What we do

Support plan

Barnardo’s Rachel House project is supported accommodation. This means that when young people move in they must agree to engage with the support offered by staff. The purpose of this support is to enable young people to address issues in their lives, and develop independent living skills so that they can move on to more independent tenancies. When young people move in they sign a support agreement which is a contract between the key worker and the resident.

There is a house meeting each week, where residents and project workers come together to discuss house issues and events. This could be anything from anti-social behaviour to trips out. It gives the young people the opportunity to have a say in the running of the project. There is also an opportunity to apply for in-house grants from Barnardo’s to cover a specific need, eg, winter clothing.

Carelink is a telephone-operated support device. If a resident needs to get in touch with a member of staff when nobody is in the office, they can do so using this facility.

Resettlement

The resettlement worker at Barnardo’s Rachel House project works with young people who have moved on from the project to their own tenancy. Initially they will support the young person in setting up their new home, organising utilities, benefits, change of address, grants etc. Once they are settled, they will visit the young person regularly to find out how things are going and address any issues the young person is concerned about, eg, budgeting. This work is vital for the continuing stability and security of the young people who the project supports. Through monitoring their personal situations the resettlement worker can help the young person to cope with the responsibility of an independent tenancy and pre-empt problems, giving them a much better chance of making a success of their first home.