• Housing will look to see if you can go back to a family member.
     
• If you go to Housing, they will make a referral to Childrens Services because by law you are still a child.
     
• If it is an emergency Housing will look for emergency accommodation for you.
     
• Housing will look at all options for you, but this may be temporary and out of the area you are from.

• Childrens Services will try and help you stay with your family.
     
• If you are homeless that night, they will find somewhere temporary for you to stay whilst they carry out assessments and speak to your family.
     
• This assessment will tell them whether they view you as a ‘child in need’ or they think you should become a Child in Care who is cared for by Staffordshire County Council.

Both the Housing Departments and Children’s Services will try and arrange a joint interview and will listen to you and take into account your wishes and feelings.

• Accommodation offered by Housing is likely to be temporary.
     
• Children’s Services could find you accommodation which could be: 
     
• A placement with a host family
    
• A hostel such as the YMCA
     
• Independent accommodation with support
     
• Shared accommodation with support

Please note: You may not get exactly what you want. 

If you accept accommodation from Childrens Services, you are likely to have:

• Support from your accommodation provider to help you prepare for independence
     
• An income from benefits or a weekly allowance
     
• A social worker
     

If you become a child in care for 13 weeks or more you may get a personal advisor to guide you until the age of 25. 

In the run up to your 18th birthday the Social worker will help you decide your plans as you may not be able to stay in your accommodation long past 18, unless you are in a supported housing/hostel and they allow this.

This could be: 

• Returning to your family
• Social housing
• Private rented housing
• Supported housing

The below websites may be helpful: 

• Shelter
     
• CentrePoint
    
• Citizens Advice

Children's services

Staffordshire Children’s Services
Tel: 0800 1313 126
Out of hours emergencies: 0845 604 2886

Housing

Cannock Chase District Council

Civic Centre, PO Box 28, Beecroft Road, Cannock, WS11 1BG

Tel: 01543 462621

East Staffordshire Borough Council 

Customer Service Centre, Market Place, Burton Upon Trent, DE14 1HA

Tel: 01283 508120

Out of hours emergencies: 01283 508126

Lichfield District Council 

District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield, WS13 6YX

Tel: 01543 308709/01543 308703

Out of hours emergencies: 01543 308000

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council 

61-63 Lower Street, Newcastle under Lyme , Staffordshire, ST5 2RS

Tel: 0345 850 9698

Out of hours emergencies: 01782 615599

South Staffordshire District Council

Council Offices, Wolverhampton Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton, WV8 1PX

Tel: 01902 696504

Stafford Borough Council 

Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford, ST16 3AQ

Tel: 01785 619000

Out of hours emergencies: 01785 619170

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 6HQ

Tel: 0345 605 3012

Email: housing.team@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Tamworth Borough Council

Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7BZ

Tel: 01827 709709

Downloadable versions of the above information are available to download: 

Homeless 16-17 year olds

Joint Homeless Protocol 16-17 year olds - August 2023