Homelessness Strategy
2008-2013
AN
E FOR A'
Comments and
Feedback
We welcome your feedback and
comments on the Falkirk
Homelessness Strategy 2008-2013
and we would also like to hear
from you if you are interested in
participating in future consultation
exercises or wish to be notified of
events undertaken as part of the
process of implementing the
Strategy.
You can get in touch with us in a
variety of ways. You can write,
telephone, email or fax using the
details below:
Corporate and Neighbourhood
Services
Suite 4
The Forum
Callendar Business Park
Falkirk
FK1 1XR
T: 01324 590780
F: 01324 590781
E: [email protected]
Falkirk Council Website:
www.falkirk.gov.uk
Falkirk Council
Homelessness Strategy
2008-2013
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Policy Context
Page
4
6
3. Homelessness in Falkirk
19
5. Planning for 2012
35
4. Current Homelessness Services
30
6. Resources
50
Appendix 1 Health and Homelessness: the Falkirk Context
56
Appendix 3 Housing Advice and Information Plan
68
Appendix 2 Young People’s Housing Strategy
Appendix 4 Temporary Accommodation Plan
64
72
Appendix 5 Falkirk Homelessness Forum: Stakeholders
76
List of Tables and Figures
92
Appendix 6 Action Plan
Glossary
77
93
3
Homelessness
Homeless Strategy
Strategy
2008-13
2008-13
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 This is the second Falkirk
Homelessness Strategy. Since
our first Strategy was
prepared in 2003,
homelessness has been the
subject of continuing
attention at both national
and local levels as a result of
the work of the Homelessness
Task Force. The main driver of
change is now the national
target that, by 2012, anyone
in Scotland who is not
intentionally homeless will
have a right to permanent
accommodation. This
ambitious target means that
the way in which we deal
with homelessness and
access to housing needs to
be reviewed.
1.2 There is now a wider
recognition that
homelessness is not simply a
housing issue and that to
deal with it effectively,
agencies must work in
partnership to tackle both its
causes and its effects. This
new Homelessness Strategy
has therefore been
developed by a wide range
of agencies that all have a
role to play in preventing and
alleviating homelessness.
Working in partnership has
been a fundamental
principle in the development
of this Strategy, underpinning
how we deliver homelessness
services in the Falkirk Council
area. In this context, a shared
understanding of the issues is
vital.
1.3 The Strategy sets out how we
aim to deal with
homelessness in the Falkirk
Council area between 2008
and 2013. In doing so, the
2012 Scottish Government
target will be the touchstone
but other key issues will also
be considered, including the
interim target that by 2009
we will have reduced the
percentage of applicants
assessed as not being in
priority need ¹ by 50%.
1.4 In developing the Strategy,
we have taken the
opportunity to look critically
at what we have done in the
past and to consider what
we need to do now to
improve services for homeless
people. The Strategy will
therefore attempt to show
the progress that has been
made since 2003 and set a
clear direction towards 2013.
It will consider:
4
National and local policy
contexts,
Services currently available
for homeless people in the
Falkirk Council area,
The nature of homelessness
in the local area,
The wider local housing
market,
The implications of the
2009 and 2012 targets,
What we need to do to
meet these targets,
How we will resource our
actions,
How we will know that we
have successfully
achieved our aims.
1.5 Two fundamental issues
underpin this Homelessness
Strategy:
There needs to be an
adequate supply of good
quality affordable housing
across the Council area to
meet needs. This key issue
will be addressed in the
next Local Housing
Strategy (LHS). This
Homelessness Strategy is
an integral part of the
wider LHS and should be
viewed in that context,
The myths and stereotypes
surrounding homelessness
need to be challenged.
Homelessness can occur to
anyone and we need to
change public
perceptions if those who
experience homelessness
are to be given the best
chance of resolving the
issues that led them to
being homeless in the first
place.
1.6 Given the recent “credit
crunch”, it is likely that more
people will find difficulty in
sustaining their
accommodation
arrangements and therefore
it is vital that this
Homelessness Strategy sets a
clear direction for the
coming years.
1 Definition of priority need outlined in Glossary to this Strategy.
5
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Local Housing Strategy Priorities
Providing people with a
range of affordable
housing options
Preventing and alleviating
homelessness
2.4 This Strategy also integrates
with the Forth Valley Health
and Homelessness Action
Plan.
Prevention
Accommodation
Local Vision and Aims
2. POLICY CONTEXT
2.1 This section outlines the key
policy issues at both national
and local level which will
impact on the delivery of
homelessness services over
the timescale of this Strategy.
National Context
National Homelessness Outcomes
2.2 In addition to the 2009 and
2012 targets, five national
homelessness outcomes
were identified by the former
Scottish Executive and have
been reiterated by the new
Scottish Government. These
are:
No one need sleep rough,
Existing homelessness
becomes more visible,
Sustainable resettlement is
secured for people who
become homeless,
Fewer people become
homeless in the first place,
6
The duration of
homelessness is reduced.
Local Context
2.3 In developing a Homelessness
Strategy for the Falkirk Council
area, care has been taken to
integrate the Strategy with
other Plans and Strategies
that direct service provision in
the area. In particular, the
Strategic Community Plan,
Corporate Plan and Local
Housing Strategy provide the
over-arching strategic
framework and the following
goals/ priorities are especially
relevant:
Strategic Community Plan Goals
Regenerating our
Communities
Improving Health and
Wellbeing
Corporate Plan Goals
Increasing our efforts to
tackle disadvantage and
discrimination
Continuing to improve the
health, safety and well
being of our citizens and
communities
Further developing a
thriving, sustainable and
vibrant economy
2.5 To give a local focus to the
national homelessness
agenda, we have taken the
national targets and
outcomes and developed
them into a local Vision:
By 2012, no one need be
homeless in the Falkirk
Council area.
Beneath this Vision we have
identified three key aims:
Prevention: we will prevent
homelessness by raising
awareness of the help that
is available in the area and
by developing new
services to meet local
needs,
Accommodation: we will
make best use of the
available accommodation
by assisting people to
explore the full range of
housing options available
in the area,
Support: we will help
vulnerable people to
access the support they
need so that they do not
become homeless again.
2.6 These aims are set out in
Figure 1 which shows that
prevention, accommodation
and support need to be
considered together to
ensure the delivery of
services that both deal with
Support
Figure 1: The Falkirk Homelessness Model
immediate crises and
prevent future episodes of
homelessness.
2.7 We believe that these three
aims are simple to
understand and will be
readily assimilated into the
working culture of all the
organisations and agencies
involved in the delivery of
services to homeless people.
Our Action Plans are set out
in accordance with this
model and they also
demonstrate the links
between each individual
action and both the national
and local homelessness
outcomes.
Local Strategic Outcomes
2.8 The four Local Strategic
Outcomes set out below
underpin this Strategy and it
is against these outcomes
that its success will be
measured:
Everyone can get help to
access the services they
need to prevent them from
becoming homeless from
their current
accommodation,
Everyone in housing crisis
can get temporary
accommodation that
meets their needs,
Everyone can get help to
find sustainable
accommodation and
housing support suitable
for their longer term needs,
Everyone can access the
health, care, education,
training and employment
services that will help them
avoid homelessness in the
future.
7
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
2012 Target
Local Housing Strategy
2.9 There is no doubt that the
2012 target is challenging. It
influences not only this
Homelessness Strategy but
also the next Local Housing
Strategy. The LHS will consider
both the housing needs of all
of the local population (both
current and projected) and
how issues concerning the
supply and condition of
accommodation in the area
will be addressed.
Housing Allocations Policy
2.10 As the major landlord in the
area, the Council can have
a significant influence on
whether or not the 2012
target can be met locally by
ensuring that the available
Council housing stock is
allocated to those people
who have the greatest need
for accommodation such as
those who are homeless,
overcrowded, living in substandard accommodation or
have medical priority for
alternative housing. The
Council has recently
approved a new choice-
based housing allocations
policy which is now being
implemented.
Housing Options
2.11 At the same time, we need
to ensure that people are
aware of all the housing
options available in the area
and our Housing Advice and
Information Plan seeks to
adopt a more proactive
approach to helping people
meet their housing needs,
thus helping them to access
accommodation across all
housing sectors (see
Appendix 3).
2009 Target
2.12 As a step towards the 2012
goal, the Scottish
Government has set a target
that, by March 2009, local
authorities must reduce the
number of non-priority
homeless assessments they
make by 50% (using the
2003/04 figures as a baseline
against which progress can
be measured).
2.13 The 2003/04 figures for
homelessness assessments
are set out in Table 1, right:
Table 1: Assessment Decisions 2003-2004
Assessment Decision
Applicant resolved homelessness prior to
assessment decision
%
100
6%
Homeless - non priority
418
26%
Homeless - priority unintentional
509
31%
235
14%
Neither homeless or potentially homeless
129
8%
Potentially Homeless - priority intentional
5
0%
Homeless - priority intentional
67
Lost contact or withdrew before assessment
decision
Potentially Homeless - non-priority
Potentially Homeless - priority unintentional
Total Assessments
5
165
1633
4%
0%
10%
100%
Due to rounding percentages do not add up to 100%
2.14 In effect, the Council must
increase the percentage of
applicants who are assessed
as having a priority need ² by
50% in order to meet this
target. Whilst most of the
categories of priority need
are self explanatory, the
major area for interpretation
is around the assessment of
an applicant’s vulnerability.
By introducing the use of a
Support Needs Assessment
Matrix to help determine
whether or not a homeless
applicant is vulnerable, we
have already been able to
meet the 2009 target.
Homeless Persons
(Unsuitable
Accommodation)
(Scotland) Order 2004
8
No.
2.15 The Unsuitable
Accommodation Order
restricts the type of
accommodation that local
authorities can use in
discharging their statutory
duty to provide temporary
accommodation: any
properties used as temporary
accommodation by families
with children must meet
certain basic standards
including adequate cooking,
washing and toilet facilities.
