bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RFId adoption in the FMCG supply chain: an interpretative framework
Authors: Balocco Raffaello , Miragliotta Giovanni , Perego Alessandro , Tumino Angela
Published: August 2011

Purpose

In 2003, Walmart issued a sensational RFId mandate for its top 100 suppliers, including a detailed deployment plan under compelling deadlines. After seven years, very little of that mandate has become a consolidated industry practice. This paper aims to try to offer a complete and thorough explanation of the reasons behind this fact, providing a sound strategic view of what is happening and could happen in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a twofold methodological approach: first, it relies on an in‐depth literature review covering the assessment of RFId applications in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry; second, it leverages on a five‐year research program carried out by the RFId Solution Center of Politecnico di Milano in cooperation with GS1 Italy, which provided both quantitative data (used to develop and feed an analytical profitability assessment model) and qualitative knowledge to understand the “soft” implications of RFId adoption in the industry.

Findings

Despite the great potential of RFId technology, there are still some significant barriers preventing its diffusion. Case‐level tagging is required to enable a substantial redesign of the supply chain, but profit‐sharing and reading reliability should be carefully considered to ensure economic and technological feasibility. The comparison with the fashion industry evidences some key success factors of RFId; while some of them are industry‐specific, others can be replicated in the FMCG as well, but further efforts are still needed.

Originality/value

This is one of the first attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of RFId potential in the FMCG supply chain, taking into account all the major factors involved. Moreover, the quantitative results illustrated in the paper could be a valuable support to companies in defining their RFId strategies.
A social network‐based organizational model for improving knowledge management in supply chains
Authors: Capó‐Vicedo Josep , Mula Josefa , Capó Jordi
Published: August 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a social network‐based model for improving knowledge management in multi‐level supply chains formed by small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This approach uses social network analysis techniques to propose and represent a knowledge network for supply chains. Also, an empirical experience from an exploratory case study in the construction sector is presented.

Findings

This proposal improves the establishment of inter‐organizational relationships into networks to exchange the knowledge among the companies along the supply chain and create specific knowledge by promoting confidence and motivation.

Originality/value

This proposed model is useful for academics and practitioners in supply chain management to gain a better understanding of knowledge management processes, particularly for the supply chains formed by SMEs.
The meaning of career success
Authors: Dries Nicky
Published: August 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the concept of career success has been subject to reification, and identify potential implications for individuals, organizations, and societies.

Design/methodology/approach

The current paper offers an in‐depth analysis of the different contextual forces contributing to the reification of careers (i.e. history, culture and ideology), and how these have impacted on the social reality of career and the definitions of career success held by different relevant actors.

Findings

In total, eight research propositions are identified that need to be addressed in future research in order to advance knowledge and understanding of career success in context.

Social implications

One manifest outcome of career reification is the establishment of collective norms prescribing what a “normal”, “successful” career is – and what is not. Consequently, all careers not conforming to these norms are devaluated, which is inappropriate given the present‐day climate of workplace diversity.

Originality/value

Career theory, in general, has been criticized for overemphasizing individual agency while neglecting contextual issues. Furthermore, more conceptual development is necessary in relation to the career success construct. The current paper aims to address both of these gaps by presenting in‐depth analyses of the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts impacting on the meaning of career and career success.
Hospital reprovision and the Private Finance Initiative: Is the PFI the best way to use private finance for supported housing?
Authors: Palmer John
Published: August 2011

Research demonstrates that the PFI process in its current form is not well designed for the procurement of housing and residential care within the Health Service. This paper draws conclusions and recommendations for using the PFI more effectively in this domain.
Linking housing and health: Is there a role for councils and registered social landlords?
Authors: Smith David
Published: August 2011

Moving forward the debate on links between housing and health is a formidable task. Government willingness to address the connections is only the beginning. Much hard work, of thinking, persuading and organising, lies ahead, and the paper offers a list of suggestions for how to go about it.
Tenant, lodger, patient?: The legal status of residents in supported housing
Authors: Robert Louis
Published: August 2011

This article is particularly concerned with residents who fall short of the test of contractual capacity, that is, of understanding the nature of the contract they are entering into. Elderly people and those with severe learning difficulties have become a cause of concern because of uncertainty about their status as residents.
Best value: A new management imperative
Authors: Gillingham Kirsten
Published: August 2011

