Single Agency Assessment Made Simple

The Single Agency Assessment process is an easy way for Health or Social Services professionals (and their agents) to refer any service user who has a housing related health/support need to their local council for help accessing suitable accommodation.

Launched by the East-Kent Joint Policy and Planning Board for Housing in partnership with Health and Social Services in June 2003, the process is being operated by the following councils: Ashford Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Shepway District Council, Swale Borough Council and Thanet District Council.

All the local councils taking part in this scheme have made a commitment to trust and respect the professional assessment you make of your client’s housing need. There are occasions where individual cases need to be discussed in more detail. As part of this they are willing to provide guidance and training on the types of case that should be referred this way and how to go about it. Contact your local housing department for details.

Step-by-step guide:

If you have a client who needs to move home and the reason for this is health or support related then you can use the Single Agency Assessment process. By completing the Single Agency Assessment form you will be providing all the supporting information required to assess your client’s housing needs.

Examples of situations where you could use the Single Agency Assessment:

High Priority – the client has a critical need to move. An example may be delayed discharge from an inpatient setting.

Medium Priority – the client has a substantial need to move. Examples may be an inability to access bathing facilities/cooking facilities (the most severe cases may be deemed high priority), or overcrowding which is affecting the client’s mental health.

Low Priority – the client has a moderate need to move. An example might be someone who will need to move in the future such as a planned move on to more independent living from a supported environment. As the time for them to move gets closer the service user’s priority might increase.

How to make a referral:

• Complete the form as fully as possible using the guidance notes that accompany it giving careful consideration to the following:

1. What your clients basis of need is e.g. Learning Disability
2. The rating you give to your clients need eg
High – Critical Need,
Medium – Substantial Need,
Low – Moderate Need
3. The housing related support requirement of your client e.g. supported housing scheme, aids/adaptations or floating support.

• Return the form to the relevant local housing authority (listed on the back of the form) with all supporting information, e.g. risk assessment , OT assessment etc.

Floating support:

This is the service provided by support agencies and funded by Supporting People, that helps those clients with support needs to settle in to, and maintain, their tenancies.

E-mail:

housing@thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577277

Fax: 01843 291097