Supported Lodgings

1. Target Group

The young people requiring supported accommodation will be local authority care leavers or vulnerable young people who are unable to live at home. The priority age ranges will be 16-21, though placements can be extended up to the age of 24 years if the young person is a care leaver and in further or higher education.

2. What Supported Lodgings Provide

The Supported Lodgings Service is intended to provide young people with a gradual step between leaving local authority care or their home environment and independent living.  This includes young people who are homeless and require support to enable them to develop life skills.

The Local Authority must have regard to the items listed below in determining the suitability of accommodation (under Schedule 2 to the Care Leavers Regulations 2010 and Schedule 6 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010):

1. In respect of the accommodation:
   1. The facilities and services provided;
   2. The state of repair;
   3. The safety;
   4. The location;
   5. The support;
   6. The financial commitments involved for the relevant young person and their affordability.
2. In respect of the Relevant young person:
   1. His or her views about the accommodation;
   2. His or her understanding of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the accommodation; and
   3. His or her understanding of funding arrangements.

3. Recruitment and Assessment of Supported Lodgings Providers

Supported lodging providers are recruited from Hull and the surrounding area (up to 30 miles radius). The process of assessment and approval of Supported Lodgings providers aims to achieve a balance between ensuring that placements are safe and thoroughly vetted whilst not being excessive to a level that deters applicants, and that this is in accordance with the level of input which is requested of them, recognises the age of the young people served by the service and that is a support provision rather than care.

The assessment of Supported Lodgings providers, will cover how many young people they will be approved to accommodate. Most will be approved initially for 1 or 2 young people though this can be extended as they become more experienced, subject to a review of their skills, provision and their bedroom capacity. This can be extended, with due risk assessment and consideration of the needs of the young people already placed in an emergency or for sibling groups.

Upon initial contact with or enquiry from a prospective provider, this enquiry will be logged on Liquidlogic, similar to that which is recorded for a prospective foster carer enquiry.

4. Training of Prospective Providers

Applicant(s) are expected to attend training prior to their assessment being completed and them being presented to the supported lodgings panel. This will include training on safeguarding, first aid and E-safety. Within in the first year providers are expected to undertake: Attachment, Trauma and Brain Development: Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for foster carers (TCIF); Supporting young people through to adulthood: and Substance Misuse, drug and alcohol awareness training. By the providers first three year review there is an expectation they will complete youth mental first aid and adult safeguarding. There is an expectation for some of the courses to be updated every 3 years and 5 years. There is a training diary available for all providers who can attend any of the other available courses to help them to support the young people whom they work with. If approved at the SL Panel a training and development plan will be jointly discussed and completed within the first supervision to plan for their year of training. 

5. Assessment Process

The Team Manager or the Advanced Fostering Social Worker will ensure that a Supported Lodgings Worker is allocated to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the applicant/s (if they are a couple this must include both parties). The assessment will follow the Fostering Network's Skills to Foster framework and cover similar areas (See Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Procedure). Once the assessment is complete and recommendations are made, the assessment and accompanying checks and references will be presented to the Supported Lodgings Panel which meets specifically to approve and review Supported Lodgings Providers. 

To complete the assessment, the social worker will:

1. Visit the applicants' home and  address with them the structural and safety issues contained in the Health and Safety checklist;
2. Meet with the applicants' children and use the children's comments form to record their views on the proposal of providing supported lodgings (age appropriately). Parental approval must be obtained for this (if the children are under 18 years, but Fraser competency will be considered for older young people). Subject to this and age,  the forms are counter-signed by a parent;
3. Seek reference(s) from the applicants' employer(s) using the standard letter signed by the Manager;
4. Write to the applicant, using the "letter from parent" which explains that as part of the assessment procedure the Service would like to write to the school(s) of the of their child(ren) to better understand the situation of each individual in the household. A permissions form is included. The subsequent letter to the school also explains the process and a feedback form is included;
5. Give the applicant(s) regular feedback throughout the assessment process, and make it clear that their approval rests with the panel;
6. Complete an assessment report. This should provide a thorough pen-picture of the applicant and their family, their history, culture and identity, motivation to provide supported lodgings, skills and abilities relevant to supported lodgings, any areas for support and an analysis of their suitability for supported lodgings and proposed terms of approval (ages, gender, number of placements);
7. Providers will be expected to complete a profile which will be used to share with any young people being offered a placement, if approved at the Supported Lodging Panel;
8. Give the applicants a copy of the assessment (excluding third party information) to read on completion. They should be invited to comment and sign the report and may contribute an addendum if they wish;
9. Book an appointment for the assessment to be heard at Panel, inform applicants of the date for their attendance and make sure that they fully understand the role of the Panel.

