Part 1: Section 1 Meath County Council's agency is vast, to be more specific, the Housing Department will be the focus of this assignment. The main objectives are to provide those on the housing waiting list with adequate and hopefully long-term accommodation. The Housing Department is a local authority department operating across all county councils, as set out in section 22 of the Miscellaneous Housing Provisions Act 2009. The scheme relies on claimants being eligible for support for housing or on those moving from former council properties [Meath Local Authority, 2011, MCC]. The housing department, however, offers a variety of services to today's society. An example of this is homeless services. Settlement officers work in homeless services. These staff are on the front line in following up cases, for example in site visits, and also carry out preparatory work, which consists of assessment interviews. These interviews are as informal as possible and allow settlement agents to get a complete picture of the client's situation. Since he is part of the council, he is funded by the state. The budget for the homeless section is generally allocated to emergency accommodation. As for government agency budget cuts, additional funding is taken from other services such as repairs. This means that any emergency accommodation paid for between then and the new budget will come directly from the County Council. The broader context of homeless services is that they generally provide a stepping stone for those seeking service [Client Support Plan MCC, 2008]. In general, many of those who use the service only use it for the time necessary to move into private rented accommodation, which involves depositing a deposit. As mentioned, it can provide customers with... half the paper... eam, it's vital. Not only to share the workload, but also to provide support, should it be needed, in case, for example, abuse is raised. Some staff may find disclosures of this type emotionally difficult and be able to share their concerns and stress with the appropriate colleague, usually the supervisor [Practise Placement Manual 2005]. Even if a situation like this never happens, knowing you have people to talk to is a huge advantage in this position. I believe in future placements and potential jobs, that I should be more involved with children. This placement indirectly involves children. Person-centered planning in this agency takes children into account, but the family/couple/single parent unit is considered as a whole. Any effects of the placed plan will fall exclusively on customers, including their children. Part One Word Count Inc. Ref: 1,995