Council set to take control of two services for vulnerable residents

A proposal to bring the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) service and Shared Lives service in-house will be considered by the Council's Cabinet on Thursday (June 24).

The HIA service supports residents to maintain their independence by offering home adaptations and handyperson services.

The Shared Lives service sees adults who have care needs move in with an appropriately-matched carer and share in their home and family life.

Councillor Ann McCoy, the Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: "Taking control of these services will allow us to grow them, ensure quality, and offer support to more residents in the Borough who need our help - which can only be a good thing.

"We could have put them back out to contract but the benefits we've seen since bringing the Stockton Adult Carers' Service under our control back in 2018 are a major factor in the recommendation we do the same here.

"There were only 100 people on the Carers' Register at the time we brought the Adult Carers' Service in-house but we've grown that to more than 1,800 people and those people are getting access to great support.

"We're hopeful of achieving something similar with these two services."

If agreed, the HIA service will be moved under Council control in July 2021 and the Shared Lives service will follow in September 2021.