Home Placement Project: a community that cares
Home Placement Project: a community that cares
Our Home Placement Project is part of the Ethnicity and Mental Health Improvement Project (EMHIP).
We are recruiting local Host Families to support racially minoritised people who are experiencing mental health challenges, to be supported by people who look like them, in a familiar environment.
If you would like to know more you can either complete the form below or contact the Home Placement Project directly on familyplacement@swlstg.nhs.uk or phone 07875714032.
Can you help someone recover from mental illness in your home?
All you need is space and time. A Host Family can consist of a single person, a couple or a family living together in a household.
As a Host Family, you will offer a racially minoritised Guest who is experiencing mental health challenges with:
- choice in their care
- a warm, homely, alternative to staying in hospital
- the chance to avoid coming into hospital in a crisis or the chance to leave hospital as soon as possible
- the chance to stay close to home and keep connected with loved ones.
- connection with local community activities.
Is my home suitable for hosting a Guest?
Alongside mental health clinical support provided by trained experts, a Guest will benefit from being a part of a safe, friendly, culturally familiar environment which will help them recover from mental ill health, restore their wellbeing and gain more self-confidence and self-esteem.
As a Host Family, you will need to be able to provide accommodation to a Guest with a mental illness in your home for a few days, to a few weeks at a time. The main expectation is that you can show compassion and understanding.
A Guest will participate in your home routine and as a Host, we ask that you engage with their agreed support plan during their stay with you, whilst they maintain a sense of personal responsibility.
Do I need professional training or qualifications to become a Host?
No professional qualifications are needed. However, you will need to take part in training before a Guest is placed with you.
As a Host, you will not be expected to provide any treatment or therapy. Specialist mental health support will be provided by trained experts from the Southwest London and St George’s Mental Health Trust’s Home Treatment Team.
They will have regular contact with your Guest throughout the placement.
What makes host families different?
People with a mental illness tell us that they want to have hopes and dreams, choices, fulfilling lives and close relationships.
We want to focus on people’s strengths and not their deficits, to believe in them and their potential to get better and to recover, to go on to contribute to society.
We believe that Host Families are uniquely placed to support us with this ambition.