Bosco: ‘Phew! What A Summer!’

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It is no exaggeration to say this year of the Coronavirus pandemic has been a tumultuous time for everyone – none more so than for those charged with providing supported accommodation for our most vulnerable citizens.

The year 2020 started in the most unusual fashion – COVID-19 seemed to come out of nowhere and engulf everyone and everything. In March, at the start of the pandemic lockdown, funding from the government’s ‘Everyone In’ scheme was devolved to Sefton Council. This was to enable the project to get rough sleepers off the streets and into emergency accommodation. The Council then contracted Sefton Supported Housing Group (SSHG) to provide the services. Two consortium members, Bosco and Venus, were tasked with providing emergency accommodation for all those that needed it in south Sefton – as soon as possible! This was a mammoth undertaking but, with the support of Sefton Council and other key players, they performed a quite remarkable miracle.

Within a few short days, accommodation was secured at Crosby Lakeside Activities Centre (CLAC) at the marina, and the Emmaus hostel in Seaforth, (both managed by Bosco) and The Stables hotel in Aintree (managed by Venus). For Bosco, an extra 31 beds were provided (more than doubling our capacity from 26 to 57), new residents were moved in, and two new staff teams were recruited from scratch to provide cover at both sites. In order to provide adequate cover across the four Bosco sites, existing staff rotas were scrapped – normal shifts were abandoned and staff had to adapt to new hours, including working weekends and nights. Everybody contributed, not only with their time but, more impressively, their commitment, flexibility and effort, despite severe disruption to home and family life.

With the easing of lockdown restrictions, the project was wound down, with Emmaus being vacated at the end of July and CLAC at the end of August, whilst The Stables is still operating. Figures collated by Bosco House manager, Lisa Boylan, show the outcome of this project:

  • Between 23rd March and14th September 2020, a total of 185 clients accessed South Sefton emergency accommodation services at CLAC, Emmaus, and The Stables. Below is the outcome of how and where these clients moved on:
    • Hostel/dispersed accommodation 33
    • Registered Social Landlord/private rented 42
    • Stables (currently) 34
    • Placed by HOTS/Housing First 6
    • Custody/returned to Liverpool services 8
    • Asked to leave 10
    • Moved out of area 4
    • Abandoned/whereabouts unknown 48

Total 185

One thing that has been reassuring is the absence of COVID infections amongst the clients. None of the residents were reported as having tested positive for COVID and anecdotal information suggested that COVID figures amongst the homeless have been low across the northwest. In fact, during the height of the pandemic in mid-July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released data which showed 16 people identified as homeless had died with coronavirus in England and Wales.

However, a second wave of COVID has been predicted from the start and with a sudden rise in reported infections on Merseyside, new restrictions have been put in place by the government. Consequently, on Friday 2.10.20, Bosco took the decision to revert to their previous lockdown position – restrictions on visitors, emergency rotas, minimal staff on duty, where possible staff working from home, etc. – to minimise contact and protect everyone at Bosco. This will be reviewed on a weekly basis to try and stay ahead of developments.

Bosco manager, James Heller, said: “Unfortunately, after lockdown restrictions ended in June, we have seen another spike in COVID-19 infections. Merseyside is one of the most infectious areas of the country at the moment and it is for this reason that we have decided to revert back to the changes implemented during lockdown.  The following will be implemented next week and will be reviewed on a weekly basis, including:

  • During the day at Bosco House and The Lodge, staff will be limited to a housekeeper, a Keyworker and a manager.
  • Visitors are not allowed on the premises. Essential workers are exempt from this including care workers, mental health workers, maintenance workers, etc.
  • A temperature check procedure is in place for all entering the buildings.
  • All staff will sanitise communal areas every hour.
  • Key-Work sessions can still take place. The Keyworker will ensure at least a 2 metre distance and both staff member and resident will wear a facemask.
  • Staff will wear face coverings during handovers and regularly wash their hands

James added: “All of the procedures apply to next week and will be reviewed for the following week. Things can, and do, change very quickly and in recent months we have had to be ready to adapt in order to minimise as much as possible the risks to staff and residents. There will be regular updates if and when things change again.”