Families can only be placed
in accommodation that does
not meet these standards
(usually bed and breakfast
accommodation) in specific
circumstances, e.g. outwith
normal working hours or
where there is no other
suitable accommodation
available. In either case, the
longest time a household with
children should stay in such
premises is fourteen days.
2.16 Until now, refuges for women
and children fleeing
domestic abuse have been
exempt from the Unsuitable
Accommodation Order but
the Scottish Government has
recently consulted with
stakeholders on whether the
Order should be extended to
such accommodation. The
implications of any such
extension could be
significant in terms of existing
refuge provision and a
review of this
accommodation is a priority
in the Action Plan.
Health and Homelessness
Standards
2.17 In 2005, the then Scottish
Executive introduced
national standards for Health
Boards in respect of homeless
people. The introduction of
these standards recognised
that homeless people are
among the most
disadvantaged in society,
with poorer health and lower
life expectancy than those
who lead more settled lives.
The standards must be
addressed through Health
Boards’ Health and
Homelessness Action Plans.
2.18 Appendix 1 sets out how the
Forth Valley Health and
Homelessness Action Plan is
being delivered in the Falkirk
context.
Strategic Housing Investment
Framework (SHIF)
2.19 The Strategic Housing
Investment Framework
recognises that the resources
required to meet national
housing needs and demands
are finite and therefore an
equitable method of
distributing and managing
2 As defined in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (as amended)
9
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
the public funds available for
investing in affordable
housing in Scotland is
essential.
2.20 Within this framework, local
authorities are required to
prepare a Strategic Housing
Investment Plan (SHIP) for
their area (see paragraph
2.37) and resources are
allocated on the basis of
relative need taking account
of housing supply and
demand, stock condition,
deprivation indicators,
homelessness and the need
for housing for people with
disabilities.
Firm Foundations
2.21 In October 2007, the Scottish
Government launched a
discussion document, Firm
Foundations: The Future of
Housing in Scotland. The
Government’s vision for the
future of housing in Scotland
has four principal elements:
An increased supply of
housing across all tenures,
all of which is delivered on
the basis of higher
environmental and design
standards,
More choice of housing
that those on lower
incomes can afford,
Housing developments
that contribute to the
creation of sustainable,
mixed communities,
Social housing that
provides better value for
public expenditure.
10
2.22 The Firm Foundations
discussion paper is wideranging, covering issues in
relation to housing supply
and affordability, sustainable
development, the role of the
private rented sector, access
to housing and homelessness,
the nature and condition of
social housing, the quality of
neighbourhoods, tenants’
interests, regulation and
inspection and so on. Of
particular relevance to this
Homelessness Strategy is the
Government’s view that the
private rented sector could
play a greater role in
accommodating homeless
households. The outcome of
the recent consultation on
Section 32A of the Housing
(Scotland) Act 1987 which is
largely about ways of making
greater use of
accommodation in the
private rented sector to
discharge local authorities’
duties to homeless people is
awaited with interest.
2.23 The outcome of the
consultation on Firm
Foundations is not yet
available but it seems likely
that there will be some
impact on how homelessness
will be addressed nationally
over the coming years. It is
anticipated that any new
requirements on local
authorities and their partners
can be picked up in the next
Local Housing Strategy (LHS)
or in the first update to this
Homelessness Strategy which
will be prepared in 2009.
Housing Supply Task Force
2.24 The shortage of affordable
housing across the country is
currently high on the political
agenda nationally. The
Scottish Government has
established a Housing Supply
Task Force chaired by the
Minister for Communities. This
Task Force will focus on
tackling the obstacles to
providing affordable housing
which are largely around
land supply and planning
issues. In addition, COSLA has
set up an Affordable Housing
Task Group that will
recommend policies and
approaches to address the
affordable housing shortage
and consider how local
authorities can influence the
delivery of affordable
housing in their areas.
Clearly, the outcome of the
work of both the Task Force
and the Task Group will have
significant importance for
homelessness strategies,
particularly in the light of the
2012 target.
Scottish Social Attitudes
Survey 2006: Public Attitudes
to Homelessness
2.25 In 2006, the then Scottish
Executive commissioned
research into public
perceptions of homelessness
including:
general attitudes towards
people experiencing
homelessness,
the extent of the belief in
various “myths” about
homelessness,
the distinctions that the
public make between
people who have become
homeless for different
reasons, including whether
they have made
themselves homeless
intentionally,
the priority that homeless
people should be given for
available housing.
2.26 The research shows that
public attitudes to homeless
people are complex and
divided and this has
implications for homelessness
policy both at a national and
local level. The research
suggests that the Scottish
11
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
MAPPA/NASSO
2.29 The Social Attitudes Survey
found similarly negative
public perceptions about
people who are homeless
after leaving prison. However,
the Scottish Government has
placed significant duties on
local authorities in terms of
MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public
Protection Partnerships) and
NASSO (National
Accommodation Strategy for
Sex Offenders). These
initiatives aim to mitigate the
risk of