Referral Process

Southdown operates a general principle of 100% nomination agreements with each of the local authorities with whom it works in partnership.

Southdown do not accept self-referrals to any of its supported housing services and can only accept referrals from approved referral agencies. Approved referral agencies are:

• Local Authority Housing Departments
• Social Services
• Health Services (i.e. Community Mental Health Teams)
• Partner registered social landlords, where we provide a floating support service.

Each scheme will have its own process and source of referrals. This is required as we work in partnership with multiple local authorities who each have different systems for identifying and processing housing applicants who have special needs. Each scheme will have its own aims and objectives statement that will give specific details of the referral process.

Referral Criteria  

Southdown does not automatically exclude any particular client group or support need from its supported housing services. Southdown operates an individual needs based support and risk assessment referral process to identify if we are able to provide the type and level of support that the individual requires.

Clients should generally meet the criteria below:

• Be aged over 18 (we will only consider 16-17 years olds on specific schemes where our Board have given prior consent).
  
• Have a support need which makes the individual vulnerable and unable to sustain an independent tenancy without additional support.
  
• In housing need or inappropriately housed and has been accepted as eligible for housing by the relevant local authority .
  
• For floating support schemes – individual requires support intervention to prevent the breakdown of their existing tenancy.
  
• Referral agency is able to provide a completed referral form including a risk assessment .
  
• Where risks are identified, Southdown will assess if these can be managed with a support plan.
  
• Where alcohol or drugs are an issue, the individual is willing to address this and follow a harm reduction programme as part of the support provided by Southdown or another specialist partner agency .
  
• Where a person has convictions or a history of arson or violent behaviour Southdown can only accept if evidence can be provided to confirm that these issues are no longer a significant risk factor .
  
• Willing to comply with the terms of a tenancy agreement .
  
• Ability to function independently in terms of cooking, shopping, basic budgeting with the additional support Southdown are able to provide .
  
• Able to demonstrate an ability to pay the rent and support charges (i.e. via a salary or eligibility for Housing Benefit, Supporting People grant).
  
• Willing to accept the level of support assessed through the referral process and comply with Southdown’s Support Plan process .

Assessment Meetings    

• A Team Leader and a member of front line support staff will conduct assessment meetings .
  
• Assessment meetings will take place within 21 days of Southdown having received the referral form. If this time scale is not possible a letter should be sent apologising for any delay and giving an idea of when the meeting will take place.
  
• During the meeting Southdown will explain the purpose of the assessment, confidentiality issues, aims and objectives for the scheme and how we will make our decision .
  
• Following the meeting the Team Leader will make a decision whether to accept or reject the applicant .
  
• If we reject an application we write to the referral agency providing details for our decision. Applicants have a right to appeal a rejection.

Equal Opportunities    

Southdown welcomes applications from single people from all sections of the community and are committed to providing equal treatment for all tenants regardless of their colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, disability, or sexual orientation. All cases of racial or other harassment will be taken seriously and will be dealt with through our nuisance and harassment policy.