During the assessment process the Team Manager or Advanced Fostering Social Worker will be responsible for:

1. Undertaking a management audit of the applicant's file during the assessment. The file should be signed by the Team Manager or Advanced FSQ who audited it. Any queries should be addressed and recorded within the supervision process;
2. Completing a mid point review to ensure the assessment is on track or the planned panel date and all quality issues have been addressed;
3. Reading and signing the assessment prior to presentation to Panel;
4. In the event of a difference of opinion  between the worker and the applicants regarding an area of assessment, the Manager or equivalent should appoint an independent worker (i.e. not the Supported Lodgings Worker) to conduct an independent visit. The independent visitor will write a report of their visit which must accompany other papers sent to panel.

6. Supported Lodgings Panel - Preparation

The Panel is held monthly to consider and determine the decision on approvals, cessation of approvals and reviews of supported lodgings providers.

The Panel consists of the following and to be quorate should have at least three Panel members, one of whom must be independent of the fostering and supported lodgings team:

• Chair;
• An education representative;
• A health representative;
• Pathway team or Leaving Care team manager or Advanced SW;
• Residential services representative.

There will also be a minute taker/ administrator who arranges the Panel and completes minutes.

The Supported Lodgings Worker will:

1. Send the papers to the Panel Clerk at least 10 days before the Panel date. Papers must include:
   1. Supported lodgings assessment;
   2. DBS checks / certificate of good conduct (if appropriate);
   3. Medical forms (with comments from the medical advisor);
   4. Children in household comments;
   5. Provider profile;
   6. References;
   7. Reports and submissions from all other relevant agencies and teams which were highlighted on the application form, when consent was gained to make the enquiries (e.g. previous fostering records, other local authority records);
   8. In the event of providers who are transferring to be Staying Put providers, a reference from their fostering agency, evidence of their training record, views of young person/s and of their placing social worker or personal advisor.
2. Be responsible for ensuring that the Panel Clerk has a list of all invitees.

7. Panel - On the Day

Applicants will be invited to the Panel, and are actively encouraged to attend though is  not be mandatory.

The Panel makes decisions which will be recorded in Panel Minutes to be approved by the Chair. Panel minutes must record whether or not applicants are suitable to act as supported lodgings providers, the reasons for the decision and the terms of their approval.

If the applicants/ providers are in attendance at the Panel, they will be informed of the Panel decision at that time, unless the Panel indicates the need for further deliberation without them present.

The Panel minutes and decision is recorded on Liquid Logic by the Panel Clerk.

The applicants / supported lodgings providers will receive a letter from the Panel Chair and should be informed by visit or telephone by the Supported Lodgings Worker. The written notice of approval / non approval will state the reasons for the decision and specify the terms of approval e.g. number / age / gender of young people, types of placements.

8. Support for Supported Lodgings Providers

Following approval key documents and information will be given to the provider by the relevant Supported Lodgings Worker containing useful information on the roles and responsibilities of providers and support workers, legislation, allowances and procedures, recording sheets and the training programme. The pack will also include the Supported Lodgings Agreement which the provider will be required to sign and retain a copy. The Worker will be clear in all areas of discussion and cover.

1. Supported Lodgings providers will be paid the equivalent of the mainstream foster carer rate for young people aged 16 years plus, with Housing Benefit claimed and young person's contribution  as part of this depending on their circumstances;
2. Training will be mandatory in order to provide a quality service and a Training and Development Plan will be put into place.

Support will be provided to providers through regular, individual supervision, support meetings, any additional support / visits provided on a needs basis. Levels of support will be determined by the supported lodgings worker and their manager to be high, medium and low depending on the needs of the young people placed and the skills of the provider.

