The good practice handbook from homelessness charity Centrepoint, published next week, calls for "a range of accommodation provision" for care-leavers and advocates "moves between housing options … triggered by wishes and personal development rather than age".
Martyn Stanley, senior housing officer at the Isle of Wight council, said: "The housing shortage and the reluctance of other accommodation providers to provide for young people within these age ranges will make giving care-leavers housing options quite difficult.
"Some providers see these young people as difficult-to-handle teenagers and we often see a reluctance to take them on. The bottom line is the shortage of housing, not just for care-leavers, but for everyone."
The Homelessness Act introduced new categories of priority housing need, including teenagers leaving care.
Local authorities warned good practice usually works only in theory. Such best practice can only work when there are enough homes available, they said.
"Choice-based letting is theoretically possible and is a system we would all like to implement," said Jim Wintour, head of housing at Waltham Forest council. "The problem is that the number of people we are legally obliged to house exceeds the number of homes we have available."
Even the handbook's author, Centrepoint statutory development manager David Walker, admitted some local authorities will find implementing good practice difficult.
"Some local authorities will find the guidance idealistic if they are starting from a point further back than where they need to be," he said. "The guidance is all about extending joined-up working actively and equally, involving other services, and listening to views of care-leavers.
"Unless local authorities can get to grips with these ideas they will not be able to develop a housing service for care-leavers."
Source
Housing Today
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