Key Criteria
& Forms
Criteria for Occupancy at The Key
– Application open to male residents, 30 years – 64 years with a history of substance misuse.
– The Service offer is one of transitional housing support and not harm reduction or safe spaces. It should not replace, duplicate or complicate any other specialist need provision that may be higher on need level than substance misuse.
– Must have a strong willing & commitment to become drug and or alcohol free.
– Demonstration of a clear commitment to Recovery with a willingness to engage in a planned, appropriate and agreed period of support.
– Ability & willingness to manage on a day-to-day basis with background support. The level of which may vary according to individual needs, however it should not replace any reduction or removal of any other specialist care packages outside of substance misuse.
– Ability to manage any prescribed medication independently.
– A willingness not to stay away from unit for two consecutive nights. Any requests for staying away from The Key overnight must be made to the management team and not requested in an adhoc or casual manner or on impulse on the day.
– No visitors staying overnight.
– Accommodation is mostly to be financed by Housing Benefit. However this will depend on a residents own financial circumstances. A weekly charge will be applicable to the resident for utilities payable direct to The Key administration staff, this will be a “service charge”.
Responsibilities for residents of The key - House Rules
– We try to keep house rules to a minimum. However, for the safety and comfort of all, the following house rules apply in all units of accommodation:
– Support staff regarding your Housing Benefit claims
– Pay your service charge on time and direct to The Key administration staff
– Co-operate in The Key’s support package, this will consist of a needs/risk assessment and support plan with your keyworker and regularly meetings with your keyworker
– To observe, respect and adhere to the one-to-one model on offer at The Key
– Treat other residents, staff and visitors to the building with respect
– Physical or verbal aggression will not be tolerated whether towards staff other residents or visitors
– Equal opportunities Operative within the premises allows everyone regardless of race gender, religion etc. a right to be treated with respect and dignity. Any breach of this Operative could be considered to be a breach of the licence agreement.
– Treat the building with respect and cause no wilful damage to it
– Bring no objects or items that could be used as a weapon into The Key.
– Observe fire drills and procedures
– Report any maintenance problems to staff
– Be fully responsible for their own personal possessions
– Adhere to random drug testing
– Not to use alcohol, drugs or any medication on the premises only to use GP prescribed. Any bought over the counter medication purchases should be disclosed to your keyworker.
– Adhere to random alcohol testing via breathalyser
– No illegal drugs/paraphernalia or alcohol are allowed on the premises
– Sexual intimate relationships between residents are not deemed as appropriate in this setting
– Care and consideration for other residents and neighbours must be shown at all times
– Noise must be kept to a minimum at all times, but especially after 10pm
– Residents should be in the house by 11.00pm on weekdays and at weekend unless unavoidably delayed or by prior arrangement with keyworker. Curfew must be adhered to at all times and access to property will be denied after curfew.
– If keys are lost a replacement charge of £10 will be payable
– Residents are only allowed to smoke in designated areas and not in the Apartments at The Key
– If you are absent from the property for longer than 24 hours and we have not heard from you and we are unable to contact you , we will assume that you have left the unit and your residency
– No overnight guests
– No pets
Personalised Action Plans may include:
– Motivation, responsibility and ownership of process
– Self-care and living skills
– Managing money
– Social networks and relationships
– Relapse/re-offending prevention awareness
– Emotional support
– Promotion of health & wellbeing
– Physical health
– Improving confidence and self-efficacy
– Emotional & mental health
– Develop tenancy management skills
– Applications to other housing providers to find alternative future accommodation
– Reducing offending
– Access to employment, education resources and reduce barriers to these
– Behaviour management
– Develop domestic / life skills
– Budget awareness and management
– Facilitate access to community services
– Establish community links
– Assistance in developing social contacts and activities
Referral Routes:
Referral Protocol:
– Self-referral
– Community Recovery Teams
– Rehabilitation Projects
– Probation
– Social Services
– Social Landlords e.g. One Vision
– Prisons
Contact via telephone initially and appointment to visit The Key will be offered to discuss aims and objectives goals of the perspective a “navigation appointment”. After this meeting if it is appropriate an appointment will be offered for a comprehensive assessment and induction to be carried out. If the referral is appropriate and a vacancy exists at this point a unit of accommodation will be offered. If a vacancy does not exist the referral will be put on a waiting list for consideration for when a vacancy becomes available.
Admission Process:
Appeals:
– Time period given for acceptance of accommodation offer to allow an informed decision to be made by perspective resident
– Agree date for admission
– Licence agreement signed
– Housing benefit form completed and submitted
– Induction and support plan drawn up
On refusal of entry into the housing programme an appeal can be made in writing within 10 working days. Once the written appeal is received by The Key, an appeal meeting will be arranged with a senior manager and the applicant and or the referring agency. This meeting will offer an opportunity to state why they disagreed with the decision. An appeal decision will be made within 3 working days and offered in writing.
Confidentiality:
All information given to a Keyworker at The Key, whether it is provided by the resident or from other sources; will be regarded as confidential. The information can only be given to another person/persons in the following circumstances:
When the resident has given their permission to discuss information with others (this includes shared confidentiality between staff at The Key which will aid support plans and or other agencies/support networks on a professional need to know basis).
Information sharing will only be given on a need to know basis and only with the resident’s permission. All residents should be assured that staff will not share this information simply because permission has been given; professional discretion and authority level will be always applied to each resident and information shared.
When the information shared from residents to staff, gives good cause to believe that the safety of a resident or another person may be at risk, staff must inform a senior colleague immediately. In an emergency it is accepted that this may not always be possible and that it may be necessary to breach the genera rules of confidentiality. This may include, chid protection issues, or that you are a risk to yourself or at risk of harming others.
Staff members are not expected to keep information about residents, even if the person concerned asked them to do so. Secrets shared between staff and residents can quite easily lead into compromising situations and can disperse professional boundaries.
Staff and residents cannot exchange nor offer gifts, loans or assistance outside of professional services on offer at The Key.
