Support and Supervision

As a supported lodgings host you will be well supported to ensure that plans for young people you support remain in their best interests. You are an important part of the team around the young person, who will also support you. You will be actively involved in planning for the young person you support, and your views are valued by the Service and will help to positively influence a young person’s journey to independence.

You will face many challenges when you become a supported lodgings host and you will also feel very rewarded when you see a placement progress in a positive way. Once approved you will be allocated a Supervising Worker. The primary task of the Supervising Worker is to supervise and support you to enable you to carry out your role as a host. The support you receive from your Supervising Worker is also designed to help you to cope with the additional demands of supported lodgings on your family life.

You will receive regular and effective supervision that is focused on the young person’s experiences, needs, plans and feedback. Supervision is an important part of practice and as hosts it is considered a key part of your training and development and an opportunity to reflect and learn from experiences. Supervision also allows you time to consider complex dilemmas and give you space to think through and share strategies and ways of helping the young person you support with your Supervising Worker.

The Supervising Worker will ensure you have the necessary guidance including an understanding about working within the Supported Accommodation Regulations including quality standards. 

The Supervising Worker will also work closely with the young person’s social worker.

There will also be a number of other places you can get support from including:

• The young person’s allocated support worker who is sometimes a social worker;
• Support groups;
• Other professionals;
• Out of Hours advice.

It is the social worker or Personal Adviser for the young person in the placement who holds responsibility for specific advice or support for the young person.

Frequency of supervision meetings will be agreed between you and your Supervising Worker and as appears necessary in the interest of the young person placed with you. Your allocated Supervising Worker will agree times and dates. Each session will be recorded and you should receive a copy of this.

Supervision should be seen as a two way process to:

• Ensure you are taking into account the young person’s views, needs, wishes and feelings;
• Ensure you have the opportunity to discuss any issues you have;
• Help you to identify possible solutions to any issues;
• Discuss any issues you may be having with your own children;
• Ensure you understand how you contribute to Children’s Services objectives;
• Give you feedback on your work to make sure you have the right skills and competencies;
• Ensure you are accessing relevant training and resources;
• Ensure you are working within the Support Accommodation Regulations including quality standards;
• Sort out any financial or practical issues;
• Keep you updated about new policies, procedures, training and good practice.

The supervision meetings will be an important part of collecting information for your annual review as a host. The supervision session will be confidential; however, the Supervising Worker will discuss relevant information with the young person’s social worker, or other professionals working with the young person or family if appropriate.

As a host, you are seen as a professional and both you and the Supervising Worker are expected to work within a framework of respect, honesty and trust.

Supervision helps you to evidence how you are developing, how you are meeting the Supported Accommodation Regulations and how you are providing an appropriate placement for the young person.

If you are not happy in any way with the arrangement or content of supervision, speak to your Supervising Worker or a manager from the Service.

Your Supervising Worker will do one unannounced visit per year. The main purpose of the unannounced visit will be to look at the home environment that a young person is living in. This visit will be recorded.

You will be provided with information about what support will be available from the Service outside office hours, including the contact details.

Your Supervising Worker should ensure the following tasks are done:

After Approval

• Ensure that your support, development and training needs are assessed and met;
• Give the Agreement to you: 2 copies to be signed and one returned and placed on your file.

Before Placement

• Complete risk assessments around placement matching if you have more than one young person placed with you;
• Take part in discussions about potential placements and planning meetings;
• Ensure that the young person’s social worker gives you full information about the young person including a history of abuse or suspected abuse and the reason for the placement;
• Discuss contact with birth parents and family members;
• Discuss how the young person’s health needs are promoted and how young people should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle;
• Help you in dealing with services such as health and education, training and employment providers;
• Help you with training needs for safer care practice;
• Discuss financial issues with you such as the allowances you will be paid, allowances for the young person and the importance of your insurance policy;
• Issues around respite and holiday arrangements;
• Exchange contact numbers with all relevant members of the family, including out of hours support;
• Set a date for a first visit after a young person is placed with you.

During Placement

• Check and follow up on all issues raised during the placement planning. Discuss any concerns with you and ensure appropriate support is provided straight away rather than waiting for reviews;
• Address if breaks are needed for you and the young person;
• Take part in any Strategy Meetings and Section 47 Enquiry relating to your family. Be involved in interviews/support as agreed if allegations are made against you;
• Ensure you receive invitations to Looked After Reviews and Child Protection Conferences, and attend when appropriate;
• Prepare for and attend your Review meetings;
• Ensure the training programme is updated and accessed by you and your family and children;
• Visit regularly;
• Make unannounced visits as required;
• Update Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks on members of your family every three years, including those reaching 18, and other persons who come to live at the home, who are 18 or over;
• Update medicals on you every 3 years or as necessary;
• Record all contact with you;
• Assess and review any health and safety issues within the household including the addition of any new pets and the environment in which they are kept;
• Provide reports for panel as required under the relevant procedures;
• Where appropriate contribute to Court Reports as agreed with young person’s social worker;
• Discuss how you can support young people into adulthood.

At the End of a Placement

• Support your family in what can be a difficult time;
• Discuss with you and your family all the issues that have led to any unplanned end of a placement and identify any learning opportunities;
• Support you to complete an end of placement report;
• Attend Placement Disruption Meetings as required.

If your Supervising Worker has any concerns about the support you offer or feels you need extra support, they will not wait until supervision meetings or reviews but deal with any issues as they arise.