ARU Final Report

Full Report – May 2021 13 I came back… When I was at home I liked the first week because I was alright with Mum and Dad sort of thing, but then things started to get down a bit with Mum and me arguing a bit and everything else going on while I was there. Certainly, during the first lockdown in 2020 some care leavers reported to The Essex Involvement Service that they found it helpful that they had moved in with someone during this time (The Essex Involvement Service, 2020). Meanwhile, other young people with disabilities in our study, told us about the more permanent moves they had where they were able to live more independently and have greater control over their surroundings and their daily lives: I moved to another flat in XXX. It is still supported with staff helping but I don’t have to leave after two years…… My flat is better, and I have made it my own, I still don’t like being nagged to do things but I understand why they do. Yes, I think I am happier here. I moved from a temporary placement to another temporary over 18 placement at the start of the pandemic. I lived there for a few months until the Summer of 2020 when I lived to move independently with my partner… It was different being in my own house compared to a care home type home, it massively helped my mental health and how I was feeling as I was in control of my day and who I saw. I feel okay with paying [my] own bills and cleaning, cooking etc and I have liked doing it up as it’s kept us busy in lockdown. In contrast, of the eight young people who said their accommodation had changed, three described chaotic, unsafe placements during the pandemic: During lockdown I have lived in a variety of placements, none of which I felt were right for me. During lockdown I was moved to four placements in total. One was a supported placement that I didn’t think was safe. I was only 17 at the time and it was an over 18s place, with 30-year-old men all drinking there, and I saw someone assaulted at the house. Another placement I was moved to I was being bullied by some of the other residents there. I didn’t feel safe there and, to make things worse, I was left with no door on my bedroom for three weeks. Then, in August, I was moved to the place I am at now, which I do think is right for me... The staff are very supportive in this placement. I feel like I can be myself. In other placements I felt like I had to take a lot of drugs to keep up with the others there and be like them. The other young people here aren’t like that, they’re all nice. I honestly think, if it wasn’t for this newplacement, I wouldn’t be here now. At the start of 2020 I was living quite chaotically whichaffectedmyplacements, Imoved twice just as the pandemic started from and to a couple of semi-independent placements. I moved from a placement in XXX to a placement…. for over 18s. I am in the process of moving to another shared house that will be better and safer for me. Bentley et al. (2020) who authored the ‘How safe are our children?’ report, describe how some young people, in the care of the local authority, are living in unregulated independent or semi-independent accommodations. Greatbatch and Tate (2020) show that due to the lack of care and support associated with this accommodation, problems around safety issues for young people are apparent. Although the changes and issues with accommodation in our findings were not necessarily directly related to Covid-19, the additional strain, complications, and restrictions associated with the pandemic would inevitably impact on accommodation arrangements, particularly for those in chaotic or unsafe placements. This includes, for example, the additional time spent at home and the reduced support outside of accommodation. It is important that young people with disabilities are supported to find accommodation arrangements where they feel