Hazel Court Supported Living

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Hazel Court Supported Living's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Hazel Court Supported Living is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Blunkett signature Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett
Pickles signature Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

www.carehome.co.uk/housing.cfm/id/65432205762

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
30 | HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED LIVING
Sport is not just about
developing physical skills and
fitness
Hazel Court: a home
to be proud of
Hazel Court is a supported living facility for young people
who are classed as care leavers. Generally, these young
people have been in care and, after reaching an age
between 16 and 18, are given options of support to attain
independence. Director of Operations Janet Thompson tells
The Parliamentary Review
the facility also provide support for
those young people who have previously been homeless or who
are seeking asylum. She discusses Hazel Court’s operations in
greater detail and talks about the passion her staff team display
when it comes to working with vulnerable young people.
Hazel Court itself consists of a main satellite unit with 15 beds and a network of
independent flats. We generally support those with more complex needs who
require a higher level of care. This means they will require assistance in most
aspects of their life outside personal care. With Hazel Court as our central point,
our service provision spirals outwards to offer different types of support. This
includes what is classed as standard supported accommodation, in which young
people share a house with support, and floating support, which constitutes the
resettlement of young people followed by occasional weekly visits.
We also operate a set of houses that are used as emergency accommodation
and another set for care leavers with complex and behavioural needs. They may
be able to live in a small group but their needs, be they mental health issues or
addiction issues, require a daily package of support. In order to ensure we can
provide the right package and environment for each person, we have a range of
accommodation types, to ensure the best placement based on their specific needs.
FACTS ABOUT
HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED
LIVING
»Director of Operations:
Janet Thompson
»Established in 1999
»Based in Manchester
»Services: Supported living for
vulnerable young people
»No. of employees: 45
»https://www.carehome.co.uk/
housing.cfm/id/65432205762
Hazel Court
Supported Living
31HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED LIVING |
CARE
The people we support are referred
to us from public services, generally
the emergency and social services.
This is not true for everyone, however,
and sometimes they are referred
from another facility which has
identified that it cannot provide an
adequate level of care to meet the
person’sneeds.
Assessing the needs of each
individual
One of our key strengths, and
something which is essential in our
field, is our ability to carefully and
effectively placement match who
can productively live together. If this
decision is wrong, negative behaviours
will accelerate, so it is essential that
proper risk assessments are completed
and the right decision is made. Our
model is person-centred and studies
the individual requirements of
everyone who we support. This does
not mean we are risk-averse; rather,
it is important to make calculated
risk assessments and encourage
independence with guidance. Informed
choices are essential to get the
bestresults.
Our staff are exceptionally skilled in
this field, especially when dealing with
people who other organisations have
deemed to be too high risk for their
provisions. They may have criminal
pasts or be young offenders, and while
not everyone is willing to take a risk
with them, we believe it is crucial that
they can receive emotional support as
well as guidance on the practicalities of
independent life.
It is a wonderful moment when
someone can progress away from
full support and begin to embrace
independence. We are incredibly proud
that we can make a difference within
a young person’s life, to help them get
their lives back on track and flourish
into adulthood.
A strong culture of training
All of these efforts are supported by
an effective internal training policy.
We are not registered with the CQC or
Ofsted but are governed by Placements
North West and so must conform to
their mandatory training requirements.
Rather than simply conforming
to these minimum requirements,
however, we go much further and
pride ourselves on our in-depth
learning disability training alongside
the training we offer in communication
as well as sport and remedial therapy
options. All our staff are trained in
nutrition and independence skills and
this is complemented by a number
of our employees holding specific
sporting therapy roles, an important
outlet for individuals to get out into
the community and remain active.
Alongside our regular provision,
we have also trained our staff in a
number of alternative therapies. We
focus on the development of mental
health skills and have created an
advanced multiskill mix in addition
to the requirements of the NVQ.
This is supported by training and
development in health and safety,
including up to Level 7 NVQs
formanagement.
Our gym helps
young people to
show dedication and
commitment, helping
them to overcome
mental barriers
One of our
key strengths
is our ability to
carefully and
effectively
placement
match
“
“
BEST PRACTICE SPONSOR 2020
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
30 | HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED LIVING
Sport is not just about
developing physical skills and
fitness
Hazel Court: a home
to be proud of
Hazel Court is a supported living facility for young people
who are classed as care leavers. Generally, these young
people have been in care and, after reaching an age
between 16 and 18, are given options of support to attain
independence. Director of Operations Janet Thompson tells
The Parliamentary Review
the facility also provide support for
those young people who have previously been homeless or who
are seeking asylum. She discusses Hazel Court’s operations in
greater detail and talks about the passion her staff team display
when it comes to working with vulnerable young people.
Hazel Court itself consists of a main satellite unit with 15 beds and a network of
independent flats. We generally support those with more complex needs who
