Supported housing covers housing projects that are managed for the benefit of people who need additional support. This can mean regular support in a specifically designed project, support visits for someone who can almost live completely independently  (known as floating support) or it can mean projects supplying 24-hour support to help its people live in the wider community.

United Welsh manages supported housing in one of two ways. 

These are projects that are managed directly by the Association. The staff who provide the care and support for the clients are employees of the Association. Based in Cardiff, we currently have six such projects accommodating 35 residents – Oakhouse and PREP.

Oakhouse was formerly known as Cardiff Housing Link (CHL) and was originally a night shelter for the homeless managed by Cardiff Cyrenians, in partnership with South Wales Federated Housing Association (SWFHA) as the landlord.  SWFHA took over CHL in approximately 1987 when the Cyrenians folded. The project, which was then a registered home, de-registered shortly after SWFHA merged with United Welsh and the Association has provided direct management of the scheme since 1996.

In February 2005 CHL transferred to new premises on Newport Road and became known as Oakhouse.  The new hostel has 20 rooms, with en-suite facilities, state of the art communal areas and private spaces for structured support work.  The hostel provides temporary accommodation for homeless or potentially homeless people, who have a range of support needs, with a women-only floor to the hostel, which is secure and provides a safe refuge for women escaping domestic abuse.

Oakhouse assists, supports and enables clients to achieve their goals. The ultimate aim of the project is to resettle and reintegrate clients into permanent accommodation of their own.

A comprehensive care and support plan is drawn up for each client utilising a key working system and promoting the empowerment of each client. Oakhouse also promotes training and educational opportunities.

PREP Projects

Prep provides temporary accommodation to individuals who have various support needs and who are homeless or living in inappropriate accommodation.  The aim of the Project is to promote independence, working via an individual support plan, and find appropriate permanent accommodation. Prep is actually 5 separate supported housing schemes with support provided by one team. We also provide support to two former Prep tenants at any one time, who have moved on, and are living in general needs accommodation in the community.

Prep 184 opened in 1992.  This is a shared 4-bed home in Grangetown, Cardiff, offering fairly intensive support.  Clients may have a wide range of support needs, including alcohol and drug dependency, mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities or be vulnerable and elderly and must be 18 years of age or older.  The Project requires a commitment to finding appropriate permanent accommodation after a period of rehabilitation/ assessment.  Prep staff do not provide personal care, but are on call overnight, and on duty 365 days a year.  

Prep 197 opened in 1998, Prep 40 underwent a major redevelopment in 2001 and Prep 53 became a part of the prep project during late 2001 - all three offer a medium level of support to clients in 9 self contained flats and one bed sit.  Support is offered by appointment and reactively, throughout the week, with an on-call system in operation overnight and over weekends and Bank Holidays.  Support needs vary as for Prep 184 and clients from Prep 184 may in fact be considered for move on to one of these houses in order to promote independence gradually.

Prep 21 is the newest addition to the Prep projects. Prep 21 is a shared house for 3 people with lower level support needs and is staffed on a much less intensive basis as a consequence, than the other projects. This accommodation is permanent, although tenants may move on if they desire or no longer have support needs.

These are projects that we manage in partnership with a care provider, known as Managing Agents. We have just over 100 such projects working with over 30 organisations that provide the care and support that those clients need. The projects are located all over south east Wales. The client groups they serve include: 

• Homeless people with a range of support needs
• Single women and women with children fleeing domestic violence
• People with mental health problems
• People with drug and alcohol dependency
• People with learning disabilities