Nationally there is no single agreed definition of “Housing with Care”. This Strategy takes “Housing with Care” to mean any scheme where housing, support and care services are provided with the purpose of enabling the person to live as independently as possible in their community.
Within Staffordshire, Housing with Care may be for adults with emerging social care needs where Housing with Care can prevent, reduce, and delay the need for care, as well as for adults with existing social care needs where Housing with Care has a role in maximising their independence and quality of life.
The table below sets out the scope of this Strategy
| Type of service/support | In Scope |
|---|
| Nursing and residential care homes |
No |
| Extra care housing schemes |
Yes |
| Supported living schemes |
Yes |
| Retirement living schemes without care and support |
No |
| Housing with care requirements for people adult social care needs in relation to: Homelessness and Rough Sleeping |
Yes |
| Shared Lives |
Yes |
| Major and minor adaptations including Disabled Facilities Grants |
Yes |
| Sheltered housing without care |
No |
| Other social care delivered in people’s own homes |
No |
| General Housing needs for people with adult social care needs |
Yes |
In developing this Strategy, we have considered the work of the national Housing Learning and Improvement Network, who highlight good practice across the country.
Staffordshire County Council, with our strategic partners, want to provide Housing with Care that have good equality and diversity practices and ensure that the services that are provided to people are accessible and fair to everyone involved, including service users and care providers. This helps everyone feel like they are treated equally and that they get the respect and dignity that they deserve.
We will deliver equity within the Housing with Care services that we provide so that people, irrespective of their sex, gender, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation, have fair and equal access.