For Supported Housing Week, Trident Group shares how a single referral route, 24-hour support and strong local partnerships are helping adults with multiple and complex needs in Birmingham build stable, independent lives.

Trident Group’s Birmingham Adult Support Services work with adults facing homelessness, poor mental health, social isolation, substance use, offending histories and other complex challenges. Through community-based support, intensive support and supported accommodation, the team helps people find stability, stay independent and avoid crisis.
For many of the people Trident supports, supported housing is a lifeline. It’s what makes everything else possible: a safe home, with trusted staff on hand.

The Challenge

Getting help was often harder than it should have been. People were dealing with several services at once, each with its own referral process and eligibility criteria, often while homeless or in crisis.

Many services worked by appointment and only during office hours. Residents’ lives rarely follow that pattern. As a 24/7 service, Trident regularly saw people needing support in the evenings and at weekends, when other services had closed. For some, these barriers led to them disengaging altogether.

Staff faced their own frustrations, including siloed services, duplicated assessments and different ways of working across organisations. Finding suitable move-on accommodation was another hurdle, especially for residents with pets.

What Trident changed

The team set out to bring services together around the individual, rather than expecting individuals to find their way through several systems.

• A single referral route - one form now gives professionals access to all three of Trident’s services: Adult Lead Worker, Adult Lead Worker Plus and Adult Intensive Support. As someone’s needs change, they can move between services without a new referral or assessment.
• Visible, open partnerships - Trident works closely with Adult Social Care, NHS services, housing providers and the voluntary and community sector, and regularly attends partnership forums and multi-agency meetings.
• Simple, proportionate data sharing - clear information-sharing agreements mean partners can coordinate support, reduce duplication and step in earlier when concerns emerge.
• Flexibility around different ways of working - understanding partners’ operating models has helped Trident’s 24-hour service fill the gaps when other services are unavailable.
• Lived experience at the centre - staff, residents and people with lived experience help shape how services are delivered.

All of Trident’s supported accommodation is pet-friendly. This removes a major barrier for people who might otherwise have to choose between a home and an animal that may have been their only constant companion.

The difference it's making

Across all key areas of support, more than four in five residents with identified needs achieved positive outcomes in health and wellbeing, independent living, financial wellbeing and social inclusion.

During the first three quarters of 2026, 71 residents left the service, achieving more than 1,200 positive outcomes between them. These included:

• 112 improvements in mental health
• 150 improvements in physical health
• 133 outcomes relating to reduced substance use or engagement with recovery support
• 256 improvements in overall wellbeing and life satisfaction
• 208 life skills outcomes and 88 tenancy sustainment outcomes
• 71 successful moves into long-term accommodation.

By supporting people earlier, the service also reduces demand on emergency accommodation, health services, the criminal justice system and other crisis services.

More than a place to live

Trident’s residents are shaping services and celebrating real achievements. Residents from the Lead Worker Plus service were recently recognised at the PURE Awards for their commitment to training and personal development. Residents with lived experience also helped design the SafetyNet harm reduction app through focus groups, which earned the work recognition in Inside Housing.

At Trinity Close, a Health and Wellbeing Day run with Nuffield Health gave residents the chance to check their blood pressure and BMI and learn about the benefits of exercise.

Team leader Shanelle McIntosh said:

“They thought it was fantastic and have been coming up to ask when the next one will be.”

Advice for other housing associations

• Keep the focus on the person, not the organisation. People with complex needs rarely fit neatly into one service.
• Simplify access. A single referral route reduces duplication and makes it easier for people to move between levels of support.
• Keep data sharing proportionate. Clear, straightforward arrangements help partners work together without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Be visible. Strong partnerships take time and come from turning up to forums and meetings.
• Share what you know. Larger organisations can help upskill smaller charities, community groups and CICs (community interest companies).
• Look out for early warning signs. Missed appointments, withdrawal or tenancy concerns can signal that someone needs more support.

Paul McKeown, Service Lead at Trident Group, said:

“A safe place to live can be the first step towards a brighter future, and being part of that journey is what makes supported housing so special.”