CSHS Strategy Conferences
By the end of 2007 we had the Supporting People Strategy Independence and Opportunity, the Supporting People outcomes framework for short and long-term services and the Housing Corporation's Housing for Vulnerable People Strategy Investing in Independence. The trend seems set to continue with the Housing Strategy for an Ageing Society, the Housing Corporation's own strategy to follow, as well as the review of the Supporting People Quality Assessment Framework in April, Local Area Agreements and the new Comprehensive Area Assessments.
Those of us who work in the sector found our heads buzzing, so CSHS organised two Strategy Conferences, one in London and a repeat in Manchester. Attended by close to 100 delegates, the events pulled all the strategies together and highlighted the implications. The following reports on issues from the Manchester conference.
On the positive side, speakers talked of greater choice, person-centred service delivery, meaningful service-user involvement as well as some not-to-be-missed opportunities through measuring and monitoring frameworks to develop and share good practice and to demonstrate the value of low-level preventative support services such as sheltered housing.
Concerns centred on implications of the removal of ring-fencing and distribution of Supporting People grant through Local Area Agreements, the extent to which there really will be greater choice, the impact of choice and variety on quality, seemingly ever-increasing levels of bureaucracy and of course concerns about ever-decreasing funding for many; despite the £4.9 billion funding for the Supporting People over the next three years announced by Baroness Andrews last December.
Lorraine Regan, Head of Performance and Quality at Communities and Local Government, said:
"Providers do not have to abandon sheltered housing in favour of floating support services".
A view supported emphatically by Luke O'Shea from CLG who explained that good quality sheltered housing "can really deliver" and "the best of sheltered housing is fantastic".
Domini Gunn, Supporting People Inspection Co-ordinator at the Audit Commission, emphasised that value for money does not necessarily mean cheaper, and organisations need to demonstrate how their service differs and what value-added benefits they provide to justify any higher costs.
There was concern of course about removal of ring-fencing and the impact on services for older people of the distribution of SP funding through Local Area Agreements. Will, this mean that funding for older people's services including low level, preventative support like sheltered housing loses out to higher profile vulnerable client groups? Lorraine Regan, however, made the surprising and very welcome suggestion that the removal of ring-fencing might not be a "done deal" and that feedback from the "road-testing pilots" would be considered.
Naturally, there was discussion about "personalisation" and providers were encouraged to be "open to new and different ways of working", to commit to partnership working, to be more creative and innovative, to focus on outcomes, and to increase efficiency and reduce bureaucracy. Some delegates however, talked of increased bureaucracy particularly in relation to data required by the new outcomes framework.
It clearly emerged from our conferences that those in position of influence do have a shared view of the valuable role housing support services have in maintaining the independence of vulnerable people, that they are willing to listen to feedback from those who provide supported housing providers and that they are very keen that good practice should be captured and disseminated.
As Domini Gunn concluded, now is the time to "up the ante" and demonstrate through the new frameworks and the new local government landscape just how valuable supported housing services really are and just how much they achieve for the people who use them.
Rebecca Mollart. Deputy Director. CSHS.
Forbes Solicitors Health & Safety Seminar
Law firm Forbes Solicitors hosted a full-day seminar for 170 Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), who manage a combined housing stock in excess of half a million homes throughout the UK. The seminar, held in Manchester, aimed to help them understand the key Health and Safety issues affecting the social housing sector.
The legal team at Forbes presented on a range of issues - including Gas Safety, Fire Safety, obligations to Employees, Criminal Liability, Electrical Safety, Legionella and Asbestos. They were joined by representatives from:
Delegates were welcomed to the seminar by Managing Partner of Forbes Solicitors John Barker, along with two special guests, Peter Marcus, leading barrister from Young Street Chambers in Manchester and Ron Price, an Audit Commission Housing Inspector who joined the panel of experts to answer delegates questions.
One of the delegates, Ray Addicott a Legal Executive with Blackburn based Twin Valley Homes Ltd commented:
"As an RLS, Twin Valley Homes Ltd is committed to ensuring that health and safety issues affecting all tenants are rigorously addressed. Part of this process is ensuring that procedures are regularly reviewed and that new and innovative ways of approaching tenants are adopted, especially where the ultimate sanction could be an order for possession of the property such as problems with gaining access for gas certification.
Forbes' training seminars are always clear, direct and informative and presented by the specialist for the subject area in question. The seminars are a very cost and time effective way of gaining the required knowledge without trawling through reams of often very complex legislation."
John Barker, Managing Partner of Forbes Solicitors commented:
"Health and Safety encompasses a wide range of issues for the social housing sector and managing their obligations is a key issue. This is evident by the sheer number of RSLs in attendance. Having gained significant experience in this area over the years we wanted to bring these people together to share our knowledge with them and encourage best practice."
Michelle Kelly. Practice Development Executive. Forbes Solicitors.
www.forbessolicitors.co.ukNote
For a comprehensive list of events, please visit the Forthcoming Events section of our website at www.uk-housing.co.ukShelter Training. Tel. No: 0844 515 1155