This article examines the features of Best Value, and the ways in which they may affect local authorities, other organisations, housing and support services and individuals. It introduces the pilot schemes, with their significance for local authorities throughout the country.
Service development: Comparing housing and support options
Authors: Watson Lynn
Published: August 2011

There are many reasons to evaluate services and the benefits of different options for providing housing and support. The new report described in this article gives an introduction to a system for the appraisal of cost and quality which can be used to make more informed choices about existing and new services.
Housing strategies for youth: Moving towards independence
Authors: Folkard Kate
Published: August 2011

Many young people may need support during their transition to independence, particularly if they have been forced to leave home or care before they are ready for independent living. A good practice guide has just been published jointly by the Chartered Institute of Housing and Local Government Association.
Sheltered housing for the future: Is it an asset or a liability?
Authors: Phillips Melinda
Published: August 2011

Sheltered housing for older people will have to change, as the principles of a ‘home for life’ and the indivisibility of housing and care take hold. ‘Remodelling’ accommodation can be the basis of an approach that can ensure that sheltered housing continues to be an asset, not a liability, well into the next century, as part of the social care framework.
Establishing good practice in risk assessment
Authors: Streich Lori
Published: August 2011

THE NEED FOR RISK assessment policies in relation to work with supported housing residents is both a legal requirement and a widely accepted aspect of good practice.This article looks at the issues and principles which guide the development of risk assessment policies in supported housing, and refers to two agencies: the Stonham Substance Misuse Service in Cornwall, which provides supportive housing for people who wish to live without substance misuse, and Western Challenge Housing Association, which has a range of general‐needs and supported housing provision.
The re‐profiling of sheltered stock and services in Eastleigh
Authors: Ward Martin
Published: August 2011

THE RE‐PROFILING, RE‐SHAPING OR re‐modelling of sheltered housing has become a topical issue. At Eastleigh, we first considered the problem of difficult‐to‐let sheltered accommodation and the need for upgraded support ten years ago. The focus of this article is on the conversion of three conventional Category 2 schemes built in the mid‐1960s.
The provision of housing, care and support in rural areas
Authors: Oldman Christine
Published: August 2011

POLICY GUIDANCE ON HOUSING and community care since 1990 has offered little analysis of the particular issues involved in developing housing and support to people living in rural settings. The Housing Associations' Charitable Trust (HACT) Rural Supported Housing Programme, working closely with the Rural Development Commission and the Housing Corporation, will over the next three years fund up to 30 rural supported housing projects. The University of York has started to carry out an evaluation of these.
Risk or opportunity? Risk management in supported housing
Authors: Holmes‐Smith Andrew
Published: August 2011

THERE ARE PLENTY OF risks in the supported housing sector. Some are ever‐present while others are peculiar to our times ‐ like the interdepartmental review of Housing Benefit and the competitive climate that demands ‘more for less’. The Housing Corporation has developed guidance for registered social landlords and the National Housing Federation is now publishing additional material for supported housing. The guidance provides a framework for managing risks, which is abridged below, and this article summarises some of the key points.
Best value: A better life for older people
Authors: Hislop Charles
Published: August 2011

SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL BID successfully to undertake one of the best value pilots with its proposal for ‘A better life for older people’. The project emphasises safety in public spaces and income maximisation for older people, as well as a broader investigation into ways of improving the quality of life of older people in the city. The article describes the project's objectives and methods.
Filling the empties in supported housing: How big is the problem and what can be done?
Authors: Spencer Sheila
Published: August 2011

EMPTY PLACES IN SUPPORTED housing can be very costly. How significant is this problem, why does it happen and what should be done? A study commissioned by the former Cleveland Special Needs Housing Forum, funded through a Housing Corporation Grant, looked at void levels and how to reduce them. This paper reports on the results of the study.
Development of a supported living service for people with enduring mental illness
Authors: Bayne Martin
Published: August 2011

A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY‐based service for people in Fareham and Gosport with enduring mental illness was developed by Southern Focus Trust ‐ formerly the Portsmouth Housing Trust. The experience of setting up this supported living service has demonstrated how flexibility and open working with clients have been able to meet the changing needs of people with enduring mental illness. The flexibility of the service has meant that residents have been able to remain in their home as their needs change and hospital admission is prevented.
Supporting people 1: Is the Government listening?
Authors: Tickell Clare
Published: August 2011

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE new funding regime for supported housing has caused a crisis of confidence among supported housing providers who previously looked kindly on ministerial intentions. Stonham was one of the agencies that took a positive attitude to the consultation paper, but now their Chief Executive wonders whether the Government is listening.
Healthy housing policies: Public health strikes back
Authors: Wishart Paul
Published: August 2011