require a higher level of care. This means they will require assistance in most
aspects of their life outside personal care. With Hazel Court as our central point,
our service provision spirals outwards to offer different types of support. This
includes what is classed as standard supported accommodation, in which young
people share a house with support, and floating support, which constitutes the
resettlement of young people followed by occasional weekly visits.
We also operate a set of houses that are used as emergency accommodation
and another set for care leavers with complex and behavioural needs. They may
be able to live in a small group but their needs, be they mental health issues or
addiction issues, require a daily package of support. In order to ensure we can
provide the right package and environment for each person, we have a range of
accommodation types, to ensure the best placement based on their specific needs.
FACTS ABOUT
HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED
LIVING
»Director of Operations:
JanetThompson
»Established in 1999
»Based in Manchester
»Services: Supported living for
vulnerable young people
»No. of employees: 45
»https://www.carehome.co.uk/
housing.cfm/id/65432205762
Hazel Court
Supported Living
31HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED LIVING |
CARE
The people we support are referred
to us from public services, generally
the emergency and social services.
This is not true for everyone, however,
and sometimes they are referred
from another facility which has
identified that it cannot provide an
adequate level of care to meet the
person’sneeds.
Assessing the needs of each
individual
One of our key strengths, and
something which is essential in our
field, is our ability to carefully and
effectively placement match who
can productively live together. If this
decision is wrong, negative behaviours
will accelerate, so it is essential that
proper risk assessments are completed
and the right decision is made. Our
model is person-centred and studies
the individual requirements of
everyone who we support. This does
not mean we are risk-averse; rather,
it is important to make calculated
risk assessments and encourage
independence with guidance. Informed
choices are essential to get the
bestresults.
Our staff are exceptionally skilled in
this field, especially when dealing with
people who other organisations have
deemed to be too high risk for their
provisions. They may have criminal
pasts or be young offenders, and while
not everyone is willing to take a risk
with them, we believe it is crucial that
they can receive emotional support as
well as guidance on the practicalities of
independent life.
It is a wonderful moment when
someone can progress away from
full support and begin to embrace
independence. We are incredibly proud
that we can make a difference within
a young person’s life, to help them get
their lives back on track and flourish
into adulthood.
A strong culture of training
All of these efforts are supported by
an effective internal training policy.
We are not registered with the CQC or
Ofsted but are governed by Placements
North West and so must conform to
their mandatory training requirements.
Rather than simply conforming
to these minimum requirements,
however, we go much further and
pride ourselves on our in-depth
learning disability training alongside
the training we offer in communication
as well as sport and remedial therapy
options. All our staff are trained in
nutrition and independence skills and
this is complemented by a number
of our employees holding specific
sporting therapy roles, an important
outlet for individuals to get out into
the community and remain active.
Alongside our regular provision,
we have also trained our staff in a
number of alternative therapies. We
focus on the development of mental
health skills and have created an
advanced multiskill mix in addition
to the requirements of the NVQ.
This is supported by training and
development in health and safety,
including up to Level 7 NVQs
formanagement.
Our gym helps
young people to
show dedication and
commitment, helping
them to overcome
mental barriers
One of our
key strengths
is our ability to
carefully and
effectively
placement
match
“
“
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
32 | HAZEL COURT SUPPORTED LIVING
These initiatives have led to our staff
becoming extremely experienced
and we do not often employ those
without this essential experience. This
does not necessarily mean academic
achievement; instead, we look for an
understanding of the system and life
experience that can contribute to the
effective support of the individuals we
care for.
Greater funding leads to
wider change
In our local area of Manchester, there
has been a recent and concerted
effort to help support the homeless
and make sure they are able to
access suitable accommodation. As
we deal with care leavers who are,
or previously were, homeless, we
welcome these efforts but would like
to see more done. If more support is
given to the homeless, especially the
young homeless, our own efforts will
be supplemented, and we will be able
to contribute to a much wider change.
Beyond this, we would like to see
more funds invested in young people’s
services, especially in terms of focusing
on mental health support. Not only
do we cater for physical needs but we
also work to provide total support,
including therapy and mental health
support that goes beyond the basic
requirements of care. Mental health
issues can often be underestimated,
and their impacts can be clear.
Many of those we support had no
record of their mental health issues
until they became homeless, and
earlier interventions can prevent this
happening. We see ourselves as a
service that tries to cover all aspects of
support, but this is costly: it is far easier
to simply place someone in supported
lodgings than try to tackle the root of
their issues.
We are working to acknowledge
these issues, and, in the future, we
are planning to invest in the higher
end of complex needs and expand our
model. We would like to progress into
mother-and-baby units, ensuring we
can provide support to two vulnerable
people at the same time. This will
take place alongside our work with
unaccompanied asylum seekers and
we feel if we continue to develop our
services, and consolidate the progress
we have made, we will be able to
support a larger range of people
regardless of their individual needs.
Believe and
achieve in
these young
people
“
“
Our staff continually
look for ways to
improve their own
base of knowledge and
expertise, positioning
them well to unlock the
true potential of our
young people

