No – Lawrence House is not a direct access project. Moving in is subject to application, checks with other agencies, interview and assessment. If accepted you will be told how soon we may have a room available and if necessary placed on a waiting list which is prioritised according to individual needs. We will then contact you as soon as a definite date for move in is known.
You will need to fill in a form for accommodation at Lawrence House. You can get this from our website or by contacting Lawrence House. You can either complete this yourself or ask someone to help you complete it. If you need help with this then please just come to Lawrence House and we will complete the form with you. Remember to put as much information as you can on the form.
We will tell you if we cannot accept you, along with the reasons why & offer suggestions of other agencies for you to contact that may be able to help or advise you further. You will also be told that you may appeal this decision; if you want to appeal then please ask and we will give you a copy of the Appeals Process.
Once application forms are received, we complete checks to see if you are appropriate for Lawrence House. We will then contact you either arrange an interview or advise if you are not successful. However, we do receive quite a number of referrals every week and this process may take a few days. You can contact the office at any time to check what is happening.
All residents are allocated a named member of staff who acts as their key worker who will support them & monitor their progress through regular 1:1 meetings using a Personal Development Plan (PDP). However, if you need help with something when your key worker isn't available then any of the other staff will assist you. Staff are on duty at most times and there is an emergency contact phone available to residents if help is needed in the case of an emergency.
Unfortunately, we do not allow residents to have any kind of pet on the premises.
You will have your own entry fob and room key and may come and go as you please. However, residents are only allowed to stay out 2 nights per week (any more and you don’t really need the room) and if you return after 2am this is classed as a night out.
Our rooms are all furnished and we do not have storage facilities so you cannot bring your own large furniture.
Your key worker will have been working with you throughout your stay to plan your move on and will try to help you identify further alternative accommodation. This move may be to another project or to your own tenancy with a Housing Association or Private Landlord. In this case we can assist you with claiming the relevant grants and loans to furnish the property and we will offer continuing short term support after you have left to ensure that you are coping.