Look Ahead is a registered social landlord providing care, support and housing services across London and the South East. Our service specialisms include mental health, young people and people with experience of care, learning disabilities and autism, and homelessness and complex needs including domestic abuse.
Look Ahead also has two subsidiaries, Blythson Ltd. and KingswoodCare Services Ltd who provide learning disability services in Kent and Essex.
Supporting those in need
34
Mental health services, supporting 1,065 people
We delivered 34 specialist mental health services, and supported 1,065 people.
19
Homelessness and complex needs services
Our 19 homelessness services, including hostels, supported housing, floating support and domestic abuse services have supported 1,212 people.
13
Young people and care leavers’ services
Our 13 services for young people and those with experience of care supported 514 young people to develop the skills and confidence they need to live independently.
48
Learning disability and autism services
Our 48 specialist services have supported over 216 people who have a broad range of learning disabilities, autism and complex needs.
Service highlights
Mental Health
Supported over 1,000 people with mental health needs, developed innovative services with NHS trusts and launched Well House and Ibis Step-down Service and the Barnsley Street Project.
Young People
Supported 514 young people through 13 specialist services, implemented an integrated support and accommodation pathway, and offered bursaries for education, training and employment.
Learning Disabilities
Supported 216 people, opened three new services, and our AnyBODY Can Dance therapeutic dance programme reached over 150 customers. We also appointed new positive behaviour support staff – accredited by the British Institute of Learning Disability – to improve quality, and support customers to co-produce their care and meaningful activities in services.
Homelessness and Complex Needs
Supported 1,212 people, opened new services, and launched MIDAAS, which supported over 400 people affected by domestic abuse. Our staff also trained over 300 health and social care staff – both internally and externally –about domestic abuse through our London DAAS and Kent MIDAAS services.
New services 24/25
- Well House, a crisis house short-term mental health service in Redbridge.
- Ibis House, a mental health hospital step-down service in Newham.
- Barnsley Street Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre, a 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centre based in Tower Hamlets – the first ever to open in England.
- Oaklands & St Kilda’s, specialist services for young people transitioning between children and adult mental health services.
- Tower Hamlets Young People’s Pathway, an expanded young people’s service pathway supporting 109 people aged 16- 25 across the borough across 12 properties, eight of which are Look Ahead-owned.
- Woodview Court, a CQC-registered care service for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health needs inWaltham Forest.
- Dents Close, a learning disability service in Hertfordshire for a single person transitioning out of long-term hospital
- Margery Park Road, a supported housing service for three young men with learning disabilities in Newham.
Customer stories
Our customers share their personal stories of how our support has enabled them to move forwards with their lives.
Co-production highlights
- This year, many of our customers got involved across Look Ahead, both in local services and with our central services teams.
- In our central services alone, over 50 volunteers participated in our co-production programme, working alongside staff, helping to recruit, select and train staff, offering customers peer support, auditing our services and participating in tenant and customer panels.
When asked:
- 100% of volunteers felt more confident after getting involved.
- 96% of volunteers were satisfied with opportunities to get involved.
- 91% of volunteers felt better prepared for work.
- 96% of volunteers reported improved communication and decision-making skills.
- Two customers from Look Ahead’s mental health services gave expert insights at a roundtable on improving hospital discharge, co-hosted by Look Ahead, the National Housing Federation (NHF) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych).
- We launched a new transformative initiative led by both customers and staff, called Better Outcomes Support and Services (BOSS). BOSS rethinks how we offer support, prioritising working with customers, and integrating their priorities and aspirations into future service delivery.
