Refugee Housing Support Services Leaflet	Refugee Housing Support Services Referral Form
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Refugee Housing Support Services (RHSS)

The Refugee Housing Support Service (RHSS) provides housing-related support to refugees, both individuals and families.  It aims to help refugees to keep their accommodation; in some cases, people are supported to find housing to begin with.

Who is the service for

The service provides housing support and information for refugees following receipt of their positive decision.  This can include indefinite leave to remain, discretionary leave to remain and humanitarian protection. 

People might want to use the service once leave to remain is granted, especially to help with finding and settling into new accommodation.  But people with refugee status can use the service at other times, when they need support to maintain their housing.

What the service provides

The service addresses resettlement, housing, accessing services, developing independence and integration options and opportunities.

The Service offers:

• Support for people finding accommodation once refugee status is confirmed
• Assistance to obtain and secure long term housing
• Support with benefits entitlements
• On-going support to assist people to become safe and secure in their home
• Access to on-going social, intellectual and leisure time support

Leisure options that we can link with include the Cultural Kitchen, Cultural Celebrations and the allotment project, sewing group, cookery classes, sporting and young people’s activities, training, arts projects, a women’s group, free internet access, a parenting course, links with cultural organisations, Refugee Week, and through relevant mainstream activities.

Access to the service

When referrals are received, the core RHSS team agrees allocations, each worker following up referrals.  (Referral forms can be obtained from START or Path; local refugee agencies have copies; and they can be downloaded from here.)

Taking referrals includes carrying out an initial assessment of the person being referred. Through weekly meetings, the team agrees offers of the service to the potential client, matching client needs to a partner agency’s particular strengths.

Every client who is taken on develops a personal support plan with their worker. This is used to ensure that the client and worker agree what the needs are and how they will be met.  Workers also link the client with other services provided by the partners relevant to the support plan and with the services of other organisations.

Service provided by

The RHSS service is provided by two partners: