The vulnerability panel (VP)

• The VP scrutinizes cases that meet set criteria where legal action or a move into supported housing is being considered.   
• It meets monthly and comprises senior officers from housing, children’s social work services and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.  
• Referrals are normally made by neighbourhood housing or rent and court team officers, social workers, community mental health workers and other community support workers. Officers are invited to attend the VP to present their case.  

 Referral criteria

• Tenants allocated to one of the specialist secondary mental health care teams, i.e. community mental health teams, early intervention service, assertive outreach team, focus, or the forensic outreach team and/or in inpatient psychiatric wards awaiting discharge back to their independent tenancy.   
• Households or families with dependent children (16 years or under) where the children are designated as children in need (i.e. eligible for social services support). This may include disabled children or those on the child protection register.   
• Camden tenants with complex needs, where there is evidence that other forms of intervention have been undertaken but issues still remain unresolved which may need further inter-agency involvement. Examples could include those with personality disorders and those who are elderly with dementia.  
• Care leavers who are 24 years old or younger.  

Information to include in the referral

• A summary of the housing management issues which have led to consideration of legal action.  
• Evidence of support and intervention to prevent the loss of the tenancy.  
• Relevant supporting documents.  

More details of what to include are here

When to refer a case

• Cases should be referred only when all other available options have been exhausted.  
• The VP does not accept referrals where support services have not been accessed on behalf of the client except where there has been difficulty accessing such services 

How to submit a case

• A form is available here.
• Send the completed form and all relevant supporting documents to [email protected]  
• The panel meets on the third Wednesday afternoon of every month at 5 Pancras Square. Referrers should be ready to attend and will receive an email invitation the week before with details of the meeting room and time.