To ask the Minister for Social Development for an update on the Supporting People Programme; and whether a new strategy will be developed in the future.

Supporting People is my Department’s programme for housing related support which aims to help vulnerable people live as independently as possible in the community.

The Supporting People Programme was introduced in April 2003 and has been central to the development and provision of quality accommodation and support services that have improved the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of our society, tackling social exclusion by preventing crisis and more costly service interventions.

Supporting People currently manages a budget of £71.58m and funds 100 providers to deliver housing related support through around 800 services to over 23,000 people across Northern Ireland.

The original strategy "Supporting People, Changing Lives" covered the period 2005-2010. Its aim was 'to commission housing support services aimed at improving the quality of life and independence of vulnerable people'. Since then significant progress has been made in raising quality standards in existing services and commissioning new housing support services in line with strategic priorities to meet identified needs.

The current "Housing Related Support Strategy (2012-2015)" sets out to ensure that "there are sufficient and suitable housing related support services for vulnerable people so that they can live as independently as possible in their own communities". The objectives of the strategy are that:

Services are affordable and of good quality

Services are targeted at the areas of most need

Services provide value for money

Services are able to respond to individual needs and preferences

Services are accessible to those who need them

Services promote independence and prevent loss of independence

Services are planned and delivered in partnership

Some of the achievements over the duration of the current strategy have included:

The extension of floating support services across a range of client groups to support homelessness prevention.

Funding of criminal justice workers for domestic violence clients.

The extension of supported accommodation options for offenders in partnership with the Probation Board of Northern Ireland (PBNI).

Extension of accommodation and support options for young homeless and care leavers through joint commissioning structures.

The delivery of a range of housing and support services in partnership with health and social care to enable the resettlement of long stay patients with learning disabilities and mental health issues from hospital to housing options in the community.

The Supporting People Programme is currently subject to a Department for Social Development (DSD) led review of the Supporting People Policy and Legislative framework. The review will:

provide an overview of existing provision and current expenditure broken down by category of service, and an assessment of the extent of which needs are being adequately met;

evaluate the Supporting People Policy and Programme and the extent to which it has met its core aims in an economic, efficient and effective way since its launch in 2003;

consider whether an adequate strategic, legislative and administrative framework is in place for the efficient and effective delivery of the Supporting People Policy and Programme in future; and

where appropriate, make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service.

The review is expected to complete during 2015 and a future Strategy, informed by the findings from the review, will then be developed.