www.carehome.co.uk/housing.cfm/id/65432205762

This article was sponsored by Hazel Court Supported Living. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it. The publication in which this article originally appeared contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss.

Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss

Even by the standards of the day –this has been one of the most exciting and unpredictable years in British politics.

The leadership election we’ve just seen marks a huge moment in our country’s history. This government is taking a decisive new direction, embracing the opportunities of Brexit and preparing our country to flourish outside the EU.

As international trade secretary, I’ll be driving forward work on the free trade agreements that are going to be a priority for the government. Free trade isn’t just an abstract concept bandied around by technocrats. It is crucial for a strong economy and for the ability of families to make ends meet. Free trade benefits people in every part of our country, as British firms export to new markets and people doing the weekly shop have access to a wider choice of goods at lower prices.

The essence of free trade is in the title: freedom. It’s about giving people the power to exchange their goods without heavy government taxation or interference. Commerce and free exchange are the engine room of prosperity and social mobility. I’m determined to tackle the forces who want to hold that back.

One of my priorities is agreeing an exciting new free trade deal with the US, building on the great relationship between our two countries and the Prime Minister and US President. But I’ll also be talking to other partners including New Zealand, Australia and fast-growing Asian markets.

And with the EU too, we want a friendly and constructive relationship, as constitutional equals, and as friends and partners in facing the challenges that lie ahead – a relationship based on a deep free trade agreement. Our country produces some of the world’s most successful exports, and the opportunity to bring these to the rest of the world should make us all excited about the future. It is this excitement, optimism and ambition which I believe will come to define this government.

For too long now, we have been told Britain isn’t big or important enough to survive outside the EU – that we have to accept a deal that reflects our reduced circumstances. I say that’s rubbish. With the right policies in place, we can be the most competitive, free-thinking, prosperous nation on Earth exporting to the world and leading in new developments like AI. To do that, we’ll give the brilliant next generation of entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed. Since 2015, there has been a staggering 85 per cent rise in the number of businesses set up by 18 to 24 year olds – twice the level set up by the same age group in France and Germany. We’ll help them flourish by championing enterprise, cutting taxes and making regulation flexible and responsive to their needs.

As we do that, we’ll level up and unite all parts of the UK with great transport links, fibre broadband in every home and proper school funding, so everyone shares in our country’s success.

2019 has been the year of brewing economic and political revolution. 2020 will be the year when a revitalised Conservative government turbo charges the economy, boosts prospects for people across the country, and catapults Britain back to the forefront of the world stage.



Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss
Secretary of State for International Development