I absolutely love being a supported lodgings carer. Like any role, it comes with its ups and downs, but for me, the positives have far outweighed the negatives. One of the things I value most is that I can do it alongside my full-time job. As a single person, supported lodgings works well for me, it’s flexible and fits around my life.
The young people I support manage their own food and travel independently to college or work, which means I don’t need to be available for those day-to-day tasks. My role is to be there when they need support, whatever that looks like.
Building trust with the young people who’ve lived with me has been incredibly important. Early on, I set simple expectations: “Try to get home by the time we’ve agreed and be nice to the cats.” Beyond that, the support is largely unconditional. It’s very hard to make me angry. My priority is their safety, if they don’t feel safe or are in danger, I want them to call me. I’ll come and get them. All I want is for them to get home safe.
The young people become part of my life. They’ve met my friends, attended events with me, and some have even visited my workplace to better understand what I do. I tailor my support to everyone. For example, I currently volunteer at the local community fridge, and the young person living with me joins in because budgeting isn’t his strong suit. It’s about encouraging a bit of effort and offering practical support.
Supported lodgings is something I’m deeply passionate about. I often explain to people that I live with teenagers who aren’t biologically related to me, but we share our lives. They bring pride, laughter, and unpredictability and that’s part of the joy. You never quite know what each day will bring, and that’s OK.
Over the years, I’ve taught young people to swim, gone paddleboarding, and had countless hilarious conversations. One young person, for example, is a self-confessed terrible cook. His superpower is finding others to cook for him. It’s his life hack. He can cook if he really has to, it’s edible, if not exactly gourmet, and he’s not going to starve.
Being a supported lodgings carer is a wonderful experience. It’s a privilege to be part of a young person’s life and to support them in the way they need. Sometimes the help is welcomed, and sometimes I realise I’ve offered help ten times and it’s time to step back. That’s part of the learning too, knowing when to let them figure things out for themselves.