Joint Assessments
Are you 16 or 17 and homeless or at risk of being homeless? Do you know what a Joint Assessment is?
This page gives you information about a Joint Assessment (JA) and why you may need one.
What is a JA and why do I need one?
Social Services and Housing Authorities are jointly responsible for making sure you are safe if you are 16 or 17 and are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
A JA is a meeting between you, a social worker and a housing officer. This may seem scary but an advocate from YLF will be there to support you and help you to understand the meeting.
The aim of the meeting is to assess your situation and work out what you may need to prevent you from being or becoming homeless.
The meeting may take between 1-2 hours. There will be a discussion about why you are homeless or at risk of homelessness. They may ask questions about your health, education and independent living skills (how good you are about looking after yourself).
How does a JA happen?
Whoever you speak to first about your situation (friend, teacher, youth worker, housing officer at the council or any other adult) will refer you to social services. This is because you are still legally a child.
A social worker will speak to you and your parents and will arrange emergency housing if you are street homeless (nowhere to stay at night). The council may also arrange emergency housing if you are street homeless.
The JA meeting must happen within 5 working days of you presenting as homeless. This is the Law.
What can an Advocate do?
An advocate can support you at the JA meeting. They will speak to you before the meeting and will explain your rights and entitlements in relation to the Law.
You will be given a lot of information in the JA meeting about accommodation and support options. Your advocate can help you to understand the information given so that you can make a choice that is right for you.
Your social worker may give you a leaflet to explain your rights and entitlements. You have a right to an advocate and can ask for one if this is not mentioned to you. You can contact an advocate via the information below if you are homeless or scared about being homeless.
Please use this contact form to get in touch or call our freephone line on 0808 164 0096.
I'm nearly 18...
If you are nearly 18, your options do reduce. Everyone wants to make sure you are safe, but at 18, you become an adult and your priority to be housed is affected by other things.
Work with everyone that has offered help to make sure that you do not become homeless. This may mean a return home whilst finding something more permanent such as a house share.
Are you under 18, homeless or a risk of being homeless and would like to speak to someone independent of Social Services for advice, you can contact the advocacy service on freephone:
0808 164 0096
Or email advocacy@ylf.org.uk