Local Area Coordination - place-based support

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The context

A rapid rehousing system, in which homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurrent, requires services and supports – in the broadest sense - to be delivered in communities, not institutionalised settings. It relies on a responsive ‘wider service system’ capable of offering the right advice and support to people when they need it, and ideally, before problems escalate. But people often find services and systems - especially statutory ones - complex to access, navigate and engage with. Short on resources, they may ration help, step in too late, focus on problems and offer little, if any, meaningful choice.

Improving interactions with the ‘service system’, so people can live well and avoid crisis, is a challenge for all sectors, not just housing. Originally developed in Australia as a place-based model of supporting people with learning disabilities, over the past decade Local Area Coordination (LAC) has been adopted by some English local authorities - including Derby City Council - for a wider range of people.

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The intervention

LAC revolves around Local Area Coordinators (LACs). LACs are attached to a place, not a specific service. They don’t use eligibility criteria, referrals or assessments. Anyone resident in that community can seek support - for themselves or someone else. All relationships are voluntary, non-time-limited and start from a person’s own vision of the ‘good life’. LACs first consider a person’s strengths, and what their family, friends and local resources can bring. If ‘service solutions’ are needed, their task is to simplify, ease access to, and help navigate, local systems for people.

LAC was introduced in Derby, initially in two wards, in 2012, as part of Adult Social Care personalisation, for anyone over 18. As evidence of its impact grew, LACs were recruited in all wards. In 2018, LAC was extended to young people (16+) leaving care, and, in 2019, to people who use primary care services intensively, where a non medical reason may drive their attendance. LACs work at three levels. They offer short-term help and advice; longer-term, relationship-based support, where this is required; and development/partnership support to community projects, partners and activities. They directly support 40-50 people (and their families) at any one time, with contact lasting eight months on average, though there is no time limit or cut-off.

Over 75% of people in Derby introduced to LACs experience social isolation, 68% face barriers connecting with others, 45% struggle to have their voice heard and 35% have money problems. Many issues people need help with pertain directly or indirectly to housing. LACs work with people on neighbour problems, homes/gardens in poor condition (including hoarding), safety/security, managing correspondence/budgets and engaging with landlords, as well as on health and wellbeing. Around 40% of people supported are tenants of the city’s main social landlord, Derby Homes, which contributes to LAC’s funding, in recognition of the role it plays supporting their tenants.

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The outcome

10% of Derby Homes tenants supported by LAC resolved or reduced arrears, 11% resolved neighbour problems and 21% sorted out issues with the ‘state’ of their home or garden. It’s estimated LACs helped prevent tenancy loss in 9% of cases. The 2021 evaluation only covered landlord repossession-type homelessness reasons for Derby Homes tenants. As LACs work cross tenure, and on all issues which may contribute to people abandoning or ending a tenancy, or leaving a housing situation, the preventative benefits likely range much wider. Multiple independent evaluations of LAC programmes point to increased supportive relationships, greater confidence, improved access to information, greater sense of control and improved access to specialist services for people supported.

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Key insights

• the principles of LAC have much in common with, and much to offer, rapid rehousing approaches
• as a universal, place-based, generalist approach, LAC works well for people who often ‘fall through the gaps’ in service systems, and who may be more likely to end up homeless
• LAC plays a part in mitigating many of the risk factors associated with homelessness, as well as other social harms; it offers a model of ‘joined up’, upstream prevention across public services

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Find out more…

Neil Woodhead, LAC Team Manager, Derby City Council
neil.woodhead@derby.gov.uk