A Brief History of Supported Lodgings in the Vale
Supported Lodgings has been part of the Vale of Glamorgan’s approach to youth support for many years, originally growing out of a need to provide an alternative to traditional fostering or residential placements. Over time, it has become a key stepping-stone service for young people aged 16–18 who are preparing to move toward independence but still need a safe, stable, and supportive home environment. Despite the longevity and impact of the service, surprisingly, national awareness remains low, only around 30% of the UK population are aware of what Supported Lodgings actually is or the role it plays in supporting vulnerable young people.
Llamau Supported Lodgings Across South Wales
Although the Vale is a major hub for our Supported Lodgings work, Llamau also provides Supported Lodgings in Caerphilly and Torfaen, ensuring young people across a wider region have access to safe, supportive home environments during a critical period in their lives.
The Challenge: Low Awareness and Falling Recruitment
Across Wales and the wider UK, recruitment of Supported Lodgings hosts has dropped considerably in recent years. This is a growing concern because demand for safe, supportive accommodation for young people has never been higher. Many people simply don’t know the service exists, or they assume it is the same as fostering , which it isn’t.
The Drop in Recruitment and Why It Matters
The UK is facing a significant decline in the recruitment of Supported Lodgings hosts. At a time when more young people are entering the care system or facing homelessness, this drop is deeply concerning. Supported Lodgings remains one of the most effective, relationship-based ways of supporting young people—but without enough hosts, many teenagers risk being placed far from home or in unsuitable accommodation.
What Supported Lodgings Offers Young People
Our service provides young people aged 16–18 with the chance to live in a home where they can learn essential life skills, build confidence, and receive emotional guidance as they move toward adulthood. For some, it may be the first time they’ve experienced true stability. For others, it’s an opportunity to repair trust and gain the support they need to succeed in education, training, or employment.
Who We’re Looking For
Supported Lodgings hosts can be:
- Individuals
- Couples
- Families
All that’s required is a spare room and the willingness to offer time, encouragement, routine, and guidance to a young person. You don’t need professional experience, just patience, empathy, and a desire to make a positive difference. Training is given and on-going, where and when needed, with clear connections and support at all times.
How Supported Lodgings Differs from Fostering
It’s important to stress that Supported Lodgings is not fostering:
- It involves much less legal responsibility and significantly lighter “red tape."
- Hosts provide guidance and stability rather than full-time parenting.
- Young people in Supported Lodgings are generally more independent and require less day-to-day care.
This makes it an ideal option for people who want to support young people but prefer a more flexible, less formal arrangement than fostering.
Financial and Personal Benefits
Hosts receive competitive payments, reflecting their time, commitment, and support. But beyond the financial element, many hosts say the real benefit is seeing the young person grow, develop, and achieve things they never thought possible. The sense of reward and connection can be profound.
Host the Future – A National Movement
To address the lack of awareness and strengthen national support, the initiative Host the Future was launched by Home for Good and Safe Families. This campaign aims to champion Supported Lodgings, bring it into public consciousness, and mobilise more people to consider becoming hosts. It played a central role in launching the first ever National Supported Lodgings Week, held 9–16 November 2025, which took place across the UK to raise visibility and celebrate hosts. [homeforgood.org.uk], [stepbystep.org.uk]
The Supported Lodgings National Network
Alongside Host the Future, the Supported Lodgings National Network (SLNN) was created to bring together local authorities and organisations delivering Supported Lodgings. The network—facilitated by Home for Good and Safe Families—exists to strengthen practice, share learning, and build a more consistent national approach. It launched in April 2021 and has grown rapidly since, now representing more than 70 local authorities and providers.
This network also supports National Supported Lodgings Week each year, which we were apart of for the first time. using it as a platform to increase awareness and inspire more people to become hosts.
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