Provision of Supported Accommodation at the Vineries for 16- to 19-year-old Looked after Children, Care Leavers, and Vulnerable Homeless Young People

Description

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) is advertising to seek tenders from experienced and qualified providers to deliver accommodation-based support to young people aged 16 to 19 years. The Council has a duty under the Children's (Leaving Care) Act 2000 to ensure that young people who have been looked after by a Local Authority move from care into living independently in as stable a fashion as possible. The Council also has duty to secure or provide accommodation for 16- and 17-year-old children who are homeless or in need of accommodation as outlined in both the Children's Act 1989 and the Homelessness Act 2002. Through excellent support to our young people, the service will contribute to a range of both national and local strategic objectives aimed at supporting young people in the prevention of homelessness and to remain independent, giving them the 'Best Start in Life'. The Contract will be a block contract for support costs only. The service plays a significant role in offering a housing related support provision in the borough and forms a key part in our offer to both young people in care and care leavers including single homeless 16- and 17-year-olds in preventing homelessness as outlined in our joint working protocol: Meeting the needs of Homeless 16/17-year-olds.   The Service aims to reduce the inequalities experienced by many young people living in Barking and Dagenham, through a provision of support that will help them to develop the required skills to live independently in the future. The service will be delivered exclusively from The Vineries in Dagenham, where the building is located. The Vineries is a 32 bed Supported Accommodation Provision. The Service is for short-term Accommodation Based Support (up to 2 years) for Single Homeless Young People aged 16 to 19 with low to medium support needs, requiring additional support to live independently, in housing need and either homeless or unsuitably / unsustainably housed.   The service will provide low to medium support (up to 5 hours per week) via key work support.  The service will focus on delivering a life skills programme that supports young people to gain essential skills for living independently and maintaining a tenancy. The support offered to young people will be tailored to each young person's individual needs and should include, but is not limited to: Maintaining health and well-being Accessing health services Budgeting and Finance Management Self-help and domestic skills Eligibility to welfare benefits and support to make claims. Referrals to eligible services that can be accessed. Looking after a property, and sustaining a tenancy Access to education, employment and training opportunities Finding and securing sustainable 'Move-On' accommodation. London Borough of Barking and Dagenham will have exclusive nomination rights.