9. Review of Supported Lodgings Providers

Reviews of the supported lodgings provider will be undertaken with them within a year of them being approved and then every three years, unless required early due to concerns or changes of circumstances/ approval terms. To complete the review, the following will be required

• DBS checks to be updated every 3 years;
• Health checks updated whenever any health concerns arise;
• The young person's Social Worker/Personal Advisor's comments;
• Young person's comments;
• Views of other members of household, including birth children;
• Supported Lodgings Provider's feedback on their year/ 3 years of provision;
• Supported Lodging Worker's report on the Supported Lodgings provider including any recommendations for changes of approval terms or to cease approval (the latter being only if the provider does not wish to resign and the service considers them to no longer be suitable to provide Supported Lodgings);
• Birth children's school reference;
• Employer's reference if a new post has commenced since the approval/ last review involving work with children or vulnerable adults.

Once the paperwork has been completed, this will be overseen by the Team Manager or Advanced Fostering Social Worker for quality check and the same person will arrange a visit to the provider to confirm their provision and their views, with a brief report submitted to the Panel on their observations.

The Supported Lodgings Provider/s will be invited to attend the Panel which considers their review. The Supported Lodgings Worker will attend to present information and answer any queries from the Panel.

The decision to temporarily amend the Supported Lodgings Provider's terms of approval must be made by the Team Manager and recorded on LiquidLogic with rationale / timescale. The decision should be recorded as a Management Oversight record. If the young person remains in placement for a period of more than 3 months the provider's terms of approval should be reviewed by the Supported Lodgings Panel.

10. Ceasing Approval of Providers

If providers chose to resign, they should submit a written resignation letter or email confirming their date of cessation of provision. This will be recorded on Liquid Logic (LL) by the Supported Lodgings Worker and the panel clerk will end the approval details on LL.

If, following review or re-assessment of the provider, e.g. following a significant concern about the standard of their provision or an allegation against them, the service proposes cessation of their approval, a report must be written for the Panel by the Supported Lodgings Worker. This should outline the providers' history of being a SL provides, when approved, placements provided, the reasons for proposed cessation of approval and include the providers own comments if they wish to submit these (or they can submit views separately). This should present a balanced assessment of their provision and the circumstances and countersigned by the Line Manager. A copy of the report is then forwarded to the provider for their information, a minimum of 10 working days before the report is to be presented to the Supported Lodgings Panel, with invitation to them to attend and/or to submit any responses/ views in writing.

The SL Panel will then consider whether to cease the approval or if there are any other resolutions such as re-training or change of approval terms.

Following the panel decision the providers will receive the decision in writing and any necessary follow up support as identified by the Supported Lodgings Worker or recommended by the Panel.

11. Young People - Referral and Matching

Referrals for the Service

All referrals for Supported Lodgings will be received by the Placement Team. They will pass this information directly onto the Supported Lodgings Team Manager and Advanced Fostering Social Worker.

The young person's needs will be explored and matched to the skills, abilities, culture and identity and household arrangements of the Supported Lodgings Providers. Information on the current family dynamics and household composition, including other young people in placement will also be taken into consideration. The young people's individual needs including interests, strengths, ethnicity/culture and areas for support will be considered. Their preferences such as gender of provider, location and family structure will be considered.

Risk assessments will be undertaken, identifying any risks such as aggression, substance misuse or history of sexual harm to inform the matching.

The young person will be provided with a copy of the Supported Lodging provider's Profile to inform their decision about taking up the offer of a placement and introductory visits should be offered.

When a young person is placed a Planning Meeting will take place within 5 working days. This should include the following young person, Social Worker or Personal Advisor, Supported Lodgings Worker and the Supported Lodgings Provider and parent or any other significant person in the young person's life.

The Planning meeting will explore elements of the Pathway Plan and the input from the Supported Lodgings Provider Safe Caring Policy, Delegated Authority and roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.

12. Young Person's Placement - Emergencies

When a young person requires an emergency placement the referral forms are still required. This information should be shared with the emergency provider prior to the placement or at the earliest opportunity and a placement planning meeting to be arranged within 5 working days of the placement.

