Islington Council: Survivors Support Services

The Islington Survivors Support Service was set up in 2016 and based at 222 Upper Street. ISN survivors had campaigned for a specialist service and Richard Watts, Council leader (2017-2021) apologised for the abuse experienced in the care system, met survivors, listened and responded to them. A specific team was set up for survivors of non-recent child abuse in Islington children’s homes and other placements. The Non-Recent Abuse Team consisted of a full time senior manager and 2 support workers .The service provided included a broad range of practical assistance such as with benefits issues, housing and tribunal hearings and much else besides.

In March 2026, this service was closed by the council after 10 years of co-production with ISN. Survivors very much appreciated the practical help from specialist support workers who were flexible in approach and the feedback was positive. The support workers worked alongside ISN and routinely answered a dedicated phone line by checking into calls twice a day and calling the survivors back. They would make home visits or meet with survivors somewhere where they felt private and comfortable. This service will be very much missed as it was developed with ISN in co-production and we worked well with the various support workers over the years.

ISN and LBI Housing Services

Contact for survivors in HOUSING: Referrals.Co-ordinator@islington.gov.uk

and for specific advice related to housing contact:

Jahmane.Dolphy@islington.gov.uk

ISN know of many survivors who did not get council accommodation when they left care and either returned to their families or shared rooms with friends. Most lived on the streets and some were placed in Bed and Breakfast accommodation unprotected from abusive adults. For many of those who had always lived in children’s homes outside of London they were suddenly isolated & abandoned in Islington with no friends or support networks. Some ISN survivors had continued to be homeless for many years until recently.

Survivors who were given accommodation under what was known as the ‘Adolescent Quota’, which had to be approved by a senior management advisor, often had no support and found managing a tenancy understandably difficult. It usually depended on whether they had a social worker helping them through the move as to whether they received a payment to help them settle in and get furniture etc. Many had nothing at all.

The council has acknowledged that even though for some years it was not a local authority legal responsibility to house children who had been in care, they now have a moral responsibility to provide housing support to ISN survivors. The following council statement was made in 2016. This was at a time when the Non-recent support team worked with the Housing team and this service is no longer available.

Islington Council will:

· Allocate a member of the Housing Team to provide realistic, accurate and appropriate housing advice

· Assess all applicants that report a housing need sympathetically and sensitively

· Each situation will be assessed independently taking all current factors into account, including, current and past housing history, mental and physical health concerns, social and support network and child care and adult care responsibilities.

· Provide a written evidence based housing option for all applicants

· Refer for additional support via the Support Coordinator Service

Housing options available include:

· Assistance with mutual exchanges

· Registering an applicant on the Homefinder UK website

· Assisting an applicant into the private rental sector

· Where an applicant is homeless, support to approach the council where they have a local connection and provide advocacy as required

· Supported accommodation

· If appropriate, support to apply on the council housing register

· Assistance with the process of bidding for properties