The Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) Service Programme

The procurement activity will enable a range of support to be delivered to vulnerable people rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping, at no cost to the council and will include the following lots: • Lot 1 First Step from The Street - This is anticipated to be a two-site solution offering a minimum of 41 bed spaces for rough sleepers and those at immediate risk of rough sleeping. This solution represents a critical part of the pathway of services for rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping by providing an immediate 'from the street' offer. These are 'short stay' solutions followed up by a swift assessment of needs and the development of a move on plan to reduce the risk of solutions breaking down and individuals rough sleeping. There will be 24 hour onsite support teams with opportunities for some co-located staff from partner agencies, either in person or through ‘virtual’ teams, including the councils own Housing Options staff where possible. • Lot 2 The Assessment and Resettlement Team - This service will deliver a Triage, Assessment and Resettlement function by quickly assessing individuals as they present/are placed into an emergency accommodation solutions, including Hotels, B&Bs and First Step from the Street and those identified through Outreach activity. • Lot 3 The Navigators - This service will deliver person centred tailored support to individuals who have more complex needs and entrenched behaviour to minimise the risk of them losing accommodation and falling back to the street. The service will need to provide a continuity of support to ensure that service users can maintain their accommodation successfully; including individuals with a history of multiple accommodation breakdowns. • Lot 4 Specialist Young Persons Support Workers – This element of service will assist the council in addressing the increasing number Young People presenting as homeless, whose existing accommodation/family relationships etc have broken down. For capacity issues, high levels of need and/or complexity, these presentations often result in placement into emergency solutions. This specialist skilled staff team will work in partnership with Housing Options, Rough Sleeper services and wider provision to support Young People in a range of settings, deliver prevention activity, reduce the risk of accommodation breakdown, facilitate alternative accommodation where necessary and reduce the risk of young people rough sleeping or returning to unsettled accommodation settings. • Lot 5 The Accommodation Rescue Service – This team will work with Rough Sleepers who already have accommodation that it is safe to return to, including repeat and entrenched individuals and those who have experienced a crisis that risks accommodation breakdown and who may be RS for the first time / after a substantial gap. Taking a 'housing led' approach the team will work to unlock some of the barriers (rent arrears, disrepair, ASB etc) stopping people reconnecting back to their existing tenancy or supported housing placement.