13. Young Person's  Placement - Support, Conditions and Regulations

When a young person is Look After (the subject of a care order, section 20 accommodation or remanded to Local Authority care) their allocated Personal Advisory or Social Worker will undertake the statutory placement visits to them.

If they are not Looked After, their worker will still  be responsible for visiting them and ensuring that the that the plan for the young person is reviewed in an equally thorough way, and that the young person receives sufficient personal support.

The Supported Lodgings Worker should check with the supported lodgings provider that this is taking place routinely. The frequency of visits will be discussed withing the planning meeting.

Also the Social worker or Personal Advisor has the responsibility to ensure that the young person is supported in applying for relevant benefits g, Housing Benefit or any other financial entitlements where eligible.

14. Young Person's Belongings

At the supported lodgings planning meeting, agreement about the young person's belongings for when the young person leaves the placement (planned or unplanned) will be discussed. It is expected that all belongings should be collected within a maximum time period of three weeks, after the end of the placement, when not moved with the young person at the time.

If the young person's belongings are not collected before the ending of this time period it will then be the responsibility of the young person's Personal Advisor or Social Worker to collect them and either take to the young person or store appropriately.

The supported lodging provider is responsible for ensuring that the young person's belongings, in the gap between the young person leaving and belongings being collected, are stored appropriately and safely in suitable storage containers/boxes and will, if agreed, support in taking the belongings to the young person's new accommodation.

If there is any financial implication with regards to storage containers, suitcases and transporting the belongings by the provider this will be reimbursed by the supported lodgings service within reason.  

15. Finances

Providers will be paid a total allowance of £272.73 (rate as at May 2021 and subject to annual reviews). This is made up of a contribution from the young person of £25 and the housing benefit element if applicable. These payments can change (e.g. when reviewed by the Council) and providers will be updated accordingly by their supported lodgings worker.

Carers are paid the allowance every two weeks in arrears. It is the joint responsibility of both the provider and the local authority to ensure overpayments do not occur. If a young person leaves the property and it is not a planned move the provider should notify the PA/SW for the young person and their supported lodgings worker immediately. If a young person moves in a planned way then the payments should be stopped by the PA or SW via a phone call or email to the Children's Finance team, Payment requests will be commenced and ended by the supported lodgings worker. Providers can check their payments online through the finance portal. To access the portal, providers need to send their email address to childrensproviderportal@hullcc.gov.uk. If an overpayment is made to the provider then this can be repaid back to the Local Authority by either cash, cheque or reduction in allowance paid for young people in placement going forward.

Providers are paid the above allowance to provide adequately for the young person living with them and so this includes food, toiletries, clothing and utility bills.

The young person will receive a personal allowance and from this they will be expected to pay the provider £25 per week. This will be discussed within the planning meeting, if the provider is not receiving the £25 then it is the provider's responsibility to discuss this with their supported lodgings worker, or the young person's PA or SW. 

Providers will receive a birthday and festival allowance for young people who are Children Looked After (CLA) and aged 16 years to 18 years. This additional allowance is only provided to CLA young people so that the arrangement for the young people is equitable with them being in foster care. If a young person turns 18 years prior to 25 December they would not be eligible for a festival allowance. Both the birthday and festival allowance end on the young person's 18th birthday.

An amount of £200 festival allowance will be paid to the provider mid-November.

A £200 birthday allowance will be paid approximately 2 weeks prior to the young person's birthday.

A holiday payment may be considered towards taking a young person on holiday with the provider and their family, however this determined on an individual basis.

Before a young person  turns 18 years old they need to make a claim for Universal Credit (UC) which should be completed online a couple of weeks prior to their 18th birthday. However payments cannot commence until the young person is 18 years old. Making the claim will be supported by the young person's PA / SW. Once the young person turns 18 years old they will then make their first appointment with the Benefits Agency, again supported by the PA / SW. Within this appointment there needs to be a request for an alternative payment request to enable the payment to be made straight to the supported lodgings provider.

If a young person lives out of the Hull and East Riding boundary then a check will be made to the Local Authority where the young person is residing to ascertain what the local housing allowance is for that area.

