FAQs
Further information can be found in the FAQ section below.
Each property is different – we will send a profile to you when we receive a referral. However, as a standard, every property provides:
- Lockable room for the young person
- A bed, wardrobe, chest, window, desk (where possible)
- Duvet, pillows and covers, towels
- Shared use of all communal areas, including kitchen and lounge
- Use of pots, pans, cutlery, plates, cups etc
- Essentially the young person can use all the communal facilities
- Garden if applicable
- WiFi and TV
Yes. URN 2762262
We have not been inspected by Ofsted yet.
However, the following local authorities / organisations have conducted Quality Assurance inspections:
- West Sussex County Council
- Surrey County Council
- Bracknell Forest Council
- LB Merton
- Achieving for Children
- The Commissioning Alliance
Every inspection has been successful, with no improvements recommended.
We don’t like to boast, but yes; loads!
“M’s progress reflects the hard work of the whole team, from the Hosts you onboard, their understanding of how to support young people, to your ethos and the way you run your service. The positive outcomes we are seeing speak for themselves”.
West Sussex – Local Authority
Commissioner
We can provide reference contact details.
Yes, all the time:
“My Hosts makes me feel like part of the family. They help me regulate my ADHD and how I process information using charts and calming techniques. I go food shopping with my hosts, and I eat healthy meals with them.
My Progression Coach is amazing. She has supported me through good times and bad. 3 Bridge Solution have all been so kind and helpful”.
(Young Person L)
As well as the Host, the young person receives support from a Progression Coach (Support Worker)
Yes. Instead of ‘Support Worker’ our front-line staff are titled ‘Progression Coach’. We feel this is more conducive with progressing towards independence and is more inspiring for young people.
Our standard package is a minimum of 5-hours direct, 1:1 support for every young person every week.
It is needs led. As every young person is different, so is every Host. There is no stipulated upper limit, however, we carefully match to ensure the best possible experience for both young person and Host.
Our Progression Coaches support both the young person and the Host. They work alongside Social Workers and PAs, Education, Health, Youth Offending and any other professionals, forming a team around the child / young person.
Yes. We just don’t call it that. We call it Progression Planning and Review. We do Initial Assessments of Needs and Risk, weekly sessions, Monthly Reports, Monthly Placement Reviews, Quarterly Reviews, Move-on Assessments and much, much more.
Yes. Our Progression Coach and often the Host (they are registered locally as well) support the young person to register with a GP, Dentist, any other local health department required all within the first week or two of moving in.
Yes. The Host generally leads on the day-to-day items such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and the Progression Coach supports with budgeting, attending appointments etc. It’s a team effort with round the clock support.
Yes. Our Progression Coaches, and occasionally the Host (circumstances dependant) attend all review meetings, IRO meetings, MACE, PEP – all of them. It is a team around the child / young person centred approach.
Supported Lodgings doesn’t suit all young people. However, in our experience, not all young people respond well to security, concierge, CCTV and shared environments either. We have achieved some outstanding outcomes already; and the feedback from Social Workers, young people and commissioners is excellent. We urge you to think again. Not sure? Contact us.
Case by case. We are a Trauma Informed organisation. Our service is embedded in Restorative Practice, and we review every referral individually. Decisions are based on
- Do we have a suitably matched Host?
- Do we have capacity and capability in our Hosts and staff team to safely manage the needs and risk?
- Is there a wider risk beyond the placement, and can it be reasonably managed?
We have open and honest conversations with everyone involved, and we won’t place if the risk is unmanageable.
We have successfully placed and supported young people who presented as:
- Street homeless
- CSE & CCE
- Drugs and alcohol
- Criminal convictions / Youth Justice involvement
- Neurodivergence, ASD, ADHD
- Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation
We work with the young person, not with the labels attributed to them. We are a Trauma Informed organisation.
Our recruitment processes are vigorous. We provide extensive training and we support our Hosts, working alongside them all the way. We visit Hosts every week and maintain regular contact with them. We ensure we get to know our Hosts well. We do not ‘sugar coat’ a referral. We share everything with our Hosts, ensuring they are well informed. The matching is critical to the success of a placement, and we are very thorough.
The mandatory elements are:
- Safeguarding
- Contextual Safeguarding, CCE, CSE
- Trauma informed Support
- Mental Health
- Equal Opportunities
- Conflict Resolution
- Being a Host
- Experience Sharing & Peer Support
The training is on a rolling program of annual renewal, and is updated before every session, incorporating any changes, any learning and reflections from case studies.
Initially, when a young person first moves in and until they settle, Hosts will often drive them to school, cook them a meal etc. However, over time, gradually, dependant upon needs and capability, the Host will reduce this, encouraging the young person do this for themselves.
Our ‘mantra’ is ‘Do with, not Do for’.
Our Hosts provide a nurturing, family environment, and every one of them has ‘gone the extra mile’ and will no doubt continue to do so.
However, the goal is independence, and that comes from learning, failing, trying again and doing it for yourself.
‘Do with, not Do for’
We have a ‘Safer Recruitment process’, some of the steps are:
- Initial overview and screening
- Assessment using the Form F
- Background checks, including education and employment
- Assessments are independently verified and approved – similar to a Foster Care panel
- Enhanced DBS checks
- All family members DBS checked and Risk Assessed
- References
- Mandatory Training (ongoing)
- Supervision
- 1:1 support from a Progression Coach
- Host Forums and Peer Support group
Yes. We accept HB/UC and the rent is set at whatever the local housing allowance, single room / shared room rate is.
The remainder of the fee is payable by the placing local authority.
The HB / UC is paid direct to 3 Bridge Solution CIC. We pay the Hosts a weekly minimum fee of £260, regardless of the source of income.
We support the young person to make and maintain a claim for HB / UC.
3 Bridge Solution CIC continues to pay the Host – the Host does not get involved in managing rent arrears – their role is supporting the young person regardless, and is unaffected by any rent arrears.
3 Bridge Solution CIC acts as the Landlord’s Agent and manages the rent account in the same way as any other housing provider. We will support the young person to address the issue, and our finance team will issue rent arrears warnings etc the same way as any other provider.
However, support will always come first. Our Progression Coaches are on hand to support the young person to resolve the problems, and will assist the young person in re-activating a claim, agreeing a repayment plan, and maintaining their claim etc.
Whilst it will depend on the severity of the breach, we are a Trauma Informed organisation, and we believe in Restorative Practice. We will not take punitive action and will not resort to warnings unless necessary. We will work with the young person to understand the reason for their actions, the impact it has on themselves and others.
We are also realists; we are here to help young people progress and reach independence. There is a big world out there beyond our service that has rules of it’s own. We will explain about consequence, and the potential impact and repercussions of repeat behaviours.
We conduct thorough Health & Safety inspections before the Host joins the service. Further checks take place prior to any placement and then a minimum of monthly thereafter. We involve the young people in health & safety checks; this is part of their life skills program.
Properties are inspected to the same level as HMOs; all have:
- Fire Risk Assessment
- Gas Safety Certificate
- EICR, EPC, PATS
All have fire blankets and where applicable extinguishers etc.
£740p/w.
That’s it. All in. Rent, support, the Host’s time, the Progression Coach (minimum of 5 hours 1:1 weekly), Insurance, all other overheads, the lot: £740p/w
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