Supported lodgings
Do you have a spare room? Would you like to make a positive difference in a young person’s life? Become a supported lodgings host in Staffordshire.
As a supported lodgings host we will support you to make a difference to a local young person and you will also receive a weekly allowance of £199.11. You can find out more by requesting an information pack.
What is supported lodgings?
Supported lodgings is when you share your home with a young person, giving them an opportunity to live in a safe, family environment where they can gain more independence and learn to live on their own. Most young people that need the help of supported lodgings are 16 to 20 years old and you can still work full-time and host a young person.
What is the role of a supported lodgings host?
As a supported lodgings host, you will provide a young person with practical skills such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting which they will need when they move into independence.
Like fostering, you would be expected to support the young person to access education or training. Some of the young people may be unaccompanied asylum seekers and you would also be expected to support them with any immigration or legal appointments.
Who are the young people that need help with supported lodgings?
The young people are between the ages of 16-20. Each young person that you would welcome into your home would have a social worker or personal advisor who understands their background. This helps to find a host for them that best suits their individual needs.
Why would a young person require supported lodgings?
There are many reasons that may require a young person to need help with supported lodgings:
● Have been fostered in the past, and need a home now they’re older
● Had a breakdown in the relationship with their family
● Be a young asylum seeker
● Behavioural, drug or alcohol issues
Supported lodgings payments and support
As a host, you will receive access to financial support and training:
● On-going regular support from our supported lodgings coordinator
● A weekly allowance of £199.11 per week plus additional contributions that the young person pays.
● You can access all of the training that we provide to our foster carers and we also run a supported lodgings support group.
Read Alex's Story and find out what it’s really like to be a supported lodgings host.
Can I become a supported lodgings host?
Yes! There’s no ‘typical’ supported lodgings host and all sorts of people, from all different backgrounds become great hosts.
● You don’t need to have a big house but you do need to have a spare bedroom.
● You could be a parent, but you don’t have to be.
● There are no age barriers.
● You could be from any ethnic or religious background.
● You can be working or not working.
Some supported lodgings host are former foster carers that are looking to still help out with the fostering needs of Staffordshire, or have a preference for working with teenagers.
Supported lodgings appeals to some people as it allows you to offer support to young people who need your help, just like fostering, whilst maintaining a more flexible lifestyle.
Ready to take the next step?
Enquire online now or call 0800 169 2061 today and we’ll help answer your questions and send you our information pack.
You can also read our Supported Lodgings Statement of Purpose.