If a young person is placed with a provider as an emergency the provider will be paid the allowance minus the £25 and this will be reimbursed to the provider if payment is outstanding however this may take a couple of weeks. If a young person is placed with a provider in an emergency it is the responsibility of the PA / SW to support the young person with purchasing clothing.

16. Acceptable Behaviour Policy for Providers

Supported Lodgings providers will be supported in building a relationship with a young person in placement. This relationship is a fundamental aspect of supporting the young person moving forward to independence successfully. Providers will be supported to ensure this relationship remains supportive/appropriate and does not cross any professional or personal boundaries that may be understood as inappropriate or unprofessional.

Providers should be aware that in normal circumstances they will be expected to respect the young person's privacy and only enter the young person's room if invited to do so, unless necessary in an emergency such as fire risk.

Providers are required to maintain confidentiality for the young person. Information relating to the young person should not be discussed with anyone other than professionals directly involved with the young person. Written information/diary recordings should be stored securely and copies of diary records should be passed monthly to the young person's worker for inclusion in their Liquid Logic record.

Providers are not to speak to the media about their role or any young person without discussing this with the SW/ PA or SL worker to gain permission.         

17. Ground Rules and Expectations

Ground rules and expectations are needed to help providers and young people to live as harmoniously together as possible. Expectations will be discussed and agreed at the placement planning meeting and this will enable the provider and young person to develop their own ground rules in discussion with SW, PA and Supported Lodgings worker from the outset.

Providers should be supported to feel comfortable in asking the young person what they feel is acceptable and be prepared to be flexible and adapt rules/expectations when the young person is ready/ as they get older.

The purpose and intended duration of the supported lodgings placement is likely to have a significant effect on ground rules/expectations with shorter term placements maybe having tighter rules than placements offering the young person a settled home.

Agreed ground rules/expectations might include:

Clarity about what happens when young people make mistakes.

Areas of the property open to the young person, their private space and any rules about keys.

Helping keep the house clean and tidy, perhaps with a rota.

How and when the providers would access the young person's own space.

Staying out overnight – keeping the provider informed and at what point a young person will be considered missing and steps that will be taken.

Flexible living, like being able to text if the young person is going to miss a planned meal or be late home.

Having friends around, for example any limits on how many visitors at once, friends staying overnight, letting the provider know in advance about planned visitors.

Use of facilities including washing machine, home phone and internet.

Travel in the provider's car.

Smoking and drinking alcohol.

Use of the address for buying services/entering contracts, for example for a mobile phone contract or catalogues.

Noise – for example how loud can music be played and at what time.

Expectations of communication and behaviour.

Ways to respect one another's personal space, time and privacy.

How the provider or young person will challenge the other if they feel an agreed ground rule/expectation isn't being followed or that a new one might be needed.

18. Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers

Most young people who need Supported Lodgings placements have been through some very difficult and challenging times and this is particularly relevant in relation to Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC).

Supported lodgings providers will be supported through supervision and training to ensure that difference and diversity is valued and that equality is promoted. Providers will receive support to understand the requirement to take into account the needs of UASC in relation to their ethnicity, culture, heritage, religion and belief, race, sexuality, disability and any other diversity issues which may impact on them.

UASC will have some specific support needs as detailed in their Pathway Plan. There is a requirement that the provider will not only give direct support to the young person but also contributes in the planning for the young person. Providers will be supported to contribute fully in supporting the UASC into education, training or employment; to receive good healthcare; and to support the UASC to have the opportunity to move to and live in decent, affordable and permanent accommodation at an appropriate time.

Providers will be supported to have appropriate information about the young person before coming to live with them as an aide to correct matching and to relationship building and also supported in having an understanding of previous trauma which may impact on opportunities in forming a positive relationship.

UASC, as with all young people. want to be listened to and to be treated with respect and providers will be supported to gain an understanding of how to do this taking into account any language, cultural or religious barriers if appropriate.

Where possible, and if appropriate, providers will be supported to accommodate other young people from the same country or who speak the same language. Providers will be supported in the matching process, regarding actual or perceived risk factors to assess whether a joint placement for multiple young people may enhance or reduce the risk of children going missing from the placement.

