YOUNG care-leavers and asylum-seekers susceptible to homelessness feel safer and higher supported living with host families under the scheme “supported lodgings” than in other types of care, a latest study has found.
The supported-lodgings initiative houses young people susceptible to homelessness, young care-leavers, and unaccompanied asylum-seekers aged 16 to 18. They are placed with host families who help them to develop the abilities needed for independent living.
A report from the UK charity Home for Good and Safe Families, The Voices of Supported Lodgings, says that, in a time of rapidly rising youth homelessness, young people in supported lodgings usually tend to be in education, employment, and training than other young people leaving care.
Two hundred and thirty young people were interviewed for the study, most — 92 per cent — of whom said that they felt protected from exploitation. Eighty-nine per cent said that they’d a very good relationship with their host, and 84 per cent said that their lodgings felt like home. More than two-thirds said that they preferred it to other types of accommodation and care which they’d experienced.
Of the interviewees, three-quarters had been in care, and almost one quarter had come from one other country.
Three young people co-designed the study for the charity, and wrote within the foreword: “Supported lodgings is greater than only a roof over our heads. It’s a spot where we will thrive. For 84% of young people like us, supported lodgings helps them to realize their goals. It won’t be right for everybody, but supported lodgings can have a very positive impact, and we would like to make sure that the chance to live there is obtainable to as many young people as possible.”
There has been a 54-per-cent rise in homelessness amongst young care-leavers, and a 42-per-cent rise within the the number unaccompanied asylum-seeker children in care, most aged between 16 and 18, in line with government figures.
The variety of local authorities offering supported lodgings has grown since 2021, nevertheless it remains to be the exception. Hosts might be families, couples, or single people, and are paid for the accommodation and support that they supply. One care-leaver described their lodgings as “ideal” because “people weren’t watching over me, but were type of watching over me in a way.”
One young asylum-seeker, Mariama, lives with a bunch and their family after travelling alone to the UK from Sierra Leone. She said: “Safety is a big advantage of supported lodgings. Living with my host and her family makes me feel secure. If I were living alone, I wouldn’t have anyone to show to on weekends when support staff aren’t available. But, with my hosts, I all the time have someone to call if I would like help.
“Moving to a latest country is tough, and having a supportive environment like this helps you stand on your individual and understand life within the UK.”
The survey found, nonetheless, that young asylum-seekers were less likely than other groups to say that they felt understood by their hosts, and the report calls for suitable training for providers.
A co-CEO of the charity, Tarn Bright, has also been a bunch. She said: “Having been a supported lodgings host, I actually have witnessed the immense challenges young people can face. Offering a room in our home and embracing a youngster as family was a humbling and rewarding experience. The act of giving — whether time, conversation, or shared space — brings unexpected joy. In return, I’ve gained understanding, insight, and, in some cases, lifelong friendships.”
The charity is urging the Government to publish latest guidance on supported lodgings based on the experiences of young people, and to launch a national recruitment campaign for hosts. Young people also need a transparent “moving-on plan” to assist them to arrange for solo living, it says.
