What referrers need to know
Concept Support reviews planned supported living enquiries against needs, risk, location, staffing, accommodation context, and the outcomes the person wants to work towards.
Start a supported living referral with the right context from day one
Share the person's needs, current circumstances, risks, funding position, and preferred timescales so Concept Support can review suitability clearly and guide the next step without unnecessary delay.
Referral essentials
What referrers need before the first conversation
A useful referral explains who is enquiring, why support is being explored, and what information is already available for an initial suitability review.
Who can refer
Referrals may come from commissioners, social workers, care coordinators, discharge teams, families, advocates, private clients, or people enquiring for themselves.
What information helps
Current assessments, risk information, communication needs, support hours, funding stage, preferred area, and move timescales all help the team respond with the right next step.
Suitability check
Check whether supported living is likely to be the right route
The referral team will look at whether the enquiry sits within Concept Support's support model, staffing capability, and local operating area before progressing to assessment.
Usually suitable when
- The person needs planned support to live as independently as possible in their own tenancy, shared supported living setting, or another agreed accommodation arrangement.
- Current needs, risks, desired outcomes, funding context, and decision stage can be shared clearly enough for an initial review.
- The referral appears to sit within the provider's service model, staffing approach, accommodation fit, and safeguarding responsibilities.
May need another route when
- The person needs emergency crisis support, inpatient care, residential care, nursing care, or another service outside the provider's confirmed scope.
- There is an immediate safeguarding or safety concern that needs the relevant emergency, local authority, safeguarding, or out-of-hours route before a routine referral can continue.
Prepare your referral
Bring the details that help avoid delay
You do not need every document before making an enquiry, but clear information helps the team understand the person's situation, whether support may be suitable, and what should happen next.
Needs and outcomes
Share daily living needs, communication preferences, health considerations, any medication or health needs to be aware of, and the outcomes the person wants from support.
Risk and safeguarding context
Include known risks, current plans, recent incidents, safeguarding involvement, restrictions, triggers, and what helps the person feel safe and settled.
Funding and accommodation
Confirm whether funding is agreed, at panel, privately arranged, or still being explored, plus the preferred area, current accommodation, tenancy position, and move timing.
Referral enquiry
Start a supported living referral
Share the person's goals, current circumstances, support needs, risks and preferred timescales. The team will use this information to review suitability and confirm the most appropriate next step.
Referral information should be sent only through the approved client contact route until a secure backend has been connected.
Referral journey
From first enquiry to assessment and transition planning
A planned referral should give everyone a clear route from initial contact through suitability review, assessment, decision-making, and a safe transition into support where appropriate.
1
current
Enquiry received
The referrer shares the person's circumstances, support needs, risks, funding context, current location, and preferred timescale.
2
neutral
Initial suitability review
The team checks whether the enquiry appears to match the service model, staffing capability, accommodation context, referral catchment, and safeguarding responsibilities.
3
neutral
Assessment arranged
If the referral may be suitable, the team agrees what further information is needed and arranges assessment conversations with the person, referrer, and relevant professionals.
4
neutral
Decision and transition plan
When support can proceed, responsibilities are agreed for transition planning, introductions, risk updates, tenancy or accommodation details, staffing, reviews, and start dates.
Safe routes
Use the right route for the situation
Routine referrals, urgent safety concerns, funding discussions, and complaints or safeguarding concerns should be directed clearly so the right team can respond.
Planned referrals
Use the referral enquiry route when the person is exploring planned supported living and enough context can be shared for an initial suitability review.
Urgent or immediate safety concerns
If someone is at immediate risk, use the relevant emergency service, local authority safeguarding route, crisis route, or out-of-hours contact before making a routine referral.
Funding and decision context
Where funding is not yet confirmed, share the decision stage, responsible authority, panel or brokerage position, and any private funding context available.
Complaints and safeguarding signposting
Concerns, complaints, compliments, and safeguarding information should be raised through the appropriate feedback, safeguarding, local authority, or regulator route as needed.
Referral questions
Common questions before making a referral
These answers help commissioners, families, advocates, professionals, and private clients understand what can usually be discussed before a full assessment.
Referrals can usually be made by commissioners, social workers, care coordinators, NHS or discharge professionals, families, advocates, private clients, or the person seeking support.
A referral can often be discussed before funding is fully confirmed, but it is helpful to explain whether funding is agreed, at panel, under review, privately arranged, or still being explored.
Current needs assessments, risk information, communication needs, safeguarding context, accommodation requirements, medication or health considerations, and intended outcomes all help the team respond clearly.
No. The team will first consider suitability, support model fit, staffing, accommodation fit, referral catchment, funding context, risk, and whether the service can safely meet the person's needs.
This page is for planned referrals. Immediate safety concerns should be raised through emergency services, the relevant local authority safeguarding route, crisis route, or out-of-hours contact.
Yes, families, advocates, private clients, and people seeking support can make an initial enquiry. The team may still need to understand commissioning, funding, capacity, and best-interest arrangements before progressing.