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Having a stable, appropriate place to live is fundamental to building a positive, meaningful future. This is no different for young people with SEND.

The first step is supporting young people to think about how they want to live and then understand what options are available to them.  

Staying at home

Many young people  will want to stay close to their families and this might mean living at home. However, this does not mean you cannot live independently within your family home.  This could be with the support offered by Supported Housing (see below).  Or by working out with your family what areas you would like more independence - your own keys, choosing, buying and cooking meals, when you can come and go and much more - balancing your preferences with their natural concern to keep you and the rest of your family safe. 

read about  Just enough support.

Buying or renting a home 

This is very expensive in Wandsworth and most young people will need to save up for a considerable time for a deposit on a privately rented home - up to twice the monthly rent - and have quite a high income to afford the rent and other costs.  Buying a home also requires a large sum of money for a deposit and an income high enough to pay a mortgage and all the other bills of home ownership.

Inheriting or/Being left or given a home

If a family owns their home and want to give or leave it to a son or daughter with SENDs, it is very important that they take proper legal and financial advice.  This may be to set up a trust or other legal structure to make sure that their child  and their property are secure. 

More information on this page: Inheriting/being left or given a home. 

The Money Advice Service can help with understanding this.  Your family will need to employ a suitably qualified lawyer (solicitor) to do the legal work and appoint trustees to run the trust.

Supported Living

This is also called Supported Living or Independent Living. What this means is that you have your own home,  rented or owned by you and support is put in place to help you live independently. This could mean that you are supported for a few hours a week, every day, overnight or for 24 hours a day. The support is carefully planned to meet your needs to live independently.

More information about about supported living here

Social housing 

Social Housing is a home rented to you by either the council or a housing association (HA) in the borough. Social housing is usually self-contained and unfurnished.

Types of social housing  

Applying to join the housing waiting list. 

Residential Care

This is one option if you are assessed as needing care and support. This option is only available to people with the highest level of needs.  Care homes will vary in size but provide a safe, secure setting with 24 hour staffing support. People who live in residential care have their own bedrooms but may share some other rooms like the living room.


There is information about care homes on the Wandsworth Council website.

There is further information on the CarePlace directory.

The NHS Choices website can help you to find care homes. 
Finding suitable residential care near to London is not easy, so you and your family will need to balance your needs and how close to home you would like to be.