Providers will be reassured that workers are aware we know they cannot meet the needs of UASC on their own so other more creative ways, such as mentors, support groups or links to community groups could be used.

UASC may find it difficult to want to build a relationship with the provider. This relationship though is crucial to ensuring that independence planning for the young person is centred on the young person's needs, and takes account of their views and their understanding of their world. Providers will be supported through supervision and through any appropriate training to gain an understanding of the young person's world and any barriers to supporting independence planning.

UASC have a high risk of experiencing psychological distress, including sleep disturbances, attention and concentration difficulties, flashbacks of previously experienced trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important that providers are able to identify possible indicators of mental health issues and providers will be supported to do so through supervision and training such as Youth Mental Health First Aid and leading on to more specific training.

Providers involved in the accommodation and support for unaccompanied children and child victims of modern slavery should be able to recognise and understand the particular issues likely to be faced by these young people. This includes recognising the indicators of trafficking, slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour as a child's previous history or current experience of being a victim of modern slavery might not be apparent to begin with. Again providers will be supported through supervision and accessing any relevant training. 

Providers will be supported by their worker to understand the need to be flexible in their approach and able to adapt to different and changing situations. Providers will be need to be willing and able to work in partnership with Social Workers, Personal Advisors, Interpreters, and Police etc. and will be supported by their worker to do so.

Providers will be supported to help the young person find a positive way of living and engaging with the wider community, society and to support the young person to form links with people from their country of origin if safe and appropriate to do so. Providers will also be supported to help the young person with maintaining contact with family and friends.

Providers will also receive support to know where things are in their local and wider community such as social activities, access to places of religious worship and shops that meet their religious dietary requirements, as well as how to support the young person to get around safely taking into account potential barriers such as language and literacy skills.

Additional support will be offered to providers through access to aides such as Google translate, language line and interpreters. We will ensure that reasonable endeavours are made to find an interpreter who speaks both the correct language and dialect of the young person and can communicate well with the provider. Interpreters should be appropriately trained to understand the particular issues the child may face.

Signposting and support to access direct and online training resources relevant to developing generic knowledge about supporting UASC and more specific/individual knowledge for the young person they are looking after will be offered to providers.

19. Maintenance Meetings

There may be times when a placement is unstable and the supported lodgings provider, the young person or the social worker / personal advisor may be concerned that the placement is at risk. Support should be reviewed and increased as appropriate. Should any party ask for the placement to cease, Hull Fostering will hold a maintenance meeting as a matter of urgency. This is arranged and chaired by the Advanced Fostering Social Worker, with the provider, the young person's PA or SW, supported lodgings worker, and the young person whenever possible.  This meeting will explore the difficulties in the placement and what additional support could be offered for it to continue. If there is an agreement that the placement will end, then this meeting will agree how this can be planned and timescales for the ending of the placement, allowing for making alternative accommodation plans.

20. Disruption Meetings

When a placement disrupts unexpectedly and a young person leaves without a planned ending, a disruption meeting will be arranged and chaired by the advanced fostering social worker or the advanced  SW/ Team manager from the child's/ leaving care team. This meeting will include the provider, young person's PA/SW, supported lodgings worker, the young person's IRO (if appropriate), the young person (if appropriate) and any other people who are significant to the young person. The purpose is to try and identify how the difficulties may have been supported differently and suggest ways of working in the future to help prevent the same pattern in future placements for the young person.

21. Dealing with the Media

The media can discover information which they think is a good story or wish to undertake an article about young people in care or about UASC, for example. If any journalist or reporter contacts a supported lodgings provider, the provider should not enter a conversation with them and do not agree to be interviewed without discussing this with the SW/PA or their supported lodgings worker.

Young people should also be discouraged from sharing any information about themselves with a journalist, without them having advice from their worker about this first.

Any media contacting a supported lodgings provider or young person should be advised to contact the Hull City Council Press Office.

22. Unannounced Visits

An unannounced visit will be made by the SL worker to the provider's home at least once a year. The main purpose of the unannounced visit is to check the home environment in which the young people reside. The Supported Lodgings worker will assess the safety standards within the home including viewing the bedrooms, kitchen and garden areas.

