About the Organisation
Concrete Rose a not-for-profit is a community interest company (CIC) set up in 2022 in response to the urgent need for foster carers for young people. Current statistics show that there is a need for an additional 9,000 additional foster carers in the UK. We want to help bridge this gap and provide more nurturing environments for young people classed as ‘at risk’. Our supported lodgings scheme provides quality, safe accommodation with carers/ hosts for up to 2 years. We began recruiting hosts a year ago and are rapidly growing, organising accommodation and support that enables young people to step into a better future. The supported lodgings support vulnerable young people, care leavers, those at risk of homelessness, unaccompanied asylum seekers and young parents.
The hosts provide nurturing places in their homes that include exceptional levels of wrap-around support, founded on a therapeutic approach that is based in research and an understanding of trauma. We also deliver a mentoring programme for Cambridge University students who are care experienced and/or estranged from family and we do this generally, though not exclusively, through hosts from local churches. Statistics show that a third of care leavers will be homeless within leaving care and that there are not enough foster carers from black and minority ethnic groups.
Having carried out research into overcoming the gap we recognised the need to recruit more foster carers, particularly from a different demographic with national research showing that the average foster carer is a single female between 45 – 53.
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Through research, Concrete Rose have recognised that a barrier for potential foster carers hosting young people is the ability to either purchase a larger home, getting on to the property ladder or extend their existing accommodation. They are looking to respond to the urgent need for more foster carers in the UK, particularly carers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds or those willing to foster teenagers and the barriers to this.
They have begun developing their ‘Stable home‘ initiative, with a vision to match investors with interested foster carers, based around a ‘declaration of trust’ or ’tenant in common’ model where a number of investors put in place a percentage share. A similar shared ownership scheme was implemented by Mission Housing, who Concrete Rose have received advice from.
Concrete Rose has both investors and foster carers interested in being involved in this scheme but recognise it is a complex regulatory field, especially if they look to establish a ‘mini-fund’ where they seek investment and then act as a lender, along with the difficulties associated with getting mortgage providers to accept this financial arrangement.
Concrete Rose would therefore welcome pro bono advice and support with:
- Potential financial modelling and investment options e.g. shared ownership
- Regulatory advice and contractual arrangements
- Legal advice/ legal framework on funding models and loan schemes.
Timeline
Initial advice to begin over the next few months.