Developed in partnership between Uniting and CHIA NSW, the Working with Older Tenants Toolkit is a brand new resource for providers facing the challenges of accommodation for an ageing population.

The Working with Older Tenants Toolkit is a resource for any providers supporting tenants ageing in place (i.e. Community Housing Providers, Aged Care Providers, long-term accommodation providers).

The modules in this Toolkit focus on key issues that impact Older Tenants, and best practice solutions for providers to utilise. Modules included cover:

Introduction – Working with Older Tenants: Building the capacity of community housing providers to support tenants to age in Place

Module 1 – Diversity and Older People

Module 1.1 Checklist Communicating with older tenants from a CALD background

• Module 1.2 Checklist Return to country for older Aboriginal tenants
• Module 2 – The Aged Care Service Delivery Model

• Module 2.1 My Aged Care Assessment Flowchart
• Module 2.2 Checklist Refusal to engage with My Aged Care

Module 3 – Housing Adaptations to Support Ageing in Place

• Module 3.1 Making buildings easier for people with dementia and other cognitive impairments
• Module 3.2 Easy Read Guide Applying for home modifications

Module 4 – Understanding Elder Abuse

• Module 4.1 Checklist Indicators that might suggest elder abuse is occurring
• Module 4.2 Resource Legal responses to capacity issues and elder abuse

Module 5 – Social Isolation and Loneliness

• Module 5.1 Assessment tools for isolation and loneliness

Module 6 – Dealing with changes in behaviour

• Module 6.1 Checklist working in partnership with health and aged care services

If you have any questions regarding the Working with Older Tenants Toolkit, please contact Adam West, Head of Business Development (CHIA NSW) at [email protected]. 

CHIA NSW thanks and acknowledges the NSW Department of Communities and Justice who provided funding to complete this project. CHIA NSW thanks and acknowledges Sue Cripps of SC Consulting who contributed significantly to the development of the Toolkit.

This toolkit builds on the 2015/16 Complaints Handling Framework project led by the NSW Registrar of Community Housing, and supports the implementation of the best practice principles described in the Framework.

While no ‘one size fits all’ framework would work across the sector, there are many benefits in developing some consistent practice methodologies on complaints handling. The toolkit aims to support the capacity of CHPs to implement the good practice approaches described in the Framework. It focuses on early resolution and learning from complaints. The toolkit also includes a selection of complaints handling templates for providers to adapt to their policy context around complaints.

It is not mandated that CHPs use the toolkit but the resources are designed to support better practice in complaint handling in the sector.

• Web-based complaints toolkit
• Complaints toolkit (Excel)
• Complaints form
• Example letters
• Monitoring report for complaints
• Complaints Handling Framework
• Complaints Toolkit Video Demonstration 

This report on best practice for multi-tenure developments is based on extensive research and looks at bringing together social, affordable and private housing in multi-tenure developments that deliver vibrant communities that work well for different people.  Through its use of case studies, the report provides excellent insights into the key design, development and management approaches of successful multi-tenure developments.

The report has been undertaken on CHIA NSW’s behalf by Dr Judy Stubbs and is produced in conjunction with the Department of Family and Community Services:

Multi-tenure developments: best practice approaches to design, development & management (full report)

• Multi-tenure development: summary report
• Australian case studies
• UK case studies
• UK case study demography – East London
• UK case study demography – Glasgow

With social housing only available to those who need it most, tenants have increasingly complex needs that community housing providers need to respond to. To support community housing providers to manage the tenancies of vulnerable people with more complex needs, the Federation has partnered with Q Shelter to develop the Creating Sustainable Tenancies for Tenants with Complex Needs Toolkit.

The Toolkit is a practical resource designed to equip community housing providers with the tools and resources required to implement best practice approaches to sustaining tenancies for tenants with complex needs.

Sustainable Tenancies introduction video

Sustainable Tenancies SECTION ONE

• Policy template NSW
• Pathways to assist management of high risk tenancies
• Emergency responses to behaviours of concern (BOC) for CHPs
• Tenancy response plan (template)
• Pathway to guide practice when a tenant with complex needs refuses to engage with support services
• Vulnerability Assessment Tool

Sustainable Tenancies SECTION TWO HOARDING AND SQUALOR

• Policy template NSW – working with people who hoard
• Managing hoarding pathway
• Hoarding screening assessment form
• Environmental Cleanliness and Clutter Scale
• Clutter Image Rating Scale
• Hoarding and squalor issues (letter)

Sustainable Tenancies SECTION THREE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE

• Trauma informed care & practice checklist
• Sustaining tenancy case study
• Tenancy response plan (template)
• Nuisance and annoyance breach of tenancy (letter)
• Reminder notice breach (letter 1)
• Reminder notice breach (letter 2)
• Reminder notice breach (letter 3)