THE RE‐EMERGENCE OF THE public health agenda and the continued high level of scrutiny of the outcomes of activities in the public sector have created the need to try and work towards agreement on what a ‘healthy housing policy’ might look like. This in turn leads to a requirement for broad agreement on the mechanisms to be used to measure the impact of operational policies in this area. The paper explores the background to these shifts in social policy and offers some thoughts on healthy housing policies for practitioners to consider.
Older homeless people: An action research plan
Authors: Willcock Kim
Published: August 2011

HELP THE AGED IS running a six‐year campaign to improve service provision for older homeless people. The charity has developed a programme of user‐focused action research within individual projects funded by the charity and undertaken by practitioners working in partnership with the Help the Aged Research Officer. The action research programme aims to make improvements in practice by involving the users of services in the development and evaluation of services. Participants have identified areas of unmet need and gaps in service provision and action is being taken to resolve these problems.
Rethinking service commissioning relationships: Partners or protagonists?
Authors: Whitehouse Ken
Published: August 2011

THE PRESENT COMMISSIONING CLIMATE needs a rethink. Can it deliver the Government's new welfare and housing agenda which relies on ‘joined‐up’ thinking between all parts of the service delivery system? Early contracting relationships veered towards the obligational rather than adversarial. There was a heavy element of shared risk‐taking and trust in the competence of the organisations, often developed as joint ventures. To many providers, it feels as though the present model is very much more adversarial.
Tenant participation in housing and support: The findings from case studies
Authors: Starkey Fenella
Published: August 2011

SERVICE USER PARTICIPATION IN housing and support is an important issue in national services. Nonetheless, research has found wide variations in the levels of service user participation in housing and support schemes. This paper reports on a case study evaluation of approaches to service user participation in housing and support, drawing out key requirements: for flexible approaches to service user participation, to embed service user participation within organisations, for independent facilitation, and the importance of the participation process.
Making sheltered housing more effective
Authors: Page Dilys
Published: August 2011

In this Journal last year Melinda Phillips asked: ‘What is sheltered housing for, in the current environment?’ (Phillips, 1998 p25). In Effective Sheltered Housing, recently published in the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Good Practice Guide series, we address this question and its implications for community care.
The housing aspirations of homeless young people: Listening to homeless young people and using their ideas to improve services
Authors: Russell Christine
Published: August 2011

What do homeless young people say they want? Too often services are established without finding out, and this can give rise to voids or management problems. Macedon, Nottingham's largest provider of supported accommodation for homeless people, carried out research under the direction of Nottingham University. The findings provide vital information and practical suggestions to guide service planning and management.
Supporting older carers of people with learning disabilities: Planning for the future
Authors: Magrill Dalia
Published: August 2011

The Sharing Caring Project (SCP) in Sheffield supports carers between the age of 55 and 96 years who are known to be still caring at home for a person with learning disabilities. Many of these carers now have needs of their own as well as being carers. They need help to maintain the care they give and to plan for the future. This paper describes one approach.
Leaving homelessness behind:New solutions for a new age
Authors: Ghosh Shaks
Published: August 2011

The homeless population is one of the most studied in the field of social exclusion. We know more than enough about the problem of homelessness and its associated demographics, but not enough about what to do. Crisis' new solutions research programme aims to encourage that new thinking, with proposals for a new national homelessness strategy and reports on prevention, the links between housing and support, innovative approaches to street crime, failing hostels and the threat of zero tolerance.
A partnership for health
Authors: Molyneux Peter
Published: August 2011

The flu ‘epidemic’ and the ‘shortage’ of beds within the NHS dominated the headlines in the first weeks of the twenty‐first century. That this very twentieth‐century issue should have reared its head so soon is perhaps unsurprising. However, it is disappointing that discussions about health should, yet again, be so focused on the provision of acute care.
Best value for extra care services: Going beyond simple measures
Authors: Mitchell Sharon
Published: August 2011

Applying best value principles to ‘hard’ services such as repairs, planned maintenance, rent collection and arrears management is relatively straightforward, with a raft of good practice examples across the sector from which to learn, but applying those principles to softer, more personal services is different altogether.
Supporting people in mainstream housing: Good practice guidance on housing and services for people with support needs
Authors: Edwards Sarah
Published: August 2011

