Emergency out of hours officers from either Children’s Services or Local Housing Authority, will deal with homeless approaches in a way which is consistent with this protocol.
No referrals between agencies will be made ‘Out of Hours’, unless there are safeguarding concerns. The agency that has dealt with the initial approach out of hours will ensure that the steps outlined in the protocol are completed by and action taken in full the next working day.
Out of Hours Access
Where a young person approaches an agency as homeless outside of office hours, the priority must be the safety and well-being of the young person, and where needed, Local Housing Authority accommodation or accommodation under section 20 if there are immediate safeguarding issues, will be provided and reviewed the next working day.
All out of hour’s enquiries are made to Staffordshire County Council’s Emergency Duty Team. If accommodation options are not available, not suitable or refused by the young person, Staffordshire County Council’s Emergency Duty Team, will contact the Local Housing Authority for assistance or to source an alternative. Children’s Services have instructed that Bed and Breakfast is not regarded as suitable accommodation. (It is important to note that Bed and Breakfast may be the only available options available through the Local Housing Authorities pathways). Collaborative working around securing the most appropriate accommodation must take place and all Bed and Breakfast use must be signed off by the appropriate On-Call Senior Lead for Children’s Services.
The Staffordshire County Council’s Emergency Duty Team will undertake initial enquiries with the young person and their family/carer to establish if the young person is at risk of homelessness and cannot safely return to a parent/carer/family member. Should the young person present on a Friday evening or a Saturday this will include a face-to-face visit with the young person by a Staffordshire County Council’s Emergency Duty Team worker and an immediate referral for an Intensive Prevention Support Worker, who will commence family work over the weekend period to establish initial homelessness.
Staffordshire County Council’s Emergency Duty Service will ensure Children’s Services, and the Local Housing Authority are aware of the young person who has reached out for support the next working day, without delay. Sharing the communications completed with the accommodation provider. Children's Services and the Local Housing Authority will then commence a joint assessment the next working day and the normal process will be followed.
