Referrals
Eligibility Criteria
Prospective service users that wish to apply for supported accommodation provided by New Start must have identified support needs surrounding their ability to manage and sustain their own tenancy.
Generally New Starts services are accessible to vulnerable adults who may have:
- A history of homelessness or are currently homeless
- An enduring mental illness
- A drug and/or alcohol problem (but must be willing and committed to tackling their issues and addiction(s)
- A history of offending
- Are in treatment, and in need of further support and safe accommodation that will aid them to remain drug and/or alcohol free.
Applying to New Start
To make an application to New Start a referral form can be requested from:
49 Prospect Vale
Fairfield
Liverpool
L6 8PF
Tel: 0151 281 8808
Fax: 0151 281 8808
Alternatively you can click to download:
New Start Referral Form
Application Process
Once a referral form has been received by New Starts sorting office it will be processed and added to the waiting list. Applications are prioritised using a ‘points system’ to which points are awarded to applications using a pre-defined scoring scale. The total number of points scored by an applicant determines their priority for accommodation, and their position within the waiting list.
An applicants’ position at any one time will depend on:
- Allocations of accommodation to service users at the top of the waiting list
- New applicants joining the waiting list; and/or
- Changes in the circumstances of existing applicants.
This process ensures a fair and transparent system for ranking applications.
Needs and Risk Assessment
If a service user is considered to be suitable to receive a service from New Start, an appointment will be made for the service user and a representative(s) to meet with one of the support team for an in-depth needs and risk assessment.
From the assessment New Start will be able to establish:
- If the applicant is suitable to reside in one of New Starts schemes,
- What support needs the applicant has,
- Which scheme will most suitable to meet their needs,
- All identified risks the service user may pose to themselves, others or risks that others may pose to them.
This process ensures safety and risk management procedures can be implemented to reduce, manage or eliminate risk.
If an applicant is assessed by the organisation, but is deemed not suitable for any of the schemes New Start provide, the referral agency will be notified and given a full explanation of how the decision was reached. They will then be signposted to alternative agencies that may be more suitable to meet the needs of the applicant in question.
Referrals