For people leaving residential rehabilitation, recovery does not end when treatment finishes. One of the biggest challenges can be finding somewhere safe and stable to live.
To help address that, Acorn and Calico Homes created the Acorn-Calico Housing Pathway, supporting people to move from rehabilitation into long-term housing while staying connected to the recovery networks they have built along the way.
The pathway begins before someone leaves treatment, helping them prepare for independent living and the responsibilities of a tenancy. Support continues after they move in, with practical help to settle into their new home.
Since the pathway was introduced, four people have successfully moved into their own Calico Homes tenancy, with a further four progressing through the process. At the time of reporting, all tenants who had moved into accommodation through the pathway had maintained their tenancy.
For one parent, having a home has provided a foundation for both recovery and family life.
“Getting a house has honestly changed mine and my son’s life. We can now be settled and concentrate on making happy memories. Having this home will mean I can concentrate on my recovery and being a good mum.”
For JW, the pathway provided a chance to move closer to the recovery community she had built around herself and her son. Since securing a home, she has rebuilt family relationships and progressed from volunteering at Acorn to becoming a full-time Housing Support Worker.
MD also found a fresh start through the pathway. After spending months sofa surfing and becoming increasingly disconnected from his four children, he chose to remain in Burnley rather than return to his previous environment. Today, he has a secure home, continues to access aftercare support and is rebuilding family relationships.
He describes securing his tenancy as: “The best decision he has ever made for him and his children.”
Others have used the pathway to build independent lives, maintain their recovery and move into employment, including roles supporting young people and working within Acorn itself.
Emily Roberts from the Calico Homes Neighbourhood Team said:
“Working alongside the Acorn team has been a genuinely positive and productive experience. Their commitment to supporting individuals through recovery has made the pathway to housing process smoother, more coordinated, and far more person-centred.”
