has a system of Customer Impact<br />
Assessment, which is being used on the<br />
review of the Allocations Policy.<br />
This will form part of the Forum’s role in<br />
considering performance monitoring<br />
reports. No further progress on<br />
reporting format<br />
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<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Homelessness</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>2010</strong>-<strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
7.5<br />
Develop comprehensive<br />
benchmarking programme to<br />
compare service provision, VFM and<br />
effectiveness of services with other<br />
homelessness service providers<br />
Ongoing<br />
Existing<br />
Resources<br />
Local<br />
Authorities<br />
LAs to look at using Housemark PIs and<br />
performance measures as basis for<br />
developing quarterly performance<br />
monitoring reports. Dover DC currently<br />
involved in a HQN vfm benchmarking<br />
scheme and willing to share outcomes<br />
when known.<br />
CCC provides information for P1E form,<br />
national PIs and <strong>Kent</strong> Housing Group<br />
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