A service designed to work in a crisis situation will operate  differently, and need to link to different services, to one which is designed to  maintain existing independence. It has also assisted change in how support is provided,  particularly in the growing role and use of support which is linked to the  person. Although there is this diversity, the nature and role of housing-related support is  often broadly similar across everyone it works with. It is important therefore that access to services is  not limited only to the identified client groups.

There is a recognition that the same, or similar, support can valuably be  provided for other vulnerable people, such as men fleeing domestic violence or  women exiting prostitution. Any incentive framework would need to  recognise where certain outcomes were not wholly within the responsibilities of  the county authority, and we will also need to consider how districts are to be  encouraged to positively contribute to Supporting People outcomes.

In setting outcomes which go beyond Supporting People, we will also need to  consider how best to approach this in two-tier situations – i.e. where the  Supporting People function sits with the county, which then needs to work with  the districts as housing authority. We will do this in  the context of the broader, ongoing work on local government performance,  and we will be able to draw on work which providers have already done to  measure and capture the impact of their services.

We will also be looking at how measures might be set, both nationally and  locally, which better capture and encourage a more holistic approach to  support which includes, but goes beyond, Supporting People. We intend to build on this and to encourage broader use of the LAA  approach, which will support both this outcomes focus and the drive for  integration with other local services. We have already  started to do this through Local Area Agreements (LAAs), which allow  authorities to identify and set outcomes locally.  Learn more : Valuations NSW