Impact assessment for recommissioning of young people’s supported accommodation – July 2022.
The service under review is the recommissioning of supported accommodation services for 16/17 year olds at risk of homelessness and care
experienced young people age 18-25. This currently happens through a block contract split into two lots:
Lot 1 – accommodation-based support. This service is for young people at risk of homelessness who do not have access to other accommodation,
and makes up the majority of the contract (90% of contracted hours). There are 5 providers on the block contract, who between them offer up to
945 support hours per week to Devon young people. Support includes help to access employment, education and training, to develop
independent living skills and support to develop skills to maintain and manage a tenancy and to access move-on accommodation. Although the
contract is for the support hours and does not directly fund the accommodation, access to accommodation is a key qualifying criteria for a
provider to be successful for this contract, with a requirement to have access to one bed in suitable accommodation for every 6.3 weekly support
hours offered.
Lot 2 – floating support for prevention. This service is for young people who are already accessing accommodation via other means, but where
there is a risk of this accommodation breaking down. This includes young people at home or in independent accommodation who need support to
maintain this arrangement, and young people in temporary accommodation who require support to address issues that may otherwise lead to
them losing this temporary accommodation.
The current contract (Homelessness Prevention, Housing and Support into Adulthood for 16/17 year olds and care leavers) is due to end on the 31st
March 2023. This impact assessment looks at retendering of the service, and any changes proposed as part of the retendering.
Access to supported accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness or transitioning out of care helps DCC to meet our statutory duties
to 16/17 year olds and care leavers. It also supports priorities for care leavers under Devon’s, A Place Called Home is the Devon Sufficiency Strategy
and our duties as corporate parents for children and young people in our care as outlined in Devon’s Corporate Parenting Strategy,