The service was praised as “a breath of fresh air” and received a “5-very good” rating across all evaluated areas.

Housing First for Families is the only service of its kind in Scotland, and possibly the UK, established in 2022. It provides direct intensive support to tenant households with children who are struggling to maintain their tenancy or have previously experienced homelessness. The service aims to offer permanent, affordable housing as quickly as possible, and then provide the necessary support services to help families maintain their tenancy and avoid returning to homelessness.

The service is delivered by dedicated support officers, Emma Ward and Amanda Robinson. Key features of the service include:

• Direct Support: Assistance for households with children to help them maintain their tenancy
• Holistic Approach: Includes financial and employment advice, co-ordination with other agencies, and access to health and social care services
• Dedicated Co-ordinators: Two full-time support co-ordinators providing one-to-one, person-centred support
• Community Integration: Helps families build a stable future and integrate into the community.

Currently, the service supports 41 families, all of whom have successfully maintained their tenancy.

During the inspection, the Care Inspectorate interviewed housing services manager, Clair Christie and support co-ordinators Emma and Amanda, reviewed policies, procedures, and support plans, and visited customers being supported by the service.

The Care Inspectorate report highlighted the consistent management and staff team, with experienced and skilled support staff and noted that: “The service is a valuable and needed service in the community helping to change lives which has a strong person-focused ethos and culture which is evident in practice.

“This service is key to supporting people and their children with positive health outcomes both short and longer-term due to the holistic support/intervention they are able to provide working intensively with their families, as and when required.

“The manager and support staff ensured that people who use the service were fully involved in the development and implementation of their own individual support plans and agreements. This also included the evaluation and assessment of their overall satisfaction with the quality of service provided. This helped to create good relationships and foster mutual respect and ensure that the very good standard of service is maintained.”

Feedback from a service user summed up the level of appreciation and satisfaction with the service: “I get on so well with my support worker. They give me the best support, advice and help, they are the best!! They really listen to me as well which is the best feeling. I’m so grateful for their help and support always.”

Pamela Forrest, head of housing and communities at Riverside Scotland, said: “This service is a lifeline for so many families who are unable to cope or sustain a tenancy without this level of support and intervention. We are incredibly proud to offer this unique service to our customers.

“Emma and Amanda are a dream team. Their caring nature and passion for their work is testament to the success of this initiative.

“Knowing that we are making a positive impact is rewarding, and receiving this level of recognition is a fantastic achievement. To hear that this is the first time the inspector has awarded a ‘very good’ rating on a first inspection is truly remarkable.”

Clair Christie, housing services manager, added: “We are thrilled with the inspection results. It’s wonderful to see our hard work and dedication recognised. Our goal is to provide a stable and supportive environment for our families, and this recognition motivates us to continue making a difference in our community.”

A copy of the Care Inspectorate report can be found on Riverside Scotland’s website.