SCSH Briefing

June 2002

Floating Support in Scotland

Influencing Change

This is the 4th briefing from the hact national Floating Support project in Scotland. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, publication of The Housing Support Standards in February 2002 and imminent implementation of Supporting People are brief examples of landmark changes which have influenced the project. These reforms can be summarised by the phrase a change in culture and have, in some ways, dictated the project’s progress. The main work has been: supporting service providers and planners to understand the changes and their impact: raising awareness/creating interest in developing Floating Support and finding ways to sustain the place of Floating Support in local and national debate after 2002.

There are 2 parts to this briefing:

• an overview of the ‘change in culture’

• an outline of the scope for Floating Support

What is a Change in Culture

A change in culture implies radical transformation – change at many levels – from delivery to strategy. This briefing limits its focus to governance and practice. Governance, outlined in the paragraph above comprises legislative mechanisms that will bring in a change in culture. The principles behind the Acts also impact on practice: the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places greater emphasis on Equal Opportunities and increased tenants rights and participation (service planning and delivery). The Housing Support Standards, published in February 2002, as part of the Regulation of Care Act 2001, contain qualitative indicators capable of measuring what the person feels the support has done for them. Both these examples demonstrate how governance is placing greater emphasis on the person in receipt of services. This shift away from professional determinism to person centred services meeting the client’s wishes and lifestyles is also indicated in Supporting People. Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran notes that practice funded by Supporting People will:

"be provided to people in their own homes. I would hope this service will be responsive to the real needs of people and not just what professionals think these needs are" (Source: Supporting People Newsletter Number 2)

A press release about Supporting People indicates the type of practice activities expected

Housing support services cover practical measures such as:

• help in setting up a tenancy

• help with safety and security

• developing budgeting/domestic/life skills

• counselling and emotional support

• advice, advocacy and liaison with other agencies

(Source: Scottish Executive Press Release 26th February 2001)

The breadth of change extends over legislation and practice but it has a commonality – an approach which gives choices to people with support needs and increases their opportunities to be included. As the current vision of a change in culture takes root, confidence at local level is crucial. During the work of the hact Floating Support project it has been clear that Local Authorities, housing and service providers are making a significant commitment to changing the way they think about, plan and deliver services. National policy makers play their part in new practice development by assuring providers who already embrace the criteria of change that there is a place for them in this framework. They also take account of changing resources required to participate effectively in this process e.g. training in new ways of working: meeting the requirements of regulations, ensuring service user involvement.

Floating Support and a change in culture

The sub heading of this briefing, ‘influencing change’ refers to the understanding that Floating Support stakeholders are important players in the housing support debate and a significant force for delivering this change. The genesis of Floating Support was rooted in a change of culture. In the 1980’s it was a novel approach to housing support provision. Advocates listened to the people they supported and provided support that followed the person – the link of support and accommodation was broken. This assisted service users to have choices about where they lived. In the 1980’s though, there was a missing ingredient – the ability to market itself successfully. This has changed. In the intervening decades, the vision of Floating Support has remained consistent to its founding ideals but the model has become more robust, and more transparent. In the 1990’s it was also noted that Floating Support went beyond service delivery: in Findings Housing Research 206 published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation the researcher states:

"Floating Support is support provided from a central point which may be short term to assist the tenant services in becoming more independent or it might be a management approach to make the most cost effective use of support resources"

This is a crucial point for the current debate. Floating Support is an innovative model at 2 levels the way the services are provided and its strategic framework. Scottish Floating Support practice demonstrates this further in that:

it is based on the aims of

• promoting independent living

• providing support to a person wherever they live. The break away from a tenancy based condition on the support means that integrated packages are set in place. This can help in providing advocacy prior to setting up tenancies through to a time where the service user and provider decide that the support is no longer required.

it has philosophical principles

• created from a person centred approach the person is involved in planning and shaping the support outcomes

it has an inbuilt capacity to make a strategic contribution which means

• it is capable of service planning as well as delivery

• the focus on joint working and partnership provides a unified central framework for bringing providers and types of support together

Conclusion

There is uncertainty about the outcomes of the change in culture. So using a tried and tested model of support that fits the vision is logical. Floating Support practice is well suited to the change in culture. There is a core of practice present which already demonstrates that it meets the criteria for change. It is strengthened by and can also contribute to Best Value. Supporting People, housing support standards and the joint futures agenda. Its core values are a template for the good practice which will be required in mainstream housing support. As such, Floating Support providers are well placed to influence change as well as encouraging its further development.

© 2002 Scottish Council for Single Homeless