Secure accommodation for homeless families

We’ve officially opened a new service in Radford for homeless families. 

With 48 independent flats for adults and children, Sutton House offers secure short-term accommodation for families while they look for something more permanent. 

Many of the families at Sutton House have joined us from months in unsuitable hotel accommodation, often having to pack up and move on with less than 12 hours’ notice. This new stepping-stone service will support positive mental health and improved wellbeing for parents and their children, by reducing uncertainty and anxiety.

‘Better Lives’ for children

The number of homeless children in temporary accommodation has reached record levels - as reported by the BBC – and the toil on children’s mental health and wellbeing is well recorded. 

Lucy is one of the young mum’s currently at Sutton House. She’d stayed in various hotels with her young children, before being moved to Sutton House last month: 

“It was really hard living out of one-room hotels. Every Monday we’d have to go back to hand the keys in and find out if we’d have to pack up and move that same day. It’s nice here, we have a separate kitchen, we can cook our own food.” 

Leena, another resident is helping others settle in, sharing food with other families and creating a sense of community: “I was a bit unsure when I first walked in, but as soon as my son came back from school he said “Oh, it’s nice here mum”. He loves that we have a separate living room and a communal lounge with lots of donated toys. He’s making friends already.

“It’s really hard on the kids when we have to move all the time, I really hope we can stay here until we get our own house. I want to find a home where we can be safe, I don’t want them to have to worry about where we’re going to live anymore.” 

A lifeline for families

The short-term accommodation at Sutton House will offer a lifeline for dozens of families, giving them stability and opportunity to eat better, sleep better and make new friends. 

NCHA colleagues will be on hand to help residents move toward long-term accommodation and plan for a new independent future. 

Sutton House is a four-year commissioned service by Nottingham City Council. It is the latest project in partnership between NCHA and the council, and part of their collaborative commitment to help alleviate homelessness in the city. 

Find out more about how NCHA are working towards ending homelessness and the Homes for Cathy commitments that guide that work.