REDUCING EVICTIONS AND ABANDONMENT

1. REDUCING EVICTIONS AND ABANDONMENT LEARNING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES FROM 5 PILOT PROJECTS Joanne Crellen, Head of Innovation and Good Practice Homeless Link

2. AIMS OF THIS PRESENTATION • Demonstrate that something can be done • Outline learning for local authorities from each pilot

3. WHAT ARE THE PILOTS? • Follow on from research • Trial five solutions in five locations (within London) • Aim: reduce unplanned moves by 50% over 12 months • Worked in 3 hostels and 2 local authorities • Process: understanding the causes – taking action – measuring impact and identifying learning

4. SERVICE A • THE CAUSES • Primary work: • 09/10 SP returns – key issue: abandonment • Secondary work: • File review of all unplanned moves Jan – Jul 2010 • Most abandonments were 6-11 months into stay • All abandoners in arrears at time, half abandoned within 2 weeks of a letter, 83% left after letter before speaking to key-worker • Most missed key-work appointments regularly

5. SERVICE A • ACTIONS • Develop a new arrears policy to reduce the risk of abandonment linked to this • Revise the admissions process • Provide extra training for staff • Develop a new non-engagement policy • Introduce discussion before issuing warnings • Introduce starter packs for all new residents.

6. SERVICE A IMPACT This equates to: Overall: 2009/10 - 55% 2010/11 - 73%

7. LEARNING FOR LAS • Abandonment can be tackled • Role to play liaising with other departments/providers • Need to look at figures intelligently

8. SERVICE B • THE CAUSES • File review: • referral information for each client • the initial assessments and support plans • any warnings given and what these were for • levels of arrears and any recorded interventions • other significant incidents and interventions. • 10 staff interviews: • mixture of support workers, senior support workers and team leaders • old and new staff • Covered whether staff felt evictions and abandonment could be reduced at the service, to identify any concerns about doing so, to discover what was working well, and to gather ideas for what could be improved.

9. SERVICE B IMPACT • Unplanned moves began to rise! • Number of responses – • re-focussed work, trialling new approaches • discussing change in client group with commissioners

10. LEARNING FOR LAS • It can take time to establish true cause • Don’t assume good practice remains so

11. SERVICE C • THE CAUSES • File review • Staff interviews • Key issue: consistent management support

12. SERVICE C • ACTIONS • Good practice visits – inspiration • Alternative sanctions and supportive warnings • Client involvement and improved environment/activities

13. SERVICE C IMPACT • 67% reduction • Huge achievement for client group • Could only get better!

14. LEARNING FOR LAS • Reductions are possible even for chaotic client groups • New ideas are welcomed by providers

15. LOCAL AUTHORITIES • THE CAUSES • Active reporting for risk of eviction/abandonment (six months) • Aim to identify current practice, what worked/didn’t work, common issues, alternatives to eviction earlier • Review of policies - sanctions, behaviour, arrears, and abandonment • Providers meetings to discuss approaches • Overseen by a partnership group – borough and providers • Key issue: lots of good practice, but need for consistency and sharing

16. LOCAL AUTHORITIES • ACTIONS • Protocol to set standard of practice • Building on successful models (Nottingham, Newcastle) • Learning from others • LA1 - • Know your eviction criteria • Identify triggers early, discuss appropriate response • Ensure procedural consistency – allow personalisation • LA2 – • Case conferencing • Identify early – moves within provision

17. LOCAL AUTHORITIES IMPACT LA 1: increase in planned moves from 70% to 83% LA 2: increase in planned moves from 75% to 80%

18. KEY LEARNING • FOR PROVIDERS: • Getting the appropriate rules to match your clients’ needs • Staff don’t like talking about money! • Need to offer personalised responses • No ‘one thing’ makes the difference • Good practice should always be tailored to your service • Don’t become adapted to your own practice • Change is scary – don’t be afraid to try • You have to believe you can do it!

19. KEY LEARNING • FOR COMMISSIONERS • Results can happen quickly • Targets help to focus and galvanise but ultimately it’s about the clients and service improvement • Providers learn best from each other – facilitated by you • Specific services may need additional support • Enables cross-provider working, sharing of responsibility, and gaps to be identified • KEY MESSAGE: • Local authorities being seen to view this as a priority most important

20. FURTHER INFORMATION • Evictions and abandonment toolkit: • http://www.homeless.org.uk/evictions-abandonment-toolkit. • Joanne Crellen • 0207 840 4414 • Joanne.crellen@homelesslink.org.uk