Part of our welcome series, this blog post explains what supported living means, both to our service users and in the wider community.
You may have seen our About Us section where we say that Unwin House is a supported living provider. But what does that mean exactly? Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of supported living yet, or if you’re not sure. We’re here to explain what supported living really means.
What is supported living?
Unwin House offers supported living, sometimes called supportive living. We support and enable those with varying degrees of mental, physical or behavioural needs to be placed in a shared living accommodation, where they receive 24 hour support.
What support is provided?
Support can be provided in a number of ways:
- Physical presence – the reassuring presence of a competent and trained adult
- Skills and behaviours – e.g., help with cooking, cleaning, budgeting
- Key Sessions – one to one meetings where goals and plans are determined
Who needs supported living?
There can be a variety of reasons that someone may qualify for supported living at Unwin House. As we work with young people between 16-25, some of the young people that are placed with us are:
- Care Leavers
- Looked After Children
- Young people with additional learning or behavioural needs
- Refugees
These young people need varying levels of support before moving on to independent or semi-independent living situations.
What are the advantages of supported living?
- Young people get to live in a home environment
- Varying levels of independence combined with support
- Shared accommodation allows individuals to build friendships with their peers
- Many young people are able to remain in their local council area, which provides a sense of stability in terms of environment, education and relationships
While we may not have covered everything, we hope we’ve provided you with some more insight into what we do and what supported living is all about. If you have any questions, you can use our contact form to find out more.
Unwin House 