Your Pathway Advisor will help you to understand your accommodation options and work closely with you to find suitable housing so that you can begin building a home.
Once you find somewhere, your Pathway Advisor will work with you to build your understanding and skills of how to manage your accommodation. This might be advice on bills, rent, benefits or setting up direct debits.
There are several options available to you in terms of accommodation pre and post 18. Here are some examples:
Staying Put
If you are happy in your current fostering placement or feel you need a little longer before entering the world of adult accommodation, then Staying Put is great option.
Staying Put' allows you to stay with your foster carer up to the age of 21. You can start speaking with your social worker and foster carer about this option at 16. They will help you to put this in place before you turn 18 and come over to the Pathways team.
Supported lodgings
If you are leaving foster care or a children's home, supported lodgings are a great way to transition from care to something a little more focused on building the skills to manage your own home later.
You can move into supported lodgings between the ages of 16-18. You will live with an adult or a family, who can assist you in developing skills for adulthood, while giving you a bit of support when needed. Supported lodgings are currently provided by Young Persons Prevention and Support Service (YPASS).
Supported accommodation
Staying with foster carers is not always an option and for some young people moving into Supported Accommodation is a better fit.
Supported accommodation is a great option if you and your Pathway Advisor think you need a bit of extra support when you move into your own accommodation. It gives you a sense of independence, but in a really supported way.
There will be a staff team of people who can provide support, advice and guidance based at the accommodation, but you will have your own flat. It is a really safe and secure way to practice the skills you will need to manage your own tenancy later on.
Local authority housing
At 18 you are entitled to apply for local authority housing. Calderdale give all care leavers priority status for housing, which makes securing a property much easier to do.
Your Pathway Advisor will talk you through the process and help you to work out the system. Taking on a tenancy is a big step and it is important you feel ready for this.
Young people housing support team
The young persons housing support team provide support to you when accessing local authority housing.
A housing support worker from this team sits with Pathways one day a week and works closely with young people to help them look at all their housing options. Your pathway advisor or social worker can set meetings up with this worker as early as 17 and 6 months old.
YPASS
This service offers accommodation and support for young people, aged between 16 and 21, who are experiencing homelessness in Calderdale. Should you ever need their support your Pathway Advisor can arrange a referral.
They also run drop-in sessions for young people aged 16 to 25 years about housing, education, health and more. This runs from 11.30am to 1.30pm at YPASS, 56 Hopwood Lane, Halifax. HX1 5ER. They are a great service and have helped many young people get ready to take on their own tenancies.
Former UASC
If you are former unaccompanied asylum-seeking child, arrangements for accommodation are different while you are waiting for a decision from the Home Office about your 'Leave To Remain'. Pathways will continue to make sure you have suitable accommodation for the duration of this process.
If 'Leave To Remain' is granted, all housing options in our local offer will be open to you.
If you have any questions or worries about your housing then contact your Pathways advisor or speak with our duty worker.
Setting up your home
Once you are in your house, you want to start making it a home. We provide you with a Setting Up Home Allowance. for £2,000.
- This is for you to buy what you need for your home.
- You access this through your Pathways Advisor. They will also support you with making decisions about what you might need.
- You only get this allowance, so it is important to plan how you will spend this with your advisor.
What if there is a problem with your accommodation?
When you have a problem with your accommodation, contact your Pathway Advisor or the Duty phone number. We will do everything we can to help. We might support you to:
- contact your landlord and discuss the issues around your tenancy;
- find new accommodation;
- or even emergency accommodation.
The Pathway Adviser/duty worker will support you to try to resolve any issues you are experiencing. If you are still at risk of being made homeless then we will submit a 'housing portal' referral to the Adult Homeless team (over 21) and they will carry out an assessment of your needs.
Our service and its partners work under the 'second chance principle'. This recognises that it can be really tough to take on and manage your own accommodation. If it does not work out the first time, we can support you to build the skills to try again.
Housing advice and more support
- Calderdale housing options.
- Housing associations.
- Right Home for young people 11-25 years.
- YPASS Housing options one stop shop.
- Fusion Housing.
- Money Saving Expert's 50+ Tips For Renters
- Calderdale Smart move.
- National Homelessness Advice Service.
- Tips for keeping your house clean.
- Living on a budget.
- Basic cooking skills and online recipes.