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Preventing & Tackling Youth Homelessness

Preventing & Tackling Youth Homelessness. Meeting Needs through Innovation and PbR : A Provider’s Perspective Rebecca Pritchard (former Youth Homelessness Specialist Adviser). About Kipper.

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Preventing & Tackling Youth Homelessness

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  1. Preventing & Tackling Youth Homelessness Meeting Needs through Innovation and PbR: A Provider’s Perspective Rebecca Pritchard (former Youth Homelessness Specialist Adviser)

  2. About Kipper • Small, specialist local providers: 30+ years experience of working with young homeless people in the East End • Supported housing offer – focused on enabling transitions to independence , Education, Training and Employment specialist support and mediation • Board support for innovation and informed risk taking in recognition of challenges and increasing pressures faced by young people which require new responses

  3. Context • Cuts in public expenditure • Youth unemployment at its highest level in 20 years: (Homeless Link “Young & Homeless 2013”; January 2014). • Lack of affordable housing - increasing numbers of young people remaining in childhood homes into their 30s – but not always feasible if overcrowding, poverty and violence an issue** • Local authority services increasingly focused on those where a statutory duty is owed, rather than addressing needs regardless of legal status • Welfare Reform • High risk of financial exclusion if young people don’t comply and engage with job seeker requirements • Reduced options for young people in terms of move on into PRS – greater competition; SAR & LHA caps reduce options** • Greater demand for smaller units for downsizing as a result of the spare room subsidy – reducing affordable move on

  4. Homelessness Acceptances for Young People – to whom a statutory duty is owed

  5. Cliff edge Homeless 16- 17 year olds Homeless 18 – 24 year olds • Anxiety & depression (52%) • Involvement in crime/ ASB (39%) • Substance misuse problem (37%) • Exposed to violence in the home (40%) • Been on child protection register (12%) (DCLG 2008) Statutory responsibility to provide housing and support – Children’s Services and Housing • We don’t know, but... • Needs and vulnerabilities don’t disappear on 18th birthday • Research into entrenched rough sleepers found sofa surfing, street drinking, needs led offending, custodial sentences and IV drug use occurred between 18 – 21 years (DCLG 2012) No statutory responsibility to provide ( unless care leavers)

  6. Fitzpatrick, S., Bramley, B. & Johnsen, S. Pathways into Multiple Exclusion Homelessness in Seven UK Cities, Urban Studies, 2013

  7. Unmet needs and poor outcomes • In London, 719 people aged 18-25 were seen rough sleeping in the year to March 2013, compared with 624 in the previous year. http://www.broadwaylondon.org/CHAIN/Reports/StreettoHomeReports.html • Homelessness a risk factor for young people – leading to increased long term negative outcomes: poor emotional/ mental health (BMA 2003); lower academic achievement; increased risk of insecure low paid jobs or unemployment; long term homelessness (Shelter 2006).

  8. Positive Pathways for Young People 1. Minimise Demand: Education work in schools /other places on reality of housing choices 2. Reduce Demand & Crisis Early intervention targeted to keep young people in family network 3. Reduce/ Avert Crisis Plan & prepare with those at risk of homelessness BEFORE they are in crisis 4. Single Integrated Service Gateway Prevention, assessment of need, planning advice & options AND access to other services e.g. ETE & Job Centre Plus Range of health services Life skills Benefits advice 5.Supported accommodation as a starting point for those with higher needs or younger age (16/17) 8. Young person is ready to make their next move with minimal/no support and is positively engaged in ETE 6. Floating Support in accommodation - likely to be shared in private rented sector Steps 5-7 Young people can access 3 broad options and move between them until they are ready to move on. 7. Shared student style accommodation for those in FE, employment or apprenticeship with “light touch” support

  9. Challenges to current models • Pathways not always established/ gaps remain • Services challenged to cater for all levels of need/supervision required – not always able to meet the highest needs groups or flex outside service specifications • Re-tendering forcing a rush to the bottom? Loss of skills from the work-force... • Increasing levels of need and risk seen in the YP we work with, but pressure to reduce the length of stay for young people in - expected to do more with more complex young people in less time • Unrealistic expectations continue regarding housing options from YP – can lead to disengagement if housing the focus

  10. Need for new responses? • Traditional supported housing models - being tested by greater complexity and risk profiles of young people: • Complexity of needs – challenging behaviour, substance misuse and related dealing, risk taking, vulnerability, communication difficulties • Gangs, history of violence • Excluded from services – nowhere left to go...? • Return home – not always safe; may precipitate future crisis & rupture with family • Sofa surfing • Adult homelessness services – not always suitable for YP • Rough sleeping • Offending – criminal justice system “accommodates”

  11. Uncertain futures... • Zac – 19 years olds; moved into supported housing for young homeless people; suffered from drug induced psychosis; sectioned 3 times; set fire to flat; had to leave; older sister sent him home to family in Bangladesh; he returned but only option is large hostel for adult men... • Dave – 20 years old; had offending history and started drug dealing; not placed; left to sofa surf with “friends” and acquaintances... • Baz – 19 years old; vulnerable and immature; lacked insight into his behaviour and had history of assault; not placed – ended up in a 150 bed hostel for adult men with no young person focused support... • Fred – 21 years old; significant cocaine and cannabis use (£300+ per week); posed risk to other young people and self; not placed – struggled on at home until ended up in custody...

  12. Need for creativity Young people say its.. • The importance of the relationship • ‘Stickability’ of the key person/people • People doing what they say they will • Workers being realistic and challenging • But also being positive even when it gets tough Agencies say its… • Small caseloads • Personalised approach • Highly skilled staff • Access to specialist therapeutic services • Access to affordable housing • Being creative • Focusing on positives

  13. Opportunities to innovate

  14. PbR Partnerships: Unlocking Potential -transforming outcomes for young people YP

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