23. Allegations of Harm caused to Young People by Supported Lodgings Providers

All children and young people are entitled to the same level and standard of protection from harm including those receiving services supported lodgings providers. For this reason, enquiries and investigations relating to children in receipt of such services must be dealt with under the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board's Inter Agency Procedures.

Allegations or suspicions that a provider or a member of a provider's household has caused significant harm to a child or young person will be investigated thoroughly, in a timely manner and sensitively under those procedures and will involve open and honest communication with and support to all those affected. This includes any harm caused to a child or young person in another area of the provider's life such as in their work place, their family or in the wider community, not just to the young people accommodated by them.

It is important to note that, sometimes there may be insufficient evidence to support a police investigation or criminal prosecution, however the local authority may still need to take action to protect a young person. For example young people may be moved from the placement whilst a children's social care assessment is undertaken.

It should also be noted that it may be necessary to consider during an investigation what action, if any, should be taken in relation to other children / young people  living with, or in contact with, the  providers  against whom allegations are made,  including their own children or grandchildren.

The expectation is that:

• At the time of a young person's placement, providers will be given detailed information about the young person's background and the context of any abusive experiences of and/or previous allegations made by the young person;
• All providers will receive preparation, training and guidance to help them provide a safe environment for the young person and all members of their own family;
• All providers  will have received information about this procedure and the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board's Inter Agency Procedures

Procedures

Initial Action

Any person who receives information or suspects that a child / young person  has suffered or is suffering Significant Harm in a supported lodgings  placement must immediately inform the young person's SW / PA or their manager, including the supported lodgings worker or advanced FSW / team manager for the supported lodgings team.

On receipt of such information, the child's SW/PA, or their team manager must immediately:

• Inform his or her line manager;
• Inform the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO);
• Inform the Supported Lodgings worker

The Supported Lodgings worker will:

• Inform the SWs/ PAs or their Team Manager for any other young person in the placement;
• Inform their direct Team Manager. 

The Designated Officer will:

• Inform any other local authority with an interest in the Supported Lodgings placement e.g. if the placement is located in another LA area;
• Liaise with the relevant LADO for the LA area in which the provider lives.

The young person's SW team must implement the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board's Inter Agency Procedures in relation to the allegation. They will gather relevant background information and convene a Strategy Meeting within 2 working days of the referral.

In exceptional cases where immediate action may be necessary to safeguard the welfare of the young person, their SW/PA and their manager may decide to request that a new placement be identified.    

Strategy Meeting

A Strategy Meeting will take place within 2 working days of the referral and will involve a face-to-face meeting.  The purpose of the meeting will be to decide if an investigation is necessary and, if so, how it should be carried out. The following people will be invited:

• The manager of the team undertaking the Section 47 Enquiry;
• The young person's SW/PA and their manager;
• The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO);
• The Supported lodgings worker for the provider, and their manager;
• The police;
• Any other agency involved with the young person / supported lodgings family, notably health and education. 

The Strategy Meeting must consider:

• The nature of the allegation, its source and reliability;
• Background information relating to the Supported lodgings placement, how long the family has been known, how many children have been placed there, the family's known strengths and weaknesses and any exceptional features about the young person and the placement;
• The involvement of other agencies, for example if the young person was placed by another local authority;
• If a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) should be made for inclusion on the Children's Barred List. This should be considered whenever a provider is suspended from their duties;
• The safety of all children in the household including the provider's own children and whether any action is necessary to protect the children including the removal of all or any of the children while the investigation is conducted;
• How the needs of any young people who must leave the placement will be met including contact with other young people in the placement;
• How and by whom the investigation is to be conducted. (It is important that careful consideration is given to the planning of criteria when a joint investigation is recommended. In situations where the Police or Crown Prosecution Service recommend no further action then the social worker must interview the providers about all allegations and concerns. Interview notes must be taken and made available to future meetings and/or the Supported Lodgings Panel);
• The timescales for the investigation (see below) and any contingencies should timescales prove unlikely to be met;
• How the young person  should be informed of the procedure to be followed and supported through the process;
• Whether the alleged perpetrator should be asked to leave the home while the investigation is conducted and confirmation that the Chair will inform the carers of the allegation verbally and then in writing;
• How to inform the young person's parents of the allegation;
• How progress on the investigation will be shared with the providers and the young people involved;
• What support is in place for the supported lodgings providers;
• Whether further placements should be suspended in the meantime;
• Arrangements for reconvening the Strategy Meeting.