Local housing authorities are responsible for meeting the priority housing and support needs of the local community, regardless of tenure. Under the Government's policies to develop their ‘community leadership’ role and implement Supporting People, they also have an increasing responsibility, with social services and other services, to support needs in the community. The Chartered Institute of Housing has published good practice guidance on housing and services for people with support needs, outlined in this article.
Are organisations prepared to rethink principles as well as practice?
Authors: Puddicombe Bill
Published: August 2011

The article suggests ways in which the concepts contained in best value can be used to review the quality and effectiveness of social care services and in particular those concerned with substance misuse. Examples are given to show how the service to users can be improved or made more accessible.
Preventive approaches in housing: National research shows housing as central to the prevention agenda
Authors: Porteus Jeremy
Published: August 2011

The report Preventive Approaches in Housing follows a year‐long study looking at effective approaches in 16 housing settings, from sheltered and general needs housing, both RSL and local authority, to owner occupiers and private tenants. The aims of the work were to explore ways in which housing and related support services can have preventive outcomes and to describe good practice.
The Housing Green Paper: The messages for housing with care and support
Authors: Taylor Gwyneth
Published: August 2011

This article summarises the key proposals in the Housing Green Paper and considers how the vision for housing outlined by the Government needs to complement and support other policy developments in the health and social care sectors, including the Supporting People new policy and funding framework. It identifies some problem areas associated with rent restructuring and the reforming of lettings policies which might affect people in need of housing with support.
Thirty years on — A new White Paper on better learning disability services?
Authors: McGinnis Brian
Published: August 2011

The paper outlines the themes that are likely to be important in the new national learning disability strategy. It reflects on assumptions about the best forms of housing provision, and calls for the forthcoming published strategy to pay attention to developing ownership options, promoting social inclusion, how we secure quality across a range of accommodation and support models and what will be achieved or undermined by the Supporting people proposals.
Racial harassment: Action on the ground
Authors: Lemos Gerard
Published: August 2011

Lemos&Crane has conducted a national survey of action to tackle racial harassment, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Two hundred and fifty organisations in the sixty‐seven local authority areas in which the majority of black and minority ethnic people live were interviewed. The report has proposed a new framework for tackling racial harassment, with the intention of going beyond an acknowledgement of the problem to a truer understanding, not just of the extent of racist attacks, but also of their impact.
Sheltered housing: The relative dimension
Authors: Hearnshaw Steve
Published: August 2011

Until now the role played by the relatives of older people in sheltered housing has been largely neglected. Now their involvement in decision‐making, care and support has been explored in a new report. This article looks at some of the findings, and examines how confusion can arise not only about their role, but also about the service provided by sheltered housing itself.
Intermediate care and the housing connection
Authors: Fletcher Peter
Published: August 2011

Until recently there was a lot of confusion about the meaning of the term ‘intermediate care’ and the role, if any, that the supported housing sector can play in the development of intermediate care services. This article examines what intermediate care is, who it is for, and what the housing and support contribution might be.
Crossing the housing and care divide: Integrating housing and social care for older people
Authors: Cameron Ailsa , Marsh Alex , Burton Paul
Published: August 2011

The fundamental role of housing in community care has long been acknowledged. However, progress in achieving any real integration of housing and social care has been slow. This article reports the findings from the Crossing the Housing and Care Divide programme, which was jointly sponsored by the Housing Corporation and Anchor Trust. The programme aimed to stimulate developments in services for older people that would enable housing to become part of community care, lead to greater inter‐agency working, enhance the involvement of users in the planning, monitoring and delivery of services and deliver a high quality of service more cost‐effectively. The programme offers many practical lessons for the effectiveness of services.
Extending the scope of community alarm services
Authors: Doughty Kevin , Fisk Malcolm
Published: August 2011

The rapid evolution of the social alarm network in the UK during the 1980s is one of the greatest success stories of the local authority housing departments which championed their growth. Yet, during the past decade, when ‘care in the community’ became a reality and the number of older people living alone in society increased significantly, the number of connections has often grown slowly and investment in new technology has been relatively low. This article describes the features of new generations of ‘telecare’ using systems with increasing potential.
Supporting People ‐ a probation perspective: Acceptance or further marginalisation
Authors: Kettlewell Derek
Published: August 2011

