Young tenants praise landlord plan

YOUNG people leaving care and asylum seekers at risk of homelessness feel safer and better supported living with host families in a “supported accommodation” scheme than with other types of care, a new study has found.

The supported accommodation initiative accommodates young people at risk of homelessness, young people leaving care and unaccompanied asylum seekers aged 16 to 18. These individuals are placed with host families who help them develop the skills necessary for independent living.

A. report From the UK charity Home for Good and Safe Families, Voices of Supported AccommodationsAt a time when youth homelessness is soaring, young people in supported hostels are more likely to be in education, employment and training than other young people leaving care, he says.

230 young people were interviewed for the research; most of them (92 percent) said they felt safe from exploitation. Eighty-nine percent said they had a good relationship with their host and 84 percent said their stay felt like home. More than two-thirds said they preferred it to other types of accommodation and care they had experienced.

Three-quarters of those interviewed were in care and almost a quarter came from another country.

The three young people conceived the work together for the charity and wrote in the foreword: “Supported hostels are more than just a roof over our heads. A place where we can grow. For 84% of young people like us, supported accommodation helps them reach their goals. “It may not be right for everyone, but supported accommodation can have a really positive impact and we want to make sure the opportunity to live here is offered to as many young people as possible.”

According to government figures, there has been a 54 per cent increase in homelessness among young people leaving care and a 42 per cent increase in the number of unaccompanied refugee children in need of care.

The number of local authorities offering supported accommodation has increased since 2021, but this is still an exception. Hosts can be families, couples or single individuals and are paid for the accommodation and support they provide. One care leaver described their accommodation as “ideal” because “people weren’t spying on me, but they were kind of spying on me.”

Young asylum seeker Mariama lives with her host and family after traveling alone from Sierra Leone to the UK. He said: “Safety is a huge benefit of supported accommodation. Living with my landlord and his family makes me feel safe. If I lived alone, I would have no one to turn to on weekends when support workers were unavailable. But thanks to my hosts, I always have someone to call if I need help.

“Moving to a new country is difficult and having a supportive environment like this helps you get back on your feet and understand life in the UK.”

But the survey found young asylum seekers were less likely than other groups to say they were understood by their hosts, and the report calls for appropriate training for providers.

The charity’s co-CEO Tarn Bright also hosted. He said: “As a supported hostel host, I have witnessed the huge challenges young people can face. Offering a room in our home and embracing a young person as family has been a humbling and rewarding experience. Whether it is time, conversation or shared space, the act of giving brings unexpected joy. “In return, I gained understanding, insight and, in some cases, lifelong friendships.”

The charity is calling on the Government to publish new guidance on supported accommodation based on young people’s experiences and launch a national recruitment campaign for landlords. Young people also need a clear “action plan” to help them prepare for living alone, it said.