Whether the Strategy Meeting considers that the allegation or suspicion has any foundation, the matter should be investigated unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The minutes of the meeting must contain clear action points and clear timescales for each action.  The action points and timescales will be circulated immediately after the meeting.  Actions agreed must be recorded and be the responsibility of named individuals.

Copies of the action points and the minutes should be held on the young person's and the provider's records.

Any decision to take no further action following the Strategy Meeting must be clearly recorded by the decision-maker on the young person's and the provider's records.

Investigation and Action

The actions agreed at the Strategy Meeting should be implemented by those responsible within the agreed timescales.

Unless there are circumstances when the details or nature of the allegation cannot be shared immediately, the providers should be advised of the allegation as agreed at the Strategy Meeting and of the process to be followed, including any possibility that an Initial Child Protection Conference may be convened in relation to their own children. 

Where considered appropriate by those at the Strategy Meeting, the providers should be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations before any final decision is made about necessary action to protect the young persons and other children in the household. 

Any decision to suspend making further placements with the providers while the investigation is being conducted should be communicated in writing to the provider by a Manager responsible for the supported lodgings service

Those supporting the providers must contact them as soon as practicable after the providers are made aware of the allegation, and explain their role to the providers.  They must make clear their responsibility to report to the local authority, the Police and in some circumstances to the Court if any information relevant to the investigation comes to their attention.  They must ascertain and inform the providers of any implications for their financial allowances particularly where placements have been suspended.

They should confirm that the providers are aware of the following.

• The contents of this procedure and the Safeguarding Children's Partnership Board's Inter Agency Procedures.

Concluding the Investigation

A Review Strategy Meeting will be reconvened to conclude the investigation.  The same people will be invited and this will usually be chaired by the LADO.

The purpose of the final Strategy Meeting is to mutually agree the outcome of the investigation and responsibilities for any further action including reporting on the matter to the Supported Lodgings Panel. 

The supported lodgings providers will be notified in writing by the supported lodgings team manager of the outcome of the investigation with a conclusion of allegation letter.

The strategy meeting may wish to draw to the attention of Supported Lodgings Panel members any areas of the provider's practice which require review or re-training or support.  When any serious allegation has occurred it is best practise to hold an ad hoc supported lodgings review prior to the provider ceasing to be “on hold” or progressing to end their approval. The Supported Lodgings team will request that such a review meeting is chaired by one of the Independent Fostering Reviewing Officers.

The outcome of this review will then be presented to the next available Supported Lodgings panel.  The supported lodgings worker preparing the report should consult with the Chair of the Supported lodgings panel who will advise on who should attend the panel meeting (usually the Supported Lodgings worker).

Prior to the review, the provider should have seen, and had time to comment on the report being presented to the review and the Supported Lodgings Panel. The procedure to be adopted for the Supported lodgings panel will be the same as for any other Supported Lodgings review (see section above).

All relevant documents in relation to the investigation, whatever the outcome, must be retained on the young person's and the provider's records.

Outcome categories for allegations (which should be relayed in the conclusion letter to the provider as applicable):

Substantiated - There is sufficient evidence to prove the allegation that a child has been harmed or there is a risk of harm. If the facts of the incident are found to be true but it is not found that a child has been harmed or there is a risk of harm, then consideration should be given to deciding that the outcome is 'unsubstantiated' or 'unfounded'.

Malicious - There is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation and there has been a deliberate act to deceive.

False - There is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation, however, there is no evidence to suggest that there was a deliberate intention to deceive.

Unsubstantiated - There is insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation. The term, therefore, does not imply guilt or innocence.

Unfounded - The additional definition of 'unfounded' can be used to reflect cases where there is no evidence or proper basis which supports the allegation being made. It might also indicate that the person making the allegation misinterpreted the incident or was mistaken about what they saw. Alternatively they may not have been aware of all the circumstances.