The provision of supported housing is vital to the work of the National Probation Service as it seeks to reduce re‐offending and protect the public. Supporting People offers an opportunity for Probation to play a key role in developing supported housing services locally. Probation's experience in contracting for supported housing services for offenders means it is well placed to contribute to the work of the Supporting People team. There remain many issues to be resolved. Only recognition of the legitimacy of offender needs within Supporting People and in wider housing allocation and management policies will make Probation's investment in the process pay off.
Health improvement programmes and joint investment plans: Making connections
Authors: Holmes‐Smith Andrew
Published: August 2011

Health improvement programmes (HImPs) and joint investment plans (JIPs) are becoming increasingly important mechanisms for modernising services. They bring new disciplines that sharpen up joint planning and provide a framework for making sure local partners• drive forward national priorities• listen to and assess the needs of local people• analyse the gaps and deficiencies in their services• are more transparent about what they are planning to do, why and how they are spending public money.This article provides an overview of these arrangements.
Asylum seekers: Is there a proper housing response?
Authors: Wilson Ruth
Published: August 2011

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust commissioned research in order to provide an overview of how services have responded in West Yorkshire to the Government's new policy of dispersal of asylum seekers.
Benchmarking and performance: How much is known about organisations providing housing, care and support?
Authors: Harris Jane , Noon Tom
Published: August 2011

This article draws on the experience of a benchmarking club for non‐profit providers of social care services, and identifies some lessons for others who are considering establishing or joining similar groups. The lack of readily available information about the performance of social care organisations has meant that the group has focused initially on constructing its own measures of good and bad performance. Emerging trends indicate that effective management of human resources can make or break an organisation. One of the key challenges of benchmarking between competitors is to share information without compromising competitive advantage.
Best value: Using the framework to meet the needs of the consumer
Authors: Bennett Shaun
Published: August 2011

The Supporting People programme will bring about significant changes to the way in which support services are funded and delivered. The Best Value framework provides a key process for achieving the objectives of the Supporting People programme and can underpin the role of service users. A Best Value good practice guide is due to be published shortly by the Housing Corporation, drawing lessons from a number of pilot studies.
Extra care villages: Meeting the needs of a new century
Authors: Payne John
Published: August 2011

Extra care housing, which provides housing and 24‐hour support, must be a more positive way to meet older people's needs than traditional residential care. The article explores a village model which provides substantial communal facilities and mixed‐tenure possibilities. Consideration is given to current and future developments.
Community and individual: Two perspectives on inclusion and vulnerability
Authors: Watson Lynn
Published: August 2011

This paper produced for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation explores the connections between different strands of current social policy: support to strengthen and stabilise communities and neighbourhoods, support and care for individuals living or settling in communities and the potential and willingness of communities to support and act inclusively towards people who are vulnerable or in need of particular services. It posits a central tension between ‘consumerist’ and ‘collective’ approaches to services which may be inhibiting effective policy and practice. Is this actually the case?
Neighbourhoods under stress: Is there a sense of community?
Authors: Lemos Gerard
Published: August 2011

How can policy and practice move beyond the physical location of people within a neighbourhood to the more challenging task of integrating lives within a ‘community’? This article looks at what makes community spirit, at supporting vulnerable people and at racial intolerance. Faced with the bleak outlook for some communities and the individuals in them, an attempt is made to see what could be done simply, such as identifying good practice, developing effective methods and facilitating practitioners.
Pay, people and professional development
Authors: Youern Nicola , Lim Shirley
Published: August 2011

Following a period of consultation, Southern Focus Trust implemented a skills‐related pay system (SRP) in April 2001. The system moved away from a traditional incremental scheme in favour of a system which links learning and competency to pay. Job descriptions were replaced by role profiles described in terms of ‘key results areas’ and, in turn, defined by a list of competencies linked to national vocational standards (NVQ). Newly recruited staff join the organisation at an initial ‘entry point’ before moving to an ‘anchor point’ after a period of probation. The following two and a half years provide an opportunity for staff to assess their skills against the defined competencies in concert with regular supervision and development from their manager before progressing to a ‘skills point’. The system clarifies staff expectations, focuses on learning and development needs, increases self‐esteem and self‐management and allows faster adaptation to changes in practice.
Service users and electronic service delivery in social housing, housing‐related support and social care
Authors: Pleace Nicholas , Quilgars Deborah
Published: August 2011

This article reports on research into the introduction of electronic service delivery (ESD) by social landlords, social services and charities conducted during 2000‐2001 which collected data on the progress that had been made in developing ESD. It included interviews with service users, including older people, people with a mental health problem and vulnerable young people. Potential benefits are balanced by the concerns of service users that they would be obliged to make use of ESD, which would risk the further marginalisation of some people who are often socially, politically and economically excluded.
Care standards
Authors: Bastow Claire
Published: August 2011

