Croydon Council is set to enhance casework training for its homelessness services, aiming to improve support for residents facing housing challenges, with a particular emphasis on keeping residents informed about their cases. The decision was made during a recent Cabinet meeting, where the council reviewed recommendations from the Homes Sub-Committee regarding homelessness transformation.
The move comes in response to a recommendation that all managers receive appropriate training in casework management. This recommendation was part of a broader review of homelessness services, detailed in Appendix 2 - Review of Homelessness Transformation.
In addition to casework management training, the council is also planning to provide cultural sensitivities training to all staff members. This initiative aims to ensure that council employees are equipped to serve Croydon's diverse community with understanding and respect.
Councillor Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, is the political lead for these initiatives, with Susmita Sen, Corporate Director of Housing, as the identified officer. The implementation of the casework management training is scheduled for August 2025. There is currently no information available regarding interim steps to address the identified needs before the training begins. The cultural sensitivities training is already in progress, delivered through customer experience training and the 'Invest' management development programme, according to Dean Shoesmith, Chief People Officer.
The council rejected a further recommendation to develop processes to monitor and enhance services, such as mystery shopping. According to the Scrutiny Stage 2 Report - 23 July 2025 [https://democracy.croydon.gov.uk/documents/s66394/Scrutiny%20Stage%202%20Report%20-%2023%20July%202025.pdf], this was due to increased demand for homelessness support, with resources being prioritised to resolve housing situations. The council may reconsider this recommendation at a later date. The document does not provide alternative methods besides mystery shopping.
The decision to improve training for homelessness services underscores Croydon's ongoing efforts to address housing challenges and provide better support for its residents. These changes are part of a broader strategy to ensure that the council is responsive to the needs of its community and committed to continuous improvement.
