Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

Company Limited by Guarantee number 1741926 Charity Number 287779 Registered in England as Single Homeless Project

shp Single Homeless Project

Job title:	Lead Support Worker (Rough Sleeping Accommodation
	Programme- RSAP)
Delegated Authority:	Level 8
Team:	Westminster Floating Support
Responsible to:	Regional Services Manager
Responsible for:	N/A

Job purpose

A front door is not the finish line. For people moving on from rough sleeping, accommodation can be the first real point of safety in years — but keeping it, trusting support, rebuilding confidence and preparing for independent housing takes time, skill and persistence.

The Lead Support Worker will help people use that opportunity well. Working with individuals accepted into RSAP move-on accommodation, the postholder will provide assertive, traumainformed and strengths-based support that helps people settle, sustain their accommodation, reconnect with services and begin building a life beyond homelessness. This means staying alongside people when progress is uneven, relationships are hard to build, and the barriers around housing, health, substance use, mental health, offending, trauma and isolation are complex.

The postholder will take a lead role in referral and assessment work, helping the service understand who RSAP can support, what each person needs, and what risks must be held safely from the start. They will work closely with the Team Manager, Regional Services Manager, colleagues and partner agencies to turn assessment into clear, practical support plans that help people manage their accommodation, build daily living skills, strengthen community connections and move towards independent housing within two years wherever possible.

The Lead Support Worker advocates hard, works creatively with partners, keeps high-quality records, and helps remove the practical and systemic barriers that can keep people stuck. They will also bring frontline insight back into the wider system, sharing learning, challenges and good practice so that SHP and partners keep improving how people are supported to move on from rough sleeping for goo

Key accountabilities

Referral, assessment and access

Support the Team Manager with referrals into the RSAP element of the service, helping to assess suitability and ensure people can access the right support at the right time.

Complete initial and comprehensive assessments in a way that is clear, trauma-informed and does not create unnecessary barriers to access.

Gather relevant information from referring agencies and other professionals to understand each person’s history, strengths, risks and support needs.

Make informed recommendations about suitability, support requirements and next steps, working within SHP’s policies, procedures and agreed timescales.

Support planning, risk and safeguarding

Develop, maintain and review high-quality support plans and risk assessments with people using the service, making sure goals are meaningful, realistic and focused on progression.

Identify and respond to safeguarding concerns, escalating and recording concerns appropriately and taking action to reduce risk.

Use a strengths-based, trauma-informed and person-centred approach to support people who may be mistrustful of services, ambivalent about support or facing multiple barriers.

Balance positive risk-taking with clear boundaries, professional judgement and timely communication with managers and partner agencies.

Housing-related support and move-on

Support people to understand and manage their accommodation responsibilities, including rent, bills, repairs, neighbour relationships and day-to-day household management.

Help people build the practical skills, confidence and routines needed to sustain accommodation independently.

Work with people to identify suitable move-on options in line with the RSAP process, supporting planned and positive transitions wherever possible.

Advocate with housing providers and other agencies to resolve issues that may put accommodation or move-on plans at risk.

Partnership working and community connections

Build and maintain effective relationships with housing, health, social care, criminal justice, substance use, mental health and community partners.

Act as an advocate for people using the service, helping agencies work together around shared goals, clear actions and timely responses.

Identify local services, activities and community opportunities that support wellbeing, inclusion, independence, education, training and employment.

Attend relevant meetings, forums and case discussions, contributing clearly and professionally on behalf of the service and the people it supports.

Case recording, service quality and learning

Maintain accurate, timely and purposeful records on SHP systems, including assessments, support plans, risk assessments, case notes and monitoring information.

Keep client files and recording systems up to date, meeting SHP standards, contractual requirements and data protection responsibilities.

Promote client involvement through feedback, complaints, compliments and suggestions, using learning to strengthen service delivery.

Contribute frontline insight, good practice and learning from the RSAP service to support wider service improvement and system learning.

Teamwork and professional practice

Work collaboratively as part of Westminster Floating Support, sharing knowledge, practice insight and support with colleagues.

Participate in team meetings, supervision, appraisal, training, reflective practice, duty cover and service activities as required.

Follow SHP policies and procedures relating to lone working, health and safety, safeguarding, confidentiality, data protection and safe service delivery.

Work flexibly in response to service needs, including occasional work outside standard office hours where required, and undertake other reasonable duties as directed.

Miscellaneous

SHP is at discretion to amend your responsibilities and, in addition to these, you may be required to perform other duties as may be required for the efficient running of the organisation.

To create inclusive working environments and cultures to enable colleagues and clients to feel safe and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Technical and professional know-how needed for position

When completing your application, you will be required to address (using examples) some of the points below

Experience and Knowledge

Experience of supporting people who have experienced homelessness, rough sleeping or housing instability, including people facing multiple disadvantage.

Understanding of how trauma, mental health, substance use, offending, exclusion and poverty can affect engagement, risk, tenancy sustainment and move-on.

Experience of completing assessments, support plans, risk assessments and reviews that lead to clear, practical and person-centred action.

Good working knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities, professional boundaries, confidentiality and information-sharing.

Experience of working with housing, health, social care, criminal justice, substance use, mental health or community agencies to coordinate support.

Understanding of housing-related support, tenancy sustainment and the barriers people may face when moving towards independent accommodation.

Skills and Abilities

Ability to build trust with people who may be wary of services, have low levels of engagement or need a consistent and assertive approach.

Strong communication skills, with the ability to write clearly, record accurately and speak confidently with clients, colleagues and external professionals.

Ability to advocate effectively while maintaining professional judgement, clear boundaries and a focus on positive outcomes.

Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and keep accurate records across casework and service systems.

Resilience, creativity and determination when working through complex situations, setbacks or barriers to support.

Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively as part of a team, contributing to service learning, reflective practice and continuous improvement.