The staff members will visit centres in Bristol and Leeds and gain first-hand experience in solving housing and care problems.

The course is an intensive two-week programme.

The Care and Repair initiative is run by the Housing Authority in order to help its most vulnerable clients, many of them lone mothers and elderly women.

It offers a personalised service and avoids bureaucracy through the use of social workers and a Care and Repair coordinator.

Members of staff liaise with building contractors and oversee work in order to avoid unnecessary worry to clients.