The Care Standards Act 2000 is designed to regulate and improve the management of residential care homes and other services. It provides a legislative framework for good practice, testing quality and enforceable minimum standards. In practice, its introduction has been difficult and providers have been closing homes. This article looks at the practical consequences for providers and identifies the positive and negative effects.
Housing advice for older people: Research review, government policy and the need for housing advice
Authors: Pannell Jenny , Blood Imogen
Published: August 2011

This briefing paper was commissioned by Help the Aged to inform a meeting held earlier this year. The recommendations from that meeting are summarised at the end of the briefing. The paper draws on the following sources: a short survey of national advice, housing and older people's organisations carried out in April 2002, a brief review of previous research reports on older people and housing advice, and a summary of current government and other initiatives relevant to older people and housing advice.
Home technology systems
Authors: Dewsbury Guy , Clarke Karen , Rouncefield Mark , Sommerville Ian
Published: August 2011

This paper considers the design of technology in domestic, or home, settings. The systems themselves have become increasingly complex and the need for dependable systems correspondingly important. The design problem is concerned less with the creation of new technical artefacts than with their effective configuration and integration. Inadequate understanding of the lived reality of use and user needs is often responsible for lack of dependability. The paper illuminates and highlights some fields for future investigation.
Assessing performance (1): An outcome monitoring model
Authors: Dutton Joanne
Published: August 2011

Measuring the outcomes of supporting housing is increasingly a concern for all supported housing providers. In the light of Supporting People and its implementation in April 2003, the need to demonstrate the effectiveness of support services has never been so great. The development of outcome monitoring by Bromford Housing Group has enabled the organisation to monitor the progress of tenants and residents receiving support and evaluate the success of the support provided to help people develop their ability to live independently. The outcome monitoring model was devised with the aid of the Housing Corporation's Innovation and Good Practice Grant programme, and was launched at a conference attended by registered social landlords and support organisations working with a variety of vulnerable clients.
Housing with Care: Initiatives in Norfolk for older people
Authors: Murray E. , Lyons R. , Miller N.
Published: August 2011

The Government has put emphasis on preventing inappropriate admissions to hospital and long‐term care and helping people to live at home. The National Service Framework for Older People focuses on promoting older people's independence and fitting services around people's needs. In this climate Housing with Care is presented as an attractive alternative to residential care, mainly for older people. Such schemes maintain people in complexes of purpose‐built flats in the community with care and support on site 24 hours a day. This article looks at the experience of Norfolk County Council in providing Housing with Care for older people.
Supporting People: Whatever next?
Authors: Miller Neil
Published: August 2011

This article contrasts the practice of implementation with the initial principles set out for the Supporting People programme. Key questions remain unanswered about long‐term funding, tenure, choice and regulation. There are fundamental issues to be addressed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and local authorities with the introduction of Supporting People Grant in April 2003.
Supporting people on the margins: Who really needs housing‐related support?
Authors: Watson Lynn , Tarpey Maryrose , Alexander Kate , Humphreys Caroline
Published: August 2011

This review for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has been carried out while government departments, local statutory authorities, provider organisations and voluntary and service user groups are still working up to the introduction of Supporting People in 2003. There is concern that the involvement of social services and health agencies in planning and service commissioning could lead to resources going into mainstream community care and health programmes, leaving less available to support those who come into Supporting People by a homelessness, housing or probation/prison route.
Supporting People: A proper contractual framework between funders, housing, support and care providers
Authors: Murray Lynne
Published: August 2011

The separation of housing from support and care services should lead to greater choice for service users. The process of separation has exposed the need for co‐ordination between housing, care and support to give a proper contractual framework of accountability and responsibility towards the tenant. This article gives some of the detail of funding, tenancy, support and agency agreements which provide the formal structure for joined‐up working.
Learning at work: A key to innovation, quality, improved performance and positive change
Authors: Spaull Jenny
Published: August 2011

Training is seen as a key to improved individual performance and service quality in a number of areas, notably social care. New regulatory standards in care include targets for staff training and qualifications. Current thinking about learning at work suggests that learning is indeed critical to improved performance, but emphasises a move away from a focus on training to an approach that embeds learning in ongoing work activity. This article explores the key lessons from the workplace learning literature and research, and considers the implications for supported housing and care organisations.
Housing for adults with a learning disability: ‘I want to choose, but they don't listen’
Authors: Gorfin Laura , Mcglaughlin Alex
Published: August 2011

