YOUNG care-leavers and asylum-seekers at risk of homelessness feel safer and better supported living with host families under the scheme “supported lodgings” than in other forms of care, a new study has found.
The supported-lodgings initiative houses young people at risk of homelessness, young care-leavers, and unaccompanied asylum-seekers aged 16 to 18. They are placed with host families who help them to develop the skills needed for independent living.
A report from the UK charity Home for Good and Safe Families, The Voices of Supported Lodgings, says that, in a time of rapidly rising youth homelessness, young people in supported lodgings are more likely to be in education, employment, and training than other young people leaving care.
Two hundred and thirty young people were interviewed for the study, most — 92 per cent — of whom said that they felt safe from exploitation. Eighty-nine per cent said that they had a good relationship with their host, and 84 per cent said that their lodgings felt like home. More than two-thirds said that they preferred it to other forms of accommodation and care which they had experienced.
Of the interviewees, three-quarters had been in care, and almost one quarter had come from another country.
Three young people co-designed the study for the charity, and wrote in the foreword: “Supported lodgings is more than just a roof over our heads. It’s a place where we can thrive. For 84% of young people like us, supported lodgings is helping them to achieve their goals. It won’t be right for everyone, but supported lodgings can have a really positive impact, and we want to make sure the opportunity to live there is available to as many young people as possible.”
There has been a 54-per-cent rise in homelessness among young care-leavers, and a 42-per-cent rise in the the number unaccompanied asylum-seeker children in care, most aged between 16 and 18, according to government figures.
The number of local authorities offering supported lodgings has grown since 2021, but it is still the exception. Hosts can be families, couples, or single people, and are paid for the accommodation and support that they provide. One care-leaver described their lodgings as “ideal” because “people weren’t watching over me, but were kind of watching over me in a way.”
One young asylum-seeker, Mariama, lives with a host and their family after travelling alone to the UK from Sierra Leone. She said: “Safety is a huge benefit of supported lodgings. Living with my host and her family makes me feel secure. If I were living alone, I wouldn’t have anyone to turn to on weekends when support workers aren’t available. But, with my hosts, I always have someone to call if I need help.
“Moving to a new country is hard, and having a supportive environment like this helps you stand on your own and understand life in the UK.”
The survey found, however, that young asylum-seekers were less likely than other groups to say that they felt understood by their hosts, and the report calls for suitable training for providers.
A co-CEO of the charity, Tarn Bright, has also been a host. She said: “Having been a supported lodgings host, I have witnessed the immense challenges young people can face. Offering a room in our home and embracing a young person as family was a humbling and rewarding experience. The act of giving — whether time, conversation, or shared space — brings unexpected joy. In return, I’ve gained understanding, insight, and, in some cases, lifelong friendships.”
The charity is urging the Government to publish new guidance on supported lodgings based on the experiences of young people, and to launch a national recruitment campaign for hosts. Young people also need a clear “moving-on plan” to help them to prepare for solo living, it says.