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Supporting People, set up in 2003, provides a policy and funding framework for voluntary organisations, Local Authorities and Housing Associations to provide housing help and advice to the most vulnerable people in Wales. It is centred on supporting independent living.

Those most affected are:

• Older people who live in sheltered accommodation
• Women escaping domestic abuse
• Young people leaving care

Speaking at the annual Cymorth Cymru Conference in Cardiff the Deputy Minister urged organisations that support vulnerable people to take part in the consultation.

Ms Davies said that the recession made this is a crucial time for housing and the challenges have never been greater for both people in need of housing and the public sector.

Ms Davies said:

The Strategy will allow us to target our resources more effectively. Budget pressures make it more important that we have a strategic focus.

This Strategy and the Ten Year Homelessness Plan sit under the National Housing Strategy. All three documents are built on the same complimentary principles and are now out for consultation.

The Deputy Minister added:

The Supporting People Strategy aims to provide a long-term strategic vision. It sets the context and direction for the Supporting People programme over the next five years.

The aims of the strategy are to:

• Use housing support as part of a range of innovative approaches to social care
• Address underlying needs of individuals
• Tackle the underlying causes of repeat homelessness
• Support the sector to improve service delivery and increase the strategic focus

Welcoming the consultation, Joy Kent, Director of Cymorth Cymru, the representative body for providers of housing-related support, said:

The Supporting People programme is central to the development and sustainability of many support and care services in Wales, including those working with vulnerable young people and individuals and families affected by disabilities, homelessness, domestic violence and health problems.

The consultation document will set out the Deputy Minister’s vision for the future of Supporting People in Wales, and Cymorth welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.

Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Social Services added:

The launch of the Supporting People Strategy is a significant step towards providing crucial support to some of the most vulnerable people in society. The consultation will give us the opportunity to gain important feedback from a number of different organisations so that we can build on our achievements so far.

The consultation closes on 12th May 2009. An Action Plan will then be developed with all partners, including service users, and will provide more detail on how the Supporting People programme moves forward.

Related Links

http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/housingcommunity/supportingpeople/?lang=en

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/housing/?lang=en