The White Paper Valuing People (DoH, 2003) promises to increase choice and control for adults with a learning disability, housing being one area specifically highlighted in this respect. However, lack of knowledge about the preferences of adults with a learning disability makes it very difficult for services to be planned effectively and based on the views of the very group who will use them. This paper discusses the findings of a project which aimed to involve adults with a learning disability in service planning, by asking them to identify their own needs and preferences in relation to housing. The project clearly emphasises that adults with a learning disability are often very well able to articulate their own needs about housing, and should thus be the focus of all decisions.
Supporting People and women's refuges
Authors: Delahay Linda
Published: August 2011

Supporting People provides the opportunity to put refuge services on a firm financial footing. However, Supporting People only funds adult ‘housing‐related’ bed spaces. Children use refuge services, and the lack of funding for children's services is a big omission in the new Supporting People funding regime. This needs to be addressed both nationally and locally ‐ children have support needs too. Outreach services which provide a vital lifeline for women who do not access refuges are also absent from the funding strategy to tackle domestic violence. These services are desperately needed, and the challenge for Women's Aid and local authorities is to work together to ensure that all the needs of women and children escaping domestic violence can be properly met. The dislocation of capital and funding issues must be resolved quickly, so that much‐needed additional refuge spaces are developed and women who desperately need a safe place to stay free from violence can be accommodated.
Care home or supported housing? Pointers from the case of Alternative Futures Ltd v National Care Standards Commission
Authors: Convery Linda
Published: August 2011

In June 2003 the Care Standards Tribunal heard an appeal from Alternative Futures Limited against a decision by the National Care Standards Commission to refuse Alternative Futures' application for voluntary cancellation of the registration of 11 care homes under Section 15 (1) (b) of the Care Standards Act 2000. Alternative Futures had applied for the cancellation of registration because it felt that the homes were no longer functioning as registered residential homes but were supported housing with domiciliary care. The service users had learning disabilities and had been granted tenancies. The article summarises some of the key points of the judgement.
Extra care housing: Getting the facts straight and improving practice
Authors: Riseborough Moyra , Porteus Jeremy
Published: August 2011

In this article we first give the facts on what extra care is. Second, we make a few points on what really helps improve commissioning. The article draws on innovative and up‐to‐date material developed for the Department of Health's Housing Learning & Improvement Network by Moyra Riseborough from CURS at the University of Birmingham and Peter Fletcher of Peter Fletcher Associates. To see more about the Housing LIN and its work, readers should go to its website at www.doh.gov.uk/changeagentteam/housing‐lin.htm.
Empowering images: Using PhotoVoice with tenants with special needs
Authors: Woolrych Richard
Published: August 2011

The author has used photography to engage tenants in examining services and their lives, communities, hopes and dreams. PhotoVoice is a way of promoting active participation and dialogue, and is particularly attractive to people who have difficulty with verbal or written communication. PhotoVoice enables others to see the world as perceived and experienced by service users and is an effective way of empowering tenants and involving them in research and change strategies.
Supported housing and the law: The fractures in the housing and support partnership
Authors: Schwehr Belinda
Published: August 2011

Government policy for vulnerable people has long been to encourage as many people as possible out of care homes and into supported accommodation. This article seeks to explore some of the unforeseen legal difficulties arising out of this trend. Two have already become very apparent: first, where the question of ordinary residence arises, with regard to which authority is liable for the purchase of the additional domiciliary care, and second, for residents who may be thought to lack capacity to make a contract for the tenancy which underpins the whole arrangement. The article begins by describing two quite different arrangements for providing accommodation and support.
The housing and support needs of teenage mothers
Authors: Harding Jamie , Kirk Rachel
Published: August 2011

The Government has expressed a wish to see more supported accommodation made available to teenage parents, and has identified a number of possible models that might be employed. However, focus group discussions with young parents indicated a strong preference for self‐contained accommodation and a number of concerns associated with shared forms of housing. It was particularly important to the young people to be housed close to sources of informal support. Those forms of professional support that were most appreciated were the ones that closely replicated the help provided by family and friends.
Planning for the future with adults with a learning disability living with older carers
Authors: Gorfin Laura , McGlaughlin Alex
Published: August 2011

