The report explained that over the past five years East Sussex County Council had begun important work to modernise the ways in which support services are provided to all vulnerable people.
In summary, the Audit Commission declared the council was delivering, “a fair, one-star Supporting People programme with promising prospects for improvement.” These conclusions are important because of the direct impact the ‘Supporting People’ programme has on vulnerable people in East Sussex.
If you’ve lived on the streets, the move into accommodation can be very difficult to manage. Likewise, if you’ve fled from domestic violence, the first few months coping on your own in a new home can be very hard.
Given the right support, however, vulnerable people can resettle in a new home and start to rebuild their life.
The Audit Commission report noted “convincing evidence of the impact and cost effectiveness of Supporting People services in the county.” It also stated that “…the current supply of services is easy to access and is highly regarded by service users.”
Sára Kulay, Lead Housing Inspector for the South East Region, said of ‘Supporting People’ in East Sussex,
‘The Council and its partners have made some progress in improving the quality of housing-related support for vulnerable people in East Sussex. For example, they have successfully extended the range of services for young people and increased access to floating support.
'But some aspects of the programme, such as strategy development, have been slower to develop and the overall supply of services remains comparatively low. However, based on progress so far, we are confident that the partnership can address the challenges ahead.'
Councillor Bentley, lead member for adult social care, said,
“Everyone should have a place they can call home. Somewhere to feel safe, and comfortable. That’s why ‘Supporting People’ is so important – these services help people to manage on their own, to live their own lives. I’m pleased with this inspection result. Although we still have a way to go, we are improving and we will continue to respond positively to the challenge.”
Notes to editors
- Vulnerable people that are helped through the Supporting People programme include older people, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities, people with mental health problems, people with substance abuse problems, refugees, travellers and ex-offenders.
- The ‘Supporting People’ grant is managed by East Sussex County Council in partnership with a range of other organisations, including the five local district and borough councils, health and probation services. For 2007/8, the programme had a budget of £11.6m, and it funded 215 housing-related services across the county.
- The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively, to achieve high quality local services for the public. Its remit covers around 11,000 bodies in England, which between them spend more than £180 billion of public money each year. Its work covers local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services.
Reference:
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