Good Practice Bulletin -

January 2017
Welcome to the first Good Practice Bulletin of 2017 great ideas identified by internal
audits, external service reviews and by colleagues. Please contact the service listed if
you would like further details.

Diversity and Inclusion

Muslim clients at Westminster Complex Needs Semi-independent Housing were given cards
during Eid
Manager: Jeanette Hansen

Partnership Working
Watford Womens Refuge have developed a range of close working relationships with a
range of relevant local partners, both statutory and third sector.
Manager: Marcia George

Muslim Womens Project have a named contact at their local Job Centre. Staff also plan to
undertake shadow shifts at the National Zakat Foundation to increase the teams knowledge
of their ways of working and priorities.
Manager: Javiera Mandiola-Carrasco

When the Oxford outreach service changed to become Oxford SPOT, the team gave a
presentation at the Town Hall to other providers to make them aware of what they offered.
The team now meet every three weeks with accommodation providers, the police, drugs and
alcohol services and their commissioners to discuss up to 10 outreach clients who have
complex cases, resulting in comprehensive and joined-up plans.
Manager: Suzanne Jackson

Client Information
Camden Housing First are skilled at communicating with clients in innovative and sensitive
ways working with clients literacy and lifeskills levels, to ensure they have the information
they need, when they need it.
Manager: Aly Davies

West Oxfordshire Single Homeless Pathway Project has developed an excellent short
welcome pack - with a sentence or two about key procedures with accompanying pictures
and also a section on useful numbers and services.
Manager: Catherine Forteath

Benefits
Islington Law Society has delivered training to the Islington Substance Use team and they
are recognised 'benefit first aiders'. This means that staff can give brief intervention and
support around benefit issues, either answering questions themselves or otherwise
signposting clients to other services and supporting them to access those services.
Manager: Deborah Spencer

Westminster Complex Needs Semi-independent Housing provide a comprehensive

handbook, which includes the names and contact details for all staff, including the Manager,
Regional Head and out of hours number.
Manager: Jeanette Hansen
Safeguarding and Boundaries
Camden Housing First staff maintain positive, consistent professional boundaries across the
team. They record any issues from the earliest interactions with clients, e.g. use of
inappropriate language. Clients commented that staff take the time to explain boundaries
issues e.g. not borrowing or lending money.
Manager: Aly Davies

The team at Walm Lane monitor bullying and harassment amongst residents and deal with
this quickly.
Manager: Gemma Goacher

Service Environment

At Westminster Complex Needs Semi-independent Housing, the janitor is taking a lead on

redecorating communal areas with residents who will receive time credits for their
involvement
Manager: Manager: Jeanette Hansen

Bristol SPOT team office is decorated with a mural painted by a client.

Manager: David Ingerslev

Longhills displays visual recycling guide in kitchens to encourage recycling throughout the
service.
Manager: Helen Roper

Staff Development
West Oxfordshire Single Homeless Pathway Project makes great use of team meetings,
regularly inviting guest speakers, holding team training sessions and having lunch together
afterwards.
Manager: Catherine Forteath

Oxford SPOT also hold weekly development sessions, so training can be resourced locally
(e.g. consistency in recording on CHAIN, data protection)
Manager: Suzanne Jackson

Move On
Muslim Womens Project has a structured approach to move on, with clients being given a
move-on expectations document at the start of their stay with expectations for each month,
and is maintaining relationships with Irish Causeway, Clearing House, PRS.
Manager: Javiera Mandiola-Carrasco

Customer Service
Longhills has a You said, We did board to let clients know what action has been taken in
response to complaints, compliments and suggestions.
Manager: Helen Roper

Value for Money

Watford Womens Refuge arranges for the mothers and children staying at the refuge to
have days out, including to Warwick Castle, through a charity who provide this for families.
Manager: Marcia George

Personalisation
The Oxford SPOT team has a Personalisation Worker, with a budget of around 500 per
client, which leads to better engagement from more entrenched clients.
Manager: Suzanne Jackson