Steps to becoming a supported lodgings provider

It takes about five months to be approved as a supported lodgings provider for a young person. It involves training, assessments and learning how to empower someone over the age of 16 to live independently.

Step 1: Get in touch

Contact us to let us know you’re interested in becoming a supported lodgings provider.

You can:

• fill out our form to request a call back
• call us on 0800 801 530 or 03330 139 954 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
• email us at fosteringrecruitmentduty@essex.gov.uk

We’ll tell you more about supported lodgings and you’ll have the chance to ask questions.

Step 2: We visit you at home

A social worker will visit you at home to meet you and explain more about supported lodgings. We’ll discuss what sort of arrangement would be best for you and your family.

Step 3: We run some background checks

We need to do some safeguarding and reference checks to make sure you can look after young people. These include:

• safeguarding checks on you and anyone over the age of 18 who lives in your home. This is usually a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for criminal convictions and police cautions
• a health and safety check on your home
• three personal references from people you know
• a doctor's note to confirm you are fit and healthy.

Step 4: Attend a training course

Next, we'll invite you to a training session. This can be a group or one-to-one session which will help you become comfortable and confident with hosting and supporting a young person.

Your training will cover:

• sharing your home and family with other people
• diversity and equal opportunities
• child protection procedures
• developing a positive approach to boundaries and empowering young people to take control of their lives
• how to work in partnership with our team and the young person’s social worker.

Step 5: Meet with the fostering and supported lodgings panel

We present a report of your assessment to a local fostering and supported lodgings panel. The panel is made up of independent members from agencies that work with young people. They decide whether to approve you to provide supported lodgings.

The panel will invite you to meet with them well in advance so you can make arrangements to attend. Your assessing social worker will go with you and the panel will ask review your assessment documents.

The chair of the panel will approve or refuse your application to provide supported lodgings on the day, and we'll confirm this in writing. If your application is refused, you'll be given reasons and the chance to appeal.

Step 6: Meet your social worker and young person

Now you’re approved to host a young lodger, we'll allocate a social worker to you. They will be your main contact and you’ll have regular catch-ups and support sessions. They will visit you to talk about how and when a young person may come to live with you.

Your social worker will then introduce you to a young person who needs supported lodgings. You’ll meet to discuss each other’s expectations and needs and decide if you would like to live together.

If you are offering an emergency or asylum-seeking placement, introductory meetings are not usually possible.

Step 7: Make your placement agreement

When you and a young person agree to live together, you’ll sign a placement agreement which outlines the terms of your supported lodgings. You’ll both agree on the terms, you and your social workers will sign the agreement, and you'll both receive a copy of the agreement.

Then it’s time to agree a move-in date. Congratulations – you’ve already made a huge difference to this young person’s life!

From here, we’re on hand to support you every step of the way. We offer training courses on a range of subjects and we always have support staff available to help.

If you'd like to get started with housing a young person, fill out the form and we'll be in touch.

Ask about housing a young person