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Housing advice for young people

I’m at risk of being homeless

If you are at risk of becoming homeless, phone the Single Point of Advice (SPOA). They can put you in touch with a social worker from Children’s Services.

  • Telephone: 01323 464222

They are open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.

What you tell us will be confidential. We will only pass it on if we think you are at risk or in danger.

Emergency help

If you can’t go home and it’s the weekend or at night, the best thing to do is find a friend or relative you can stay with.

In an emergency, you can contact the East Sussex Emergency Duty Service on:

  • Telephone: 01273 335 905

A social worker will phone you back and advise you what to do.

Working things out with your parents

Once you’ve contacted Children’s Services, we will always try to help you work things out with your parents. This is called mediation. It is often very helpful when things have got a bit out of hand at home.

Living with other members of your family

If you’re not able to return home, we may try bringing together other members of your family. This is to see if we can arrange a safe place for you to live with family.

If you can’t return home or live with a family member

If you can’t return home or live with family, you may find yourself with a choice to make. Children’s Services may have decided that you can become what we call ‘looked after’ or ‘in care’. However, if you don’t want to be looked after, there is still a lot of help and support you can get from us.

What if I choose to be looked after?

If you choose to be looked after, you will get a social worker who will help and support you. Together with your social worker, you will agree a ‘Pathway plan’.

This means you will agree what help and support you need. This will include:

  • identifying somewhere to live
  • support with other areas of your life, like your mental health or education
  • help accessing other support services like the Substance Misuse Team

Will I get benefits?

You will not get benefits if you choose to become ‘looked after’ unless you are :

  • a young parent
  • a young person with a disability or ill health.

Children’s Services will provide you with enough money to meet your needs.

You will not be entitled to Housing Benefit until you are 18, even if you are:

  • a lone parent
  • a young person with a disability or ill health.

If you are earning, you may have to contribute towards your rent.

Where will I live if I choose to be looked after?

It depends on what your needs are, but we will find you a place to live:

  • with a foster carer
  • with a supported lodgings provider
  • in supported accommodation
  • in semi-independent accommodation (in exceptional circumstances)

What if I choose not to be looked after?

If you choose not to be looked after, you will get a different type of support, but you will still get support. As a child in need, you will be allocated a social worker. They will work with you to assess your current situation and support needs to agree a support plan.

This means you will both agree what support and help you need. It will include:

  • somewhere to live
  • help applying for benefits
  • help accessing other services like the Substance Misuse Team

Where will I live if I choose not to be looked after?

We will find you a place to live based on an assessment of your needs. This could be:

  • with a supported lodgings provider
  • in supported accommodation
  • in semi-independent accommodation (in exceptional circumstances)