New guide for person-centred support for people with experience of supported housing

“I feel at the epicentre of my recovery. It is my choice what decisions are made and this alone has had a very positive impact." 
Person supported by Together for Mental Wellbeing 

A new Making it Real guide for supported housing has been published by Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) and Sitra, part of Homeless Link.

Making it Real for Housing is aimed at commissioners and service providers. It offers advice and case study examples to show how housing can be tailored to be person-centred and focussed on outcomes.

The guide is based around a set of ‘I’ statements that describes what good personalised care and support looks like from the perspective of people who use services. The statements cover different areas of provision and activity that impact wellbeing. They are: information and advice, the role of active and supportive communities, flexible and integrated care and support, personal budgets and self-funding, workforce and risk enablement.

Tim Parkin, author and Homeless Link consultant, said:
“One cannot overstate how important it is for a person’s wellbeing to have safe, settled and supportive accommodation. This Making it Real guide demonstrates the practical steps commissioners and providers can take to create a care and support system that is more person-centred, less crisis driven and more joined up. A key theme permeating throughout the guide is the importance and value of working with and alongside people receiving support. This is key for making sure that whatever the setting, the support provided is focused on the needs and aspirations of individuals”.

Clenton Farquharson, member of National Co-production Advisory Group, said:
“The ‘I’ Statements are the cornerstone for what is required of personalisation. They are based on what matters most to people who use services.  We need wise guardians to continue to protect their integrity and nurture them for better outcomes”

Lynda Tarpey, Think Local Act Personal Director, said:
“Making it Real for Supported Housing is an important step towards helping to embed the principles of good personalised care throughout public life. I hope that commissioners and providers will feel encouraged by the positive practice examples”.

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Notes to editors:

1. The goal of Making it Real is to encourage organisations to be more transparent in the way they develop and deliver their services; ensure true “co-production” takes place so disabled and older people have a greater say in how their support is delivered; and to provide a means for organisations to demonstrate accountability to their users.
2. More than 900 organisations including councils and providers from the private, voluntary and independent sector have already signed up online.
3. Making it Real is not performance management but rather a voluntary movement for change supported by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association, Department of Health, major provider bodies and the Care Quality Commission.
4. The original Making it Real guide was launched by TLAP in October 2011.
5. Think Local Act Personal is a national partnership of more than 50 organisations committed to transforming health and care through personalisation and community-based support.
6.  Sitra, part of Homeless Link, is a national membership charity that provides a unique combination of policy, advice and representative roles with training and consultancy services. Sitra’s unique selling point is our unparalleled expertise in the housing, support and health & social care sectors. Homeless Link is the national membership charity for organisations working directly with people who are homeless in England. Together we represent over 850 members from local authorities, Registered Providers and voluntary organisations.