Case Study: Empowering Families through Collaborative Support.

Introduction:

David, a single father of five children, faced a challenging journey to provide a stable and nurturing environment for his family. This case study highlights the remarkable collaborative efforts made by various agencies to support David and his children, ensuring they remained within their essential support network while navigating complex benefit and housing issues.

Background:

In 2017, David was entrusted with full custody of his five children due to a safeguarding order against their mother. This significant responsibility was compounded by the fact that all five children were within one year of each other in age. To further complicate matters, David was subject to a benefit cap, making it difficult to secure suitable housing.

Housing Placement:

David was discharged into private rented accommodation, strategically located in his local area to maintain a vital support network of immediate family. His proactive engagement with tenant support services ensured that the benefit cap grace period was applied, considering his previous employment.

Proactive Engagement:

Over the next four years, David remained committed to engaging with housing support services. This collaboration was pivotal in securing discretionary housing payments to cover rent shortfalls, thereby safeguarding his family's stability.

Educational Challenges:

As time went on, David's son began to exhibit behavior challenges at school. Through the rapport he had built with the housing support service, David reached out for additional support. The school's evidence identified a strong claim for Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which was subsequently awarded.

Positive Outcomes:

With the successful award of DLA for Davids child, the benefit cap was removed. Additionally, an increase in Universal Credit via the carer element and disabled child element provided further financial relief.

Collaborative Success:

This case study underscores the power of collaborative working among housing benefit, housing support services, social services, educational officers, and landlords. Their combined efforts ensured that David's family could remain close to their primary support network. They maintained a tenancy set at the local housing allowance rate, avoiding the costly pathway of homelessness for a large family.

In summary, this case study exemplifies the profound impact that deep, collaborative work can have on vulnerable families. By working together, agencies and individuals were able to support David and his children in their journey towards a stable and secure future.