Nest Lane Accommodation Service

Wellbeing and Operations Manager: Chris Cooper

Service Manager: Sheldon Richards

Email: sheldon-richards@together-uk.org

This service offers peer support.

About the service

Who is this service for?

We are comprised of our CQC-registered Accommodation Service (our main home) and three, on-site bungalows (Supported Living, non-CQC) Following our last CQC inspection in February 2024, Together Nest Lane achieved an overall rating of ‘Good’. We received a Special Commendation at the National Housing With Care Awards in June 2025 in the ‘Care Team’ category in recognition of our approach and work with our Service Users.

We support Service Users that are looking for a step-down service that promotes independence whilst delivering a high level of support in the background. Service Users are referred to us directly from the community, from hospital stays (formal and informal) or those looking to move from other placements to one with less routine and more responsibility, geared around building life-skills in both a holistic and logistical sense. Service Users using our service could be returning to their local community from out-of-area placements and we accept out of county placements, in addition to local referrals. These Service Users are likely to be in contact with a combination of services including Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT), Community Forensic Teams (CFT), Drug and Alcohol Teams (DAT) and Case/Social Workers from both Health and Social Care sectors.

In addition to the above, we accept Service Users that have had, or currently experience, challenging life circumstances and are entering the service from high-level support and secure settings or as an alternative to hospital admission

Those who use this service, on this basis, are likely to have left hospital or prison following a long stay or directly from said secure unit. Some may have a Community Treatment Order (CTO) or be on conditional discharge under the Mental Health Act. They may also be on licence if they have been in the Criminal Justice System.

The length of a Service Users stay will depend on their needs and their personal journey towards improved mental wellbeing. The service has a staff team of 10 and can offer support for a total of 11 people. We can place 8 Service Users in the main home (communal) and a further 3 in our bungalows (individual) We accept direct referrals for either.

We have a successful record of working with Service Users towards full, independent living. We work in a dynamic and responsive way and are keen to foster a homely, inclusive atmosphere at the service. We are well regarded in the local community and have established collaborative links with a range of local community organisations and services. Our Service User satisfaction measuring tools consistently score very highly and anonymised Service User feedback supports this. We are proud to be the longest, most settled placement for the majority of our Service User group.

A full, detailed breakdown of the level of support offered by the service is available through contacting the manager directly.

What support can we offer people?

Our service is based on a combination of four essential elements with support delivered by the Management team, Support Workers and our program of Peer Support through both one-to-one and group work. This blend of elements is designed to support Service Users to transition to the community and to become equipped to live more independently in the longer-term.

These six essential elements are:

1. A PERSON-CENTRED APPROACH

Everything we do is geared around the person we are supporting. We work in direct collaboration with our Service Users in identifying goals, building life skills and mental health coping mechanisms – all at a pace the Service User is comfortable with. The service is fully committed to all aspects of Service User Leadership (SUL).

We treat the person and not the diagnosis and are keen to avoid the ‘tropes’ of mental health support and what a care home should look and feel like. Staff work with Service Users to understand thoughts and emotions that may lead to maladaptive behaviours and to develop strategies to manage them. This can involve engaging in reflective practice – centred on consistent review of what is and what isn’t effective and incorporating this experience into future approaches. We support Service Users to manage the challenges they face with their mental distress, develop and practice coping skills and implement knowledge and insights gained.

Alongside this work, our Support Workers will support Service Users to identify and develop their strengths and life skills, build their resilience and develop personal and practical resources to manage their experiences of mental distress and stay well.

2. SHARING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH GENUINE AND MEANINGFUL PEER SUPPORT

All Service Users have the choice of working with Peer Support Volunteers trained to draw on their own experiences of mental distress to help others towards better mental wellbeing. Genuine and meaningful Peer Support can help people take huge strides forward in their personal journeys and is a key part of our service. In future, Service Users may wish to become a Peer Supporter themselves – we can provide training and support for this.

3. BUILDING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE A SAFE JOURNEY FROM MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES

To ensure Service Users make a safe journey from previous placements to our service, our staff work closely – and in collaboration with – the Service Users wider care team (as detailed previously) to develop and implement risk-management strategies.

4. PREPARATION FOR MOVING ON TO INDEPENDENT LIVING

The service aims to support our Service Users to move on from the service to a lifestyle that suits, typically supported housing with drop-in support or independent tenancies, commensurate with the individual need.

Service Users and Management work closely with the wider incorporated care team and the Service Users family to identify move on accommodation following their time at the Together service. Goals and timelines for achieving this will be set and incorporated into their support plan led by the person when this need is made known.

We also have several, ongoing longer-term placements and we have facilitated moves from the main home to one of our on-site bungalows, as an additional pathway, vacancies permitting.

Make a referral to Wellingborough CaRFAS

Together Residential Accommodation Services Referral Form: