4. Reviewing the service

4.1 Lessons learned

Although a considerable amount has been achieved in the last five years, homelessness remains a significant problem for the East Kent authorities and their partners.

In 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now the Department of Communities and Local Government, the CLG) commissioned the Housing Quality Network (HQN) to undertake an evaluation of the 2003 homelessness strategies of all 354 local authorities. This exercise proved invaluable, providing each local authority with a detailed overview of the strengths and weaknesses of their individual strategies, and the opportunity to address these issues during the 2008 review. They key points arising from the review of the East Kent homelessness strategies were:

The review process needs to be more comprehensive and to focus on all groups rather than particular ones
There was a lack of emphasis on tackling issues in the private sector
A limited emphasis on the prevention of homelessness, and the monitoring thereof
The need for the East Kent Homelessness Forum to widen it’s strategic links and engage with health, social care and education sectors
The need to evidence how the sub-regional approach is addressing district-specific issues.

4.2 Cross authority peer reviews

Using the CLG self-assessment guide Preventing Homelessness: A Strategy Health Check (September 2006), each authority undertook a self-assessment of their service during 2007, which was then tested with frontline staff by staff from the partner authorities. The process was consistently applied across each authority, enabling each one to share good practice. The following service gaps were also identified:

RSL commitment to homelessness prevention – improve partnership working by inviting stock-holding RSLs to join the East Kent Homelessness Forum (see also objective 1.7 in the Action Plan at section 8)
Strengthen money/debt advice and credit unions to help tackle financial exclusion to prevent homelessness (see objectives 1.13 -1.16 in the Action Plan at section 8)
Options Toolkit (including procedures, advice leaflets, comprehensive agency contact details, up to date information on range of services available, referral forms, etc) to be developed for use by frontline Housing Options staff.

Absence of street outreach service (Thanet only. Addressed by Countywide Outreach and Resettlement service from 2008)
Quality checking of temporary accommodation (see objective 5.7 in the Action Plan at section 8)
Customer satisfaction/exit surveys to inform service development (see section 7 in the Action Plan at section 8).

4.3 Listening to service users

Service user feedback is invaluable. Three satisfaction surveys sought the views and opinions of service users on a range of services across East Kent during 2007:

Homelessness service satisfaction survey – issued to households who had been homeless but whose cases were closed during February 2007. 24 responses were received. The survey tested overall satisfaction with the service including advice and information provided, and waiting time to see an officer. Overall satisfaction levels were moderate at 63%, although 83% found staff helpful. The survey will be repeated during 2008 and a focus group convened to explore in further detail experiences of using these services.
Temporary accommodation survey – issued to all households in temporary accommodation with 320 responses received. Generally there were few problems with the size and condition of accommodation or the proximity to schools and employment; however 19% of respondents reported accommodation-related health problems and 17% reported harassment problems. The need to improve the quality of temporary accommodation across East Kent is a key priority within this strategy and objectives have been developed to address the issues that have been identified. This survey will also be repeated during 2008.
Single homelessness survey – this survey was first undertaken by Canterbury City Council in 2004 but was rolled out across Kent during February/March 2007. Completed by all statutory and voluntary agencies that provide advice and assistance to single homeless people in Kent, it tracked the causes of homelessness, and the movements and needs of single homeless people. Countywide, 731 responses were received, 356 of which were within East Kent. 34 (10%) of the East Kent respondents were aged under 18. This survey will be repeated during 2009.

A more detailed summary of the findings of each survey will be found at appendix 3.

Individual case studies – undertaken during 2007 on behalf of the East Kent authorities by the Scrine Foundation. 23 service users spoke frankly about their experience of being homeless and accessing local statutory and voluntary services. The case studies highlighted several key issues:

Illegal evictions and poor quality housing management provided by private sector landlords was identified as a major cause of homelessness amongst single people in East Kent
The validity of the annual street count was questioned and the need for this data to be supplemented with more comprehensive service user feedback on a more regular basis
The need to review the provision of direct access accommodation across the sub-region. Is it in the most appropriate location? Are the access criteria correct?
The need to review the provision of accommodation for people with substance misuse and addiction issues across East Kent. The study suggests that the current level of provision is inadequate
Evidence suggests that homeless people still experience difficulties accessing health services, specifically services for addressing substance misuse
The need to review the provision of accommodation for people who experience domestic violence
The need to review policies that prevent people from accessing services due to a history of anti-social behaviour.
Evidence suggests an increasing number of people from the A8 countries are looking to access voluntary sector services across East Kent - many agencies are struggling to address this need because of language difficulties or because clients are often ineligible for benefits.

4.4 Young people

Young people are particularly vulnerable to homelessness and its consequences. The increase in the number of young people accepted as homeless in East Kent has already been noted (see section 2.3) and this is a particular issue in the Dover district. In 2006-2007 6,061 young people were accepted as homeless nationally, which represented 8.5% of all acceptances. In the same period in Dover, 21 young people were accepted as homeless, which accounted for 23% of all acceptances. In September 2007, nine 16 and 17 year olds were living in bed and breakfast in the Dover district, making it one of the top 30 users of bed and breakfast nationally, and the fourth highest user in the South East region. Evidence suggests however that the problem is significant for East Kent as a whole, and that services to prevent and tackle youth homelessness are less than adequate: (Any diversity figures – e.g. BME, disabled, gay?)

Evaluation of services and initiatives for young homeless people in Kent and Nord-Pas-de-Calais - examined and evaluated youth homelessness services in East Kent and Nord-Pas-de-Calais by considering the experiences and perspectives of service users, service providers and service commissioners. The study found that:

A poor family relationship is key factor in influencing a young person’s decision to engage with service providers. Emotional difficulties, low self-worth and rejection by family make engagement less likely
There was a lack of psychological support available to young homeless people
All young people wanted a job and a flat of their own. They were optimistic for their futures and aspired to conventional family lives
Drug and alcohol use increased when young people were placed in homeless hostels
Assessment of young homeless people by support services was risk-based rather than needs-led, and the delivery of support was based on risk management
There were few training opportunities for young homeless people outside of Education, Employment or Training (EET) schemes
Access and availability of primary health care was mixed for young homeless people and was dependent on the area and individual surgery decisions

Research undertaken on behalf of Shepway Young Persons Homeless Forum during spring 2007 in partnership with Maidstone and Ashford Borough Councils. 68 young people responded, and key issues that emerged for the Shepway area were:

An increasing proportion of people presenting as homeless and being accepted for permanent re-housing by Shepway District Council are under 25 – 16 cases were recorded in 2005-06, and 23 in 2006-2007
The main causes of homelessness are family relationship breakdown and eviction from the family home
There is a higher than average incidence of repeat homelessness amongst 18-20 year olds
Most respondents knew what agencies they could contact for support, and the majority were content with the level of support they were receiving
Most respondents said that their main priority was to secure permanent housing
The majority of Shepway based service providers supported a need for the provision of an accommodation-based support scheme that could provide young people with the life-skills necessary to enable them to live independently, and avoid repeat homelessness.

Housing advice in the school setting – a pilot project undertaken by Shelter in Dover and Folkestone during 2007 with the aim of providing information for young people about accessing housing. Initially the service was little used by students, however evidence from classroom sessions held by Shelter, and feedback from the 530 students who completed Shelter’s questionnaire revealed that:

