Become A Carer With Caerphilly’s Supported Lodging Service

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s 16 Plus Team are recruiting carers to join the Supported Lodging Scheme. The Scheme provides accommodation for young people within a family environment to prepare them for independent living in the future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Supported Lodgings Scheme is designed to offer a home to young people between the ages of 16 and 21 who have previously been in the care of the local authority. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jan Harris, a Supported Lodging Provider in Caerphilly, who has been a part of the scheme for the past 10 months said: “I had been interested in becoming a Supported Lodgings Provider for some time. However, as I was approaching retirement age I felt that I wanted to do something useful when I finished work, so I decided to apply to look after a young person age 16+”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jan continued: “I would encourage others to become Supported Lodgings Providers, as I feel there are so many young people that need help, support and guidance with ordinary day to day living skills. It is a rewarding feeling if any young person can smile and feel comfortable with a family they can talk to and feel safe with, giving them a sense of belonging and stability and most of all it gives them a little bit of independence which I find they enjoy”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The process to become a Shared Lodgings provider includes the potential carer and any close family members being DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checked, as well as family members being interviewed about how their involvement may provide support to the carer and the young person involved. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Within Wales, the ‘When I Am Ready’ scheme enables looked after children to remain with their foster carers part the age of 18 under a new arrangement. The scheme has been introduced following the recognition that more positive outcomes for young people are achieved when they can stay in a family environment. Some young people are unable to remained with their foster carers under the ‘When I Am Ready’ scheme and so more Supported Lodgings Providers are needed to ensure that these young people can access alternative accommodation in family settings. The scheme will become a duty for all local authorities from April 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Robin Woodyatt, Cabinet Member for Social Services said: “The Supported Lodging Scheme is vital for young people over the age of 16 who require accommodation as the scheme provides a home for them to remain in until they are equipped with enough skills to live independently. I encourage those who may be interested in becoming a Supported Lodging Provider to contact the 16 Plus Team to find out more”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​