Rochdale Local Offer –Services for children and young people with SEND – HOUSING; HOUSING ADAPTATIONS

What we do and what we offer
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH)manages all applications for housing in Rochdale. There is one register and one housing waiting list for all housing associations in Rochdale and if you see something suitable on the website you need to bid for it in the usual way ( .
RBH provide support for registering a bid if you need it: Our disability equality scheme explains how we support tenants with disabilities: . RBH has a special needs team who hold a list of people with special needs and actively look for accommodation on their behalf – this team provides personalised support.
The Council ( ) will refer any requests or queries about housing to RBH so we advise you to contact RBH directly.
Eligibility criteria – can everyone do everything? How you can access our services
There are four levels of priority when applications are considered - A,B, C, D(A is the highest priority). The criteria that determine your level of priority include medical needs; disability and special educational needs. The housing officer responds to evidence about particular needs (such as a medical priority form from a doctor).
See page 12 of the allocations policy attached here

How service users are involved in developing the service
Empowerment is a key principle of youth work and we are always keen to involve service users and their families in designing the services we offer. This will be done via the Youth Forum; parent/carer forum and schools/college – but if you have any suggestions at any time we would be pleased to hear them
How we work with other services and teams
RBH special needs team work with the occupational therapy team to assess housing for adaptations needed and put plans in place to provide these. All housing providers have adapted properties in all townships and adaptations are agreed whenever they are identified as necessary. Your social worker will refer you for occupational therapy (OT) assessment and they (OT) will get the process started. See housing’s disability equality scheme attached for more information about adaptations.

There is information about housing adaptations in the Children’s OT Local Offer attached here
How to tell us what you think and what you want
We welcome feedback on our provision from young people and their families and you can do this in a number of ways. You can speak directly to the staff delivering the provision you have contact with. You can also contact Service leads as detailed below
What to do if you want or need more services
Speak to your housing officer; RBH ; your social worker or your occupational therapist.
What to do if you are not happy with our services (how to appeal; request mediation; request disagreement resolution; complain)
The first line of comment or complaint would be with the staff who are delivering the provision you have contact with.
If you are not in contact with provision or have a complaint about the staff involved in delivering it you can send your comments to your housing provider – every housing association has a complaints policy and procedure – go to their website
Councillors consider housing complaints at the ‘performance and financial management committee’: complaints - http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=129
If you are unable to resolve your issues you can contact the Housing Ombudsman (there is an expectation that you will have tried to resolve issues before you contact them):

V 0.1Housing & adaptations local offer