Sitra's offices closed on 9 February 2010

Our offices are closed during our annual Policy conference and AGM. If you need to contact us, please call on Webnesday 10 February or email us and we will get back to you when our offices reopen.

9 February 2010, Thistle Westminster, London

Limited places still available: Book now to secure your place at this essential event for the housing with care and support sector.

The day aims to put providers and commissioners in touch with the very latest developments and will provide one of the first opportunities to hear the CLG Select Committee’s chairwoman, Dr Phyllis Starkey MP, give her reaction to the Government’s response.

Special offer: We are offering a 50 per cent discount on your second booking. Book now to secure your places

Price: £130 members/£169 non member.

Information for delegates:

Registration commences at 10.30 for a 11.00 start. The programme for the day can be found here.

The event is being held at the Thistle Westminster Hotel, 49-75 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0QT. The nearest station is Victoria. A map for the venue with directions can be found here (please wait a few moments and you will be automatically directed to the location map on the hotel's website).

Announcing two new events this Spring:

New Tenant Services Authority (TSA) Standards

14 April 2010 London TBC

14 April 2010 Birmingham TBC

22 April 2010 Taunton TBC

27 April 2010 Manchester TBC

Date in Newcastle TBC

From April 2010 the TSA’s new standards for social housing will come into effect. It is important that all involved in the social housing sector understand how landlords will have to report to their tenants on outcomes achieved in order to demonstrate compliance. These half day seminars are for all in the housing with support or care sector to:

	learn about the new regulatory framework and timetabled requirements
	help prepare for the challenges of implementation
	understand the implications of outcome focused standards
	consider how tenants can be involved to meet the new standards.

Introductory price: Members £65 / Non members £90.

To register an interest in this event without obligation e-mail sarahk@sitra.org

Half day seminar on young people and accommodation and the implications of G v Southwark

28 April London TBC

11 May York TBC

24 May Taunton TBC

8 June Leicester TBC

G v Southwark is a significant judgement for all those working with young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  The ruling has implications on the support these young vulnerable people can expect and from whom.  In the case the young person concerned was found to be owed a looked after (s20 of the Children Act 1989) duty by Children’s Services as he was assessed as a child in need (s17 of the Children Act 1989).

This seminar will look at the implications of the case law for Children’s services, housing departments and third sector providers.  Speakers will outline the Duties of the Children Act 1989 in the light of the case law and how Children’s services and housing should be working in partnership to prevent young people from becoming homeless and supporting them when they do.  You will hear from Local Authorities on how they are proactively managing services post the judgment and from practitioners on the impact of the impact on service delivery.  Last but not least young people will give their perspective on the services they require reiterating the importance of seamless ‘wrap round’ service delivery when young people are vulnerable.

Introductory price

Members £45

Non-members £60

To register an interest in this event without obligation e-mail sarahk@sitra.org

February to March 2010 - various dates and venues

Following the successful events in 2009, Sitra are pleased to announce a further series of half-day roundtable briefings. These events will bring together providers and authorities in an interactive arena to hear the latest and share information on regional trends.

The events are organised by Sitra, in partnership with the CLG

The Government has today published its response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on Supporting People.

Find out more about this and how you can hear the CLG Select Committee’s chairwoman, Dr Phyllis Starkey MP, give her reaction to the response at Sitra’s annual Policy Conference on 9 February.

Our training guide gets a make over

Details of our courses running from January to July 2010 now available.

Our new look training guide has been revised to help practitioners to achieve competency across core areas of housing related support, relevant to specific levels of experience or roles.

Find out more

16 March 2010, Thistle Westminster Hotel, London

Special offer: For a limited time only, we are offering a 50 per cent discount on your second booking. Book now to secure your places. 

Keeping up with changes in the commissioning and procurement of housing, care and support services is essential for everyone in the sector, as new policy initiatives and changing interpretation of regulations continue to shape current practice.

The report of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into Supporting People was published on 3 November.

Read the joint Sitra/NHF briefing

The Audit Commission has published its review of the Supporting People programme. The publication of this report was announced at Sitra’s showcasing conference – Delivering for vulnerable people in our communities –  held on 8 October in York.

Are you booking courses for your Autumn and Winter training programme?

Download our inhouse training leaflet (pdf)

Read the updated version of the Joint Working Protocol, revised in June 2009.

The QAF Refresh was released in April, 2009.

Our new page dedicated to the QAF Refresh has more information including an explanation of the new format, links to the QAF documents on SPKweb and FAQs.

QAF Training

Sitra were fundamental in the drafting, piloting and reviewing of the refreshed QAF. Our training courses provide the most up to date perspective on the new Quality Assessment Framework.