A NEW type of emergency temporary accommodation for homeless teenagers has opened in Malvern.

The emergency 'safebase' room for 16 and 17 year-olds, has officially opened at the Malvern Hills Foyer, courtesy of Platform Housing's youth development team.

This facility provides housing services for young people allowing them to live in a safe environment while receiving support and learning life skills to help them find somewhere permanent to live.

The room is unique to the area and will provide a safe place for young people who become displaced from their home in an emergency situation.

It provides a calm environment, a bed, with en-suite shower room and cooking facilities while they are assessed to determine what care, support and longer term housing is needed for them.

The new room is part of a major refurbishment at The Foyer.

Platform Housing Group have assigned over £500,000 which will provide an additional 3 residential rooms, a 'move on' training flat, ensuite bathrooms in every room, a new interview and assessment room and provide a vibrant and welcoming lounge, dining and kitchen space with an internet café style space for residents to use.

Sasha Flanaghan, youth development co-ordinator from The Foyer, said: "It’s great we can now offer the safebase service alongside everything else we do here through our one to one support, like improving knowledge and skills around looking after a home, cooking on a budget, keeping things clean and tidy, especially their new bathrooms, basically everything they need to know as they become young adults.”

Nikki Knight, head of specialist housing for retirement and supported living at Platform said: "Due to the growing pressures of homelessness amongst young people within Worcestershire, the safe base room was prioritised for completion when we started the building work in April.

"The room will provide a critical lifeline for a number of young people into the future, who sadly sometimes don’t have anywhere else to go, or anyone to turn to, and who are often really vulnerable.

"I’m delighted with the way the works are progressing on the refurbishment project.

"We are going to have a fabulous, modernised Foyer that I hope will help young people to feel safe, secure and at home whilst they are with us and from where, with the help and support from our team, they can achieve their ambitions and fulfil their aspirations.”