“There is a pressing need for landlords to create human-centric policies, adapt to meet the needs of all their residents and ensure the most vulnerable residents are not left behind. For many landlords, their current approach is potentially inadequate for responding effectively to the needs of the population it serves”  – Housing Ombudsman, Spotlight on: Relationship of equals report

As the number of tenants with vulnerabilities continues to rise, it’s never been more important for housing professionals to respond with understanding, compassion and practical support.

Did you know?

• 15% of social housing households include someone with a long-term illness or disability preventing them from working
• 22% have specific disability-related housing needs
• 43% include someone living with a long-term physical or mental health condition.

And while many of these tenants live in supported accommodation, one in five now reside in general needs housing.

This shift demands a new mindset, But what does that really mean in practice?

Join us for this timely event where experts, practitioners and partners come together to explore how we can better serve tenants with a wide range of vulnerabilities – from mental health challenges and domestic abuse to substance misuse, frailty and dementia.

What you’ll learn:

• Real insights from lived experience: Understand the daily realities facing vulnerable tenants
• Smarter use of tenant data: Identify who needs help – and what kind of help will make the biggest difference
• Skills for support: Equip your customer facing teams with the tools and training to engage empathetically and effectively
• Partnerships that work: Learn from specialist agencies about how collaborative approaches create stronger safety nets
• Small changes, big impact: Discover simple service tweaks that make a meaningful difference.

By adapting your services to meet the needs of your most vulnerable residents you raise the standard for everyone.

What will be covered:

• Understanding your customer base and their lived experiences
• Collecting and using data on vulnerabilities or special requirements
• Adapting your services to better reflect tenants’ needs and priorities
• The legal perspective – your legal responsibilities under the Equality Act
• Safeguarding responsibilities
• Partnership working to support tenants
• The importance of linking health and housing.

Why attend?

• Hear from organisations supporting tenants
• Learn about how support can be built into mainstream services
• Hear from landlords improving their work in this area
• Understand the practical things you can implement to improve your services for tenants with vulnerabilities.

Essential for:

• Housing Directors
• Directors of Customer Service/Experience
• Heads of Housing
• Heads of Customer Service
• Operational and customer facing managers
• Housing officers
• Supported housing teams
• Tenancy sustainment teams
• Repairs and maintenance teams
• Estate services teams.

Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

Chloe has worked in the social housing sector for over 25 years, since her first role in housing management with JSS Pinnacle as a trainee housing officer. She completed a Masters in Housing with Professional Qualification at the London School of Economics and then moved into housing policy, working on behalf of the London boroughs, initially for London Housing Unit and then London Councils. She joined the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) in 2007 working with members, government officials and wider housing stakeholders to develop NFA policy and support the ALMO movement. She brings her wide range of housing management and policy knowledge to HQN as director, working across the business and bringing her skills and experience to the whole social housing sector.

Shadia Hernandez, Supported Commercial Manager, Home Group

Shadia joined Home Group in 2017 following a successful career as a hotel manager. Since then she has held a variety of roles within the organisation, most recently serving as Operations Manager where she played a key role in integrating clinical professionals into the workforce. Her leadership has been instrumental in promoting a psychologically informed approach across all areas of the business—an ongoing journey marked by continuous learning and improvement.

David Johnson, Head of Regeneration and Communities, Hedyn Wales

David is the strategic lead for the delivery of high quality, customer focussed community regeneration and housing support services. David is focused on providing place based leadership through the delivery of community regeneration, extensive stakeholder management and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Leading the Community Development and Housing Support Teams David is making a positive difference to tenants and the communities.

Olivia Richards, Social Research policy Advisor, Hedyn Wales

Olivia joined the sector in 2023 as a social research and policy advisor with Newport City Homes and has since gained experience delivering evidence-led research as part of service re-design and implementation throughout a merger. Now working with Hedyn, the second largest RSL in Wales, she is gaining inspiring insight and informing strategic decision making by working closely with the executive and leadership team through service integration.

From her four years of working across disability charities and in clinical psychology, Olivia has brought her insight on vulnerabilities to Hedyn to support the development and delivery of customer vulnerability programmes, embedding benefit to residents and communities through accessible services.

Kerri Harrison, Partner, Devonshires

Kerri joined Devonshires in 2011 as a paralegal before completing her training contract and qualifying into the Housing Management and Property Litigation department in 2016.

Kerri advises on all aspects of housing management law and practice, acting for Local Authorities, Registered Providers, care and support providers and private landlords. She has particular expertise in advising and representing housing and care and support providers, particularly in respect of safeguarding, applications to the Court of Protection and mental capacity issues.

Kerri also regularly advises on matters involving the Housing Ombudsman, including reviewing policies and procedures in light of recommendations and orders and providing training on compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Code.

Pippa Wady, Health and Care Specialist, Wady Consulting

Pippa is an accomplished and versatile independent consultant with a decade of NHS senior leadership experience; during which time she was sponsored to complete an MBA.

With a strong background in programme management, mental health, and nursing workforce; she has successfully led large multi-organisational programmes and developed various improvement strategies across health, social care, housing and higher education. A number of these pieces of work have been recognised nationally as examples of good practice.

Pippa’s areas of expertise and focus are strategy development, partnership working, process optimisation, programme & project management, and productivity coaching. As a highly effective and personable problem solver, Pippa works closely with organisations to truly understand their challenges and opportunities, navigate complexities, and craft clear, actionable plans for achieving sustainable improvements.

2:00pm Chair’s welcome and introduction

• Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

2:10pm Supporting vulnerable people: mainstreaming values and principles

• Shadia Hernandez, Supported Commercial Manager, Home Group

2:40pm Knowing our customers’ needs and adapting our service offer

• David Johnson, Head of Regeneration and Communities, Hedyn Wales

• Olivia Richards, Social Research policy Advisor, Hedyn Wales

3:10pm Break 

3:25pm Safeguarding and vulnerabilities – the legal landscape

• Kerri Harrison, Partner, Devonshires

3:55pm Understanding and adapting – supporting tenants with mental health challenges

• Pippa Wady, Health and Care Specialist, Wady Consulting

4:25pm Closing remarks

• Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

4:30pm Close

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.