Planning for the future for those adults with a learning disability who live with older carers is an important aspect of the White Paper Valuing People (DoH, 2001). Indeed, such planning is essential if crisis situations are to be avoided, particularly the double shock to service users of losing their home at a time when they are also bereaved. Most research about future planning has tended to focus on the perspective of the family carer rather than that of the service user. To rectify this situation, this paper considers the findings of a project which directly sought the views of adults with a learning disability, including their experiences of living with their older carers and planning for their future housing and support. The findings demonstrate that adults with a learning disability are very aware of the likelihood of an end to family care and that they have preferences about their future housing and support. However, planning for the future can be difficult because of the mutually supportive relationships that often exist in these families.
Extra care housing: Remodelling for the future
Authors: Clarke Tony
Published: August 2011

As our population grows older and we see a new generation of older people demand services tailored for individuals, service providers have to be increasingly responsive in providing what people want and need, rather than what organisations decide to provide. The growth of Extra Care housing forms a key part of this change, offering a comprehensive housing and care service which aims to meet a range of needs in one local resource. Much of the new provision of Extra Care housing is developed from existing sheltered housing schemes. Remodelling existing schemes brings many challenges, but has significant benefits for both individuals and local communities.
Coming of age: Meeting the challenge of older homelessness
Authors: Pannell Jenny , Palmer Guy
Published: August 2011

Older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness have diverse and varied needs. Their needs are not the same as those of either younger homeless people or older people who already have secure and appropriate housing. This article explains the problems and proposes cost‐effective solutions for commissioners and providers.
Listening, learning and making change
Authors: McNally Joanne , Humphreys Caroline
Published: August 2011

This article sets out to describe the approach that Caer Las has adopted to evaluating its delivery of services to vulnerable people. It attempts to capture the work undertaken to develop a service evaluation system that is congruent with the organisation's core values. It highlights the challenges and dilemmas that emerge when a route is taken which doesn't always sit comfortably with a burdensome, prescriptive regulatory framework.
Safe Moves: Piloting prevention services for young people at risk of homelessness
Authors: Quilgars Deborah , Jones Anwen , Pleace Nicholas
Published: August 2011

Youth homelessness has been recognised as a significant social problem since the late 1980s, and local authority homelessness strategies now include preventative services as a key area of development. However, youth homelessness prevention services are a relatively recent innovation in the UK, and there is only a small literature on their effectiveness. Safe Moves, developed by the Foyer Federation and Connexions during 2002‐2004, represents the first national youth prevention model and offers young people support with life skills, peer mentoring and family mediation. An independent evaluation by the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York concluded that Safe Moves was preventing homelessness for some young people, although the challenges of establishing projects in a predominantly crisis‐orientated culture were significant.
A better future for supported housing
Authors: Molyneux Peter
Published: August 2011

The National Housing Federation's initiative, In Business for Neighbourhoods, urges all housing associations to ensure that they focus on users, to diversify funding and manage costs, while working in partnerships with others to serve the whole population of a community or neighbourhood. General‐needs housing providers can't be ‘in business for neighbourhoods’ without meeting the needs of frail older people, care leavers, people recently released from prison or women fleeing domestic violence. Providers of supported housing hold in their hands many of the tools to enable this engagement.Supported housing is the only part of the housing association sector with a clear and untainted focus on users, the only part with a rigorous focus on costs and efficiency and the only part developed through partnership, owing everything to partnership. In their report, In Business to Support People ‐ the Future of Supported Housing, Julia Unwin and Peter Molyneux argue that supported housing agencies must be allowed to find ways to grow as organisations and to cope with a highly unstable market if they are to respond effectively to the challenges posed by increasing demand for citizenship and choice.
An idea whose time has come? Mental health, social inclusion and housing
Authors: Johnson Robin
Published: August 2011

The Social Exclusion Unit's report on mental health, published in the summer of 2004, had surprisingly little to say about housing. But behind the scenes there has been a ferment of activity, and the National Institute for Mental Health for England (NIMHE) has been given the lead role in advancing all central government efforts to create a more joined‐up vision of mental health for the 21st century. NIMHE has taken the lead on implementation of the SEU's conclusions, and much more besides. A National Project Team on mental health and housing is to come together next year, with a wide‐ranging brief. This article looks at some of the issues that this new body will take on, including a new focus on research on the links between poor mental health and poor housing, and on evaluation of ‘housing‐based solutions’. As NIMHE itself is absorbed from April into the new Care Services Improvement Partnership, the prospects for linking housing with the community care modernisation agenda must be looking up.