SUPPORT PLAN - A GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE - housing & care

1 THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing SUPPORT plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSHCONTENTSINTRODUCTION ..2 SHELTERED housing SUPPORT plan ..7 ATA GLANCE TENANT INFORMATION ..21 TENANT CARE PACKAGE RECORD SHEET ..23 SUPPORT PLANNING SHEET ..24 TENANT ASSESSMENT RECORD ..25 good PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH CHANGING & COMPLEX SUPPORT NEEDS ..31 SUPPORT plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 01 The model suggests a number of areasthat address issues that might becomemeasurements for quality monitoring andcan help to define a mechanism foreffective management. This documentcould form the evidence for a national keyperformance indicator required by theSupporting People plans are an effective mechanismfor the front line worker and the serviceuser to work together in a relationship toplan, construct and review the way inwhich both parties and others will can also help to clarify expectations ofall parties in a supported housing SUPPORT plan , if used as a tool ofempowermentcan be the most effectiveevidence of user participation in asupported housing the sheltered housing sector it hasbecome clear for service providers andservice users, who have been workingwith such tools, that this is a mechanismfor tenant involvement at a micro-level.

2 That is, working together to influence allthe issues that can produce desiredoutcomes and enable the service user toenjoy a quality living experience, maximisedindependence, and assured security andbuilding a quality SUPPORT SUPPORT plan can also provide housingmanagement with very useful keyperformance indicatorsabout quality andtype of work and quality of reviews anddevelopmental work that a service userand a front line worker are able to who have used this tool havereported that it builds the skills offrontline staff and offers the managementa mechanism for understanding thedynamics on a scheme, the aspirations ofa specific group of people and their can assist management understand howit might impact on workloads, training anddevelopment SUPPORT plan has been seen as amechanism to prepare for the demands ofSupporting People reviews, of Best Valueexercises and of contract maintenance.

3 It is also a micro consultative devise tocompliment macro consultative is evidential of one to one consultationabout the role and service of shelteredhousing staff and the expressed choicesand declared goals of the service user. Thereview process offers an opportunity torevisit the plan , to review the achievabilityor otherwise of goals, to chart progress orto refocus effort in practical directions tomeet changing model SUPPORT plan is a tool for working with a service user in a shelteredhousing context. The additional forms such as monitoring sheets can inform thesupervision session of a frontline worker with their manager or supervisor. The model also offers temporary staff, those covering leave or other absences, aneasily accessed tool to become aware of the aspirations and expectations of serviceusers and can enable a temporary staff member to understand their workload andmaintain a consistency of GUIDE contains sample documentation that could be used in conjunction withthe plan .

4 It also offers a model for integration where a SUPPORT provider alreadyhas its own package of forms and plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 02If the tenant is not fully eligible for a SocialServices care package or extra SUPPORT , thewarden or scheme manager should ensurethat the tenant is receiving all the benefitsthey are entitled to - minimum incomeguarantee attendance allowance etc. orrefer to others. They could also be put intouch with local private care agencies thatmay be able to do such things as cleaning,shopping, cooking and other plans give external fundingagencies a source from which to evidencegood PRACTICE , user management of thesupport provided, goal setting andpersonal achievements, recording as wellas offering a framework for those providers seeking accreditationto the Centre for Sheltered housing (CSHS)Codes of PRACTICE , the SUPPORT plan canmeet many model is offered as a comprehensivedocument for engaging the service usersin a structured fundamental rights for the tenantmight also be clearly identified within theconversation to construct and maintain aSupport plan .

5 The following statementmight prove useful: SUPPORT and care services should beprovided in a manner consistent with thefollowing principles:PRIVACYThe right of an individual to be left aloneor undisturbed and free from Intrusion orpublic attention into their assurance that personal information iskept of the intrinsic value of peopleregardless of circumstance by Respectingtheir uniqueness and their personalneeds, and treating them with to select independently froma range of maintenance of all entitlementsassociated with citizenship provided theydo not impinge on the rights of realisation of personal aspirations andabilities in aspects of daily plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 03 SUPPORT plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 04 When it came to a review six months later Mr C was now the shopping organiser for socialevents and was shopping for some of hisneighbours on a regular basis.

