What We Can Do


What We Can Do


The projects at Chatfield Housing, provides supported accommodation to both men and women who have experienced homelessness, wants to live semi-independently and connect to other people within wider community, whilst growing and mobilising all community assets.   Although ‘older’ is defined as 50 plus, we do offer tenancies to people 45+ who has documented support needs.  Our Support Service is designed to help people who need some help to live in shared accommodation.

 

Our staff will routinely check how Clients are managing, talk through any worries or problems that you may have, whilst offering a ‘listening ear’. They will also discuss with you what things you may need help with and will support you to organise.


In our shared projects, support is provided onsite Monday to Sunday on a 24 hour basis.  We will agree with you a support plan around your needs, when you enter the service. We can offer different levels of service which is bespoke and depends on how much support you need.


As well as providing onsite staff our service also includes emergency call out which is available 24 hours a day.  This means that help is always at hand, as we aim to meet all that the Government’s “Supporting People” program states as a supported services, which includes the following:


Must help older people to keep their independence
Are of a high quality
Give value for money
Meet each person’s individual needs
Tenants have a say


We will ask ourselves – “What is Support”?


This is different from “care”, which some older people may receive. This is explained below:


Support – can be described as “background help”.  At Chatfield housing, our staff provide support to Clients by:


  • visiting them regularly and giving advice and a listening ear
  • checking on their well-being• arranging care;
  • any other services that they require e.g. health services
  • encouraging customers to meet other people and have a full life
  • making links with the local community, including religious centres and places

         of worship

 

Care – In contrast to this, care is best described as “hands on help”.  This could be helping with the following:


  • Washing and bathing
  • Getting dressed
  • Cleaning
  • Shopping
  • Laundry
  • Medication

 

Helping clients in this way is often called “personal care” and the staff of Chatfield Housing do not provide this but will help and support a client to apply to Social Services, who will then arrange for a “care assessment” to be done.  This allows Social Services to discuss what kind of care is needed and how often with the client.


What does the Government expect?


The information in this leaflet is a summary of what the Government states that Chatfield Housing support service must do.


Standard 1 – Helping older people to keep their independence


The role of our Support Workers is to ensure that older people living in our hostels receive all the help they need to keep their independence and continue living at home.


This is done by staff arranging all the help needed rather than giving the help directly. This is the difference between ‘support’ and ‘care’. Our staff will also ensure any care or other kinds of help that  the clients may need is to a good standard.

 

Standard 2 – Preventative


Our support service helps and support older people to stay in their own home, without the need of moving into residential care, unless this is necessary. Our staff will also make it easier for an older person to return home after a stay in hospital.


Standard 3 – High Quality Services


Our staff always ensure a very good delivery of service by:


  • respecting privacy and wishes
  • being polite and sensitive
  • keeping things confidential
  • treating everyone fairly and as individuals
  • schemes are safe and secure
  • links are made with the local community using the asset-based approach
  • ensure that clients have a chance to have a say and get involved, if they want to.

 

Standard 4 – Well Planned


Chatfield Housing works closely with other Multi - Agencies as this helps ensure that our service is person-centred and based around the support of older people for now and for future generations.


Standard 5 – Value for Money


Chatfield Housing offers a 24-hour service which gives the clients ‘peace of mind’. This means staff are always in our main office 24 hours per day.


Standard 6 – Give choice and flexibility


Chatfield Housing does this by:


  • allowing older people, the choice of moving into sheltered housing before they become too dependent
  • offering our support service to older people living in our shared projects
  • offering different levels of service based upon individual needs
  • agreeing with clients how much support they need and other help that we can arrange
  • making sure we give choices about when and how support is given e.g. some people may prefer a visit later in the day rather than early morning or once per week

 


Standard 7 – Accessible to All

Our service is open to everyone, whatever their ethnic origin, religion, cultural beliefs, nationality, age, sexual orientation or disability. We also ensure that we recognise and meet these different needs, in a sensitive way, that suits each individual. We call this “equality and diversity”.


Standard 8 – Clearly explained


We ensure that information about our services are clear and easy to understand. This is so both current and future clients know what to expect from our service. We also give information in different formats if requested e.g. community languages, large print, braille, audio tape etc.


Standard 9 – Links to the Local Community


Staff at Chatfield Housing helps our clients to keep in touch with the “wider community” as this can help them in confidence building and to keep their independence, whilst working with them using the asset-based approach.


Standard 10 – Check services are working well


Regular checks and surveys are done to ensure our service is working well.  Clients are asked for their views and are involved throughout in improving our services. Chatfield Housing is committed to making sure that its support service meets all the requirements of the Government’s Supporting People programme.


Older People


Our Aims is to give older people:


  • High Quality Services
  • Always promoting independence and an independent life
  • Professional staff
  • Promoting equality
  • Continuously improving
  • Working in partnership with other organisations
  • Services are tailored to meet individual needs as they are bespoke

 

Individual Needs


  • helping, not doing
  • tenancy rights and control
  • safety and security

 

Quality of Life


  • promoting choice
  • respecting privacy and wishes
  • maintaining dignity
  • peace of mind
  • affordable

 

An Enjoyable Life


  • supporting people to enjoy life to the full
  • companionship
  • getting involved
  • having a say
  • links with the local community