RDF Care CIC services

Supported Living

Q: Can I contact RDF myself?

Yes. Adults, families and professionals can contact RDF for guidance and information. Formal admission is through Social Services or another professional body or organisation, rather than through a direct self-referral alone.

Q: What might support look like day to day?

It could be a prompt to start a task, planning a meal together, practising a household routine, preparing for an appointment or working through a letter. The exact help is agreed around the person’s needs and goals.

Q: Can my family or social worker be involved?

They can be involved where the adult gives consent and where this fits the agreed support arrangements. RDF can discuss how communication with family members and professionals may work as part of the referral and support planning.

Independent living arrangements with on-site support services to promote stability and self-sufficiency.

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Who this may help

A practical route, shaped around the person.

The right level of support depends on the person’s circumstances, strengths, preferences and the referral conversation.

Adults who may need practical help with everyday routines while having a say in how they live and what they want to work towards.
People who would benefit from prompts, demonstrations or encouragement with tasks such as meals, household routines, appointments or managing correspondence.
Adults who want to practise skills, keep skills they already have, or become more confident making day-to-day choices.
People whose Social Services or another professional body or organisation is considering supported living as part of their support arrangements.
Families, social workers and other professionals who want to understand how practical supported living could fit around an adult’s needs, preferences and goals.

What support can include

Useful help with the everyday.

The exact support is agreed around the person’s goals. These are examples of the practical areas that can be discussed.

Settling into a living arrangement by working out useful routines for mornings, evenings, meals and household tasks.
Planning meals, making a shopping list, preparing food and building confidence with simple kitchen routines where this is part of the agreed support.
Managing household tasks such as laundry, cleaning, organising belongings and noticing when something needs attention.
Support with personal routines and self-care, where this is included in the person’s agreed support plan.
Sorting letters and appointments, understanding what needs to be done next, and preparing questions for professionals or services.
Planning for community activities, local services and appointments, with practical support or prompts where agreed.
Practising budgeting and planning everyday spending in a way that matches the person’s goals and agreed support.
Keeping family or professional contacts involved, with the adult’s consent and in line with the agreed support arrangements.

What it can feel like

A clear, respectful way of working.

Support is not about taking over. It is about agreeing useful next steps and building confidence at a manageable pace.

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The person’s routines, strengths, preferences and support needs are discussed with the relevant people before support is agreed.
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An agreed support plan sets out the everyday help that is useful, the goals the person wants to work towards and how family or professionals should be involved.
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Support may include a prompt, a demonstration, doing a task alongside the person, or stepping back when they can manage it themselves.
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Day-to-day help is practical and can focus on real situations: planning dinner, sorting a letter, preparing for an appointment or getting organised for the week.
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Some days may require more encouragement than others. Progress is not expected to be identical every day, and support can be discussed when circumstances or needs change.
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The adult remains part of conversations about their support. Family members and professionals can be included where the adult agrees and where this fits the support arrangements.

Possible outcomes

Progress can start with small changes.

Each person’s goals and progress will be different. The focus is on practical improvements that matter in everyday life.

Greater confidence with everyday tasks, such as preparing a meal, keeping a routine or managing a household job.
More opportunity to make choices about daily life and to explain what help is useful.
Practical skills that are strengthened through repetition, prompts and encouragement at the person’s pace.
A clearer routine for managing appointments, correspondence, meals and other regular responsibilities.
More confidence accessing local activities, services or relationships that matter to the person.
A better shared understanding between the adult, their family and professionals about what is going well and where further help may be needed.

Referral-led admissionsFormal admission to Supported Living is through Social Services or another professional body or organisation. Adults, families, social workers and other professionals can contact RDF for guidance about the service and about what information may be useful to discuss with the referring body. Contacting RDF for guidance is not itself a formal admission; the relevant professional body or organisation must make and agree the referral and support arrangements.Discuss a referral

Service questions

Helpful answers about Supported Living.

Open a question to reveal a clear answer. These are a starting point, and RDF can also talk through the service and referral route with adults, families and professionals.

01What does supported living mean?

It means having a living arrangement alongside practical support with agreed everyday tasks and goals. The support may include routines, meals, household tasks, appointments, correspondence, community activities or personal routines where included in the support plan.

Was this answer helpful?

02Can I contact RDF myself?

03What might support look like day to day?

04Can my family or social worker be involved?

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