6 His income hadbeen increased to the new minimum incomeguarantee level and he had a better disposableincome as a result of budgeting help. A showerhad replaced a bath in his flat and he was muchmore comfortable around the scheme. He wasoverseeing a vegetable patch in the garden andwas planning a 75th birthday ended his review with a chuckle when herepeated a description of him he overheard as a dashing gent, with a silver tongue, always onthe go with a snazzy stick! )The following case study is extracted from the use of SUPPORT plan by Epic study 1Mr C had become housebound following a fall. A lack of confidence and the loss of afriend that he regularly visited led to a decision not to venture outside his flat. Payingto have someone deliver everyday items to his home significantly reduced his availableincome.

7 Mr C. had previously been unsure about the services offered by his warden anda series of temporary staff had resulted in his decision not to engage much with the newwarden, now called a sheltered scheme co-ordinator (SSC).The new SSC who had received some complaints about the miserable and smellyrecluse in number 19 had asked if Mr C could spare an hour so that she could introduceherself and the concept of a SUPPORT plan . Mr C was a cup of ten and a chat, the new SSC completed a SUPPORT plan form and explainedher role. They both agreed a number of goals that included a possible visit from abefriending service that could also escort him on a shopping trip. It was also agreedthat Mr C would attend some new social events being planned in the lounge and that he would be interested in a visit from a housing officer with a view to maximising hisincome.

8 The following summary was IN THE SCHEMEE njoys the feeling of being secure but independentAROUND THE SCHEME: Would like to be involved in upkeep of the garden. UNDERSTANDING THE PROCEDURESC onsider use of a pendant alarm INVOLVEMENTTo join the new event planning LIVING SKILLSI nterested in gardening, discuss with the garden contract the setting up of a small to a local befriending service to enable him to get out and about with an CARE OF YOUR HEALTHTo attend an ageing well MOBILITYC onsider purchase of a walking RENT AND FINANCEV isit of the housing officer to seek to maximise TO REDUCE DANGERSOTA ssessment with a view to a shower?TO YOUR SAFETYMISCELLANEOUSSUPPORT plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 05An additional case study explores the introduction of SUPPORT Plans to the members of theERoSH group in the London Borough of Waltham Forest in 2002.

9 It looks at the mechanismson how to introduce the concept as well as the processes used to train both frontline staffand management. It concludes by considering the benefits for all organisations andindividuals concerned. Case study 2 Initial resistance from management indicated that a series of presentations and atraining course would be helpful. It was agreed that training would be conductedseparately for both frontline staff and managers of front line staff. Fears about theworkload needed addressing, but the impending Supporting People programme hadconvinced most that changes were coming and more evidential work was training sessions were very practical and the action learning set approach includedan exercise in filling in a plan . This was initially very challenging but became funny whensome took the role-play as an opportunity to turn into Victor Meldrew!

10 Staff grew to see the SUPPORT plan as an opportunity to evidence their good PRACTICE andtheir professionalism. It empowered both frontline and management to engage witheach other about practical problems solving and future have appreciated the time and thoroughness of the staff who were capturingtheir views and helping them to agree some goals. They expressed appreciation of theclient-centred approach that helped them spend time thinking about what they couldrealistically expect and help them understand which services could be available to themin due course. Some initial resistance from people who did not want to be botheredwould need time and patience. The trainer was able to report that where one servicehas been using this system for about two years, there had been a marked quarterlyreduction in the need to write unilateral plans and that tenants showed greaterunderstanding of the role of the frontline ERoSH good PRACTICE group would be pleased to receive any additions to the model, we commendthis tool to other SUPPORT plan - A good PRACTICE GUIDE FROM ERoSH THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR SHELTERED housing 06 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis package is the result of work by theWaltham Forest ERoSH group and particularly the co-operative working of the London Boroughof Waltham Forest.