Supported lodgings is where you live with someone who will help you to learn the skills you'll need to eventually live on your own. It's not the same as living with a foster carer. You'll have more responsibility and be treated like an adult.
Where to live when you leave care
Supported lodgings
How supported lodgings works
You'll pay a little bit of money each week towards food and things. That way it feels like it would if you were renting your own place.
There are lots of things you need to think about when you live on your own. Like making sure your house isn't too much of a mess, and that you have clean clothes to wear. With supported lodgings, you can get used to doing those things for yourself.
It's okay if it takes you a little while to get used to doing them. Supported lodgings is about giving you a chance to learn about taking care of yourself, your belongings, and your home, while also knowing that the person you're living with can help if you need it. So whether it's a question about cooking food, sorting out your money, catching a bus to town, making an appointment, or anything else you might want to know, you've got someone there to help you.
The license agreement
The licence agreement is an agreement between you and the person you're living with (the supported lodgings 'provider'). It's there to make sure you're both happy and comfortable living together.
The agreement will cover things like:
- respecting the provider and their property
- not swearing or using bad language
- cleaning and doing laundry
- staying out late/overnight
- bringing friends or partners home
- food shopping and cooking meals
- not being loud, disruptive or playing music late at night
What to do if you want to try supported lodgings
You can speak to your personal advisor if you think you'd like to try supported lodgings.
They'll arrange for you to have a chat with someone from the supported lodgings team. You'll chat to them so they can find out more about you, and the sort of person you'd like to live with.
They'll then go away and look at all of our supported lodgings providers to find someone who they think you're a good match with.
Once they've found a provider, you'll get to meet them to see if you get on. It's okay if you want to meet them quite a few times before you decide if you'd like to live with them. It's really important that wherever you end up, you're happy, so you can take your time making a choice.