Making a difference to prevent youth homelessness
New arrangements to prevent homelessness amongst young people in
the Wakefield district are succeeding, new figures have shown.
Twelve months ago Wakefield Council and its partners held a
Preventing Youth Homelessness Summit which brought together various
organisations to help end youth homelessness across the district.
The Council also launched a new Homeless 16/17-Year-Old Joint
Working Protocol, as part of its commitment to tackle homelessness. Since then,
new working practices have assisted over 50 young people who were at risk of
being made homeless.
The Council’s success came from setting up a new way of working
with young people, aged 16 and 17, which includes joint working between teams
from housing and social care, homeless prevention and social workers.
Where possible, and where it is safe to do so, the team works
intensively with the young person and their family to address issues and allow
them to remain in a family setting.
If this isn’t possible, the young person is given a short term,
safe place to stay, where further assessments can be carried out to find a
longer term solution.
Additional training has been given to staff working in housing
and children’s services to help them identify young people at risk of
homelessness.
Cllr Margaret Isherwood, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for
Children and Young People, said: “It is very positive news that a year
since the summit, so much progress has been made, and so many young people and
their families have received the support they need.
“It is great to see how services are pulling together to tackle
such an important issue and to see how this has already made a positive impact
on the lives of young people.
“We are not complacent and recognise that ending youth
homelessness across the district is a long term challenge for us and our
partners.”
To report rough sleeping contact the Preventing Rough Sleeping
Service on 01924 385722.
For advice about homelessness and housing options contact the
Housing Needs Service on 01924 304362/304360.