In line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026), partners will monitor not only compliance with this protocol but also its impact on children and young people. The Staffordshire Housing Partnership (Young People) will lead on monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the protocol and associated data to inform decision-making in relation to youth homelessness.
The partnership will also support the development, implementation and review of services for young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, with findings used to inform service improvement, commissioning and sufficiency planning through agreed governance arrangements. Monitoring will include consideration of:
- Timeliness of assessments and decision-making
- Appropriateness and stability of accommodation
- Repeat presentations of homelessness.
- Young people’s understanding and experience of the support provided.
- Staffordshire Housing Partnership (Young People), partnership members are strategic and decision-making managers, who through the Delivery Group will meet monthly to discuss the operational success of this and the care leavers protocol.
- Staffordshire Housing Partnership (Young People) Local Housing Steering Group will meet every 8 weeks in each district to discuss our young people on a case-by-case basis and inform sufficiency numbers in the next 8-6 months.
- The governance of this protocol will be kept under review by the Corporate Parenting Panel.
- This protocol will be reviewed on an annual basis, or when there is a change/update in legislation.
- Training around the principles of this protocol will be rolled out to teams within Staffordshire County Council, Local Housing Authorities, registered housing providers and other key professionals who have a responsibility to ensure that this protocol and its guidance are followed, as part of Staffordshire Housing Partnership (Young People) communities of practice collaborative reflective sessions.
- For new starters for whose role this protocol applies to, this Protocol will form part of their induction process.
- Our care experienced young people will be consulted on the development of this protocol through the Voice Project and in any future reviews to the protocol.