Students in years 7 and 11 were most likely to access the service. Least likely were the year 10 students (ages 14-15), although they were the group most likely to have experienced housing-related problems
30 students said they had a housing-related problem, but only five had sought advice from Shelter. For those that did, the cause of the problem was relationship breakdown. A perceived lack of privacy was the reason given for not accessing the school-based service, with the Internet being the preferred source of information and advice
The students were relatively uninterested in housing issues unless they had experienced homelessness or knew someone who had. Those who attended Shelter’s classroom sessions were more likely to have experienced homelessness, and these sessions were generally perceived by teaching staff to be much more interactive than regular classes
Generally the students had unrealistic expectations of their ability to find housing when they are older. They knew little about their housing-related rights or responsibilities or of the sort of difficulties they may face in accessing housing in the future
The students were uninterested in being “taught” about housing, but responded well to a session where a young homeless woman spoke about her experience
There is an acute need to address housing issues within the classroom, and this is most likely to be effective when it is delivered by young people who have already experienced problems with housing. Shelter concluded from this experience that this should be targeted at young people from the age of 11 or younger where possible.

KCHT Breakthrough, working in partnership with Canterbury City Council provides support and mediation to families. In the 18 months to September 2007, 132 referrals were received from young people aged 10-19 with the “risk of homelessness” the primary cause for referral. Additional primary causes were behaviour, family breakdown, communication difficulties, educational difficulties and low self-esteem, all of which are factors that can contribute to homelessness. The service estimates a success rate of between 90-95% in preventing homelessness, but this is dependent upon support being provided at the earliest opportunity. The service also demonstrated:

The city has an acute shortage of suitable accommodation for young people
Mediation does not work for everyone. For some young people, the best option is a supported move into alternative accommodation
In most cases, the parents need just as much advice and information about avoiding homelessness as the young people
Some young people and their families genuinely believe that there is an abundance of alternative accommodation available for homeless people, and that it is relatively easy to obtain a council-owned home. Once aware of the reality, the inclination to resolve differences is considerably stronger.

4.5 Listening to partners and stakeholders

Partners and stakeholders have also informed the review process. A sub-regional stakeholder event was convened during May 2007, which provided an opportunity for stakeholders to debate issues around making better use of private sector housing, reducing the use of temporary accommodation, tackling rough sleeping and improving services and support for young people. Key issues identified by stakeholders during workshop discussions were:

Making better use of private sector housing

Be proactive in taking action against private landlords for harassment and illegal eviction
Work with private landlords to promote the private rented sector as a tenure of choice for those accessing housing options services
Provide information on housing options for those who are ineligible to present as homeless or apply for social housing
Undertake routine consultation with service users, including exit interviews.

Reducing the use of temporary accommodation & improving the quality of existing:

Develop alternatives to bed and breakfast
Visit all households in temporary accommodation to encourage take-up of options
Undertake routine inspections of temporary accommodation
Work closely with landlords to improve quality of accommodation
Avoid accommodation that is isolated from local service/schools/support networks
Ensure floating support is available from point of access.

Maximising housing options and choice:

Ensure that all partners implement the Kent Reconnection Policy, enabling service-users to live in an area of choice, with family and support networks
Choice-based lettings rollout to involve all partner agencies to avoid exclusion of vulnerable households
Review the effectiveness of homelessness prevention and housing options services identifying initiatives that have the greatest impact
Develop and implement a system of obtaining service-user feedback – surveys, focus groups etc.

Preventing rough sleeping:

With partners, work to reduce the negative community impact of rough sleepers
Make public areas less attractive to rough sleepers.
Ensure adequate outreach and re-settlement resources in all areas
Ensure that services match local needs.

Services and support for young people:

Investigate viability of foyer-type accommodation, linking accommodation with training and employment opportunities, life skills training
Evaluate benefits of supported lodgings schemes and consider trialling
Local authorities lead multi-agency approach; no agency can tackle issues alone
Expand schools programme, targeting younger children and none-attendees.

Partners and stakeholders have also contributed to this strategy as it has developed, and a full list of all contributors will be found at appendix 4.

Contents

Foreword

Executive Summary

Strategic Context

East Kent Perspective

Achievements and Progress

Reviewing the Service

Strategic Priorities

Resources and Funding

Monitoring and Reviewing

Action Plan

Appendix 1 - East Kent Homelessness Forum