Caridon Foundation
Croydon, UK
Our team of Housing Support Officers (HSO) provide each service user with 2 – 5 hours of support per week. At the initial meeting, the service user and HSO work together to complete a support plan, setting out objectives that the service user works towards. Goals are monitored using the Homelessness Outcome Star which measures progress in 10 key areas, such as the ability to manage money, physical and mental health and coping with difficult social situations. The Foundation provides in-house support services such as specialist counselling and welfare benefits advice. The team also refer service users to other specialist external organisations for complex health care, debt advice, legal advice, voluntary and employment opportunities. As well as providing tenancy support to vulnerable Caridon tenants, the Caridon Foundation accepts referrals from the Council’s Single Homelessness Service. More than 80% of our referrals have complex mental health needs and a further 40% have difficulties with drugs and alcohol. We also house ex-offenders, women fleeing domestic violence and victims of Modern-Day Slavery. As a result, there is a need for us to provide individuals with a truly holistic and tailor-made support service. The cycle of CF Service users stay with our organisation for between 6 months and 2 years, until they are ready for fully independent living. At this point our in-house resettlement officer will make referrals back to the local authority (Fast Track) for permanent affordable social housing. We also have the option of placing our clients into private rented accommodation through Caridon Property. Tenants with high support needs or chronic health conditions will be supported into 24 hour staffed accommodation or sheltered housing.
What we've received

