Southern Housing Group gets 'A' rating from Kent County Council

Nov 10, 2008
By Hannah Wooderson

Southern Housing Group has been awarded a prestigious 'A' rating from Kent County Council for its supported housing service provision.

This is the first time that the Group has achieved this honour, for looking after its older residents at Beaver Court, Ashford; Coombe Court, Dover and Snowdown Court in Aylesham.

There are six objectives which all services must meet at a minimum level (of a 'C' rating). To achieve an 'A' rating Southern Housing Group performed outstandingly in all of the following objectives: the provision of a needs and a risk assessment; support planning; health and safety; protection from abuse; fair access and diversity and a complaints procedure. They also successfully achieved the supplementary objective of empowerment.

Celia Robinson, Southern Housing Group’s Supported Housing Manager, says that she is very proud of the managers, staff and all of the residents at its east Kent sheltered housing schemes.

“It is a fantastic achievement and a credit to the managers and staff at Southern Housing Group who manage these sheltered schemes. The rating is also down to our residents who gave positive feedback about our service to Kent County Council’s Supporting People Team.”

She added that, "the South Region's Older Persons Service Manager, Sherri Foedisch together with the Scheme Managers Ann Laight, Carol Smith and Theresa Small and Caretaker Harry Ferris have worked exceptionally hard to receive this 'A' rating.

Very few services achieve this level of accreditation and we will be seeking to share the experiences with managers from other Southern Housing Group Supported Housing Schemes so that we can improve our performance across all of our Supported Housing Services."

Celia said that Kent County Council's review highlighted some excellent practice in our schemes with high levels of resident involvement and empowerment which reaches out into local communities. Our scheme managers regularly offer advice and support services to other elderly people living near to our schemes and this is an area of good practice that we encourage and support. "It aids community cohesion and encourages involvement in the community from residents who may otherwise feel isolated."

Kent County Council's Head of Supporting People Claire Martin said: "My congratulations go to the managers and staff of the east Kent schemes. It is so important that older people are given the support that they need to live an independent and happy life."

Southern Housing Group holds supported housing contracts with 13 Local Authorities and County Councils throughout southern England and throughout London. Each contract is monitored and reviewed regularly by the Local Authority Supporting People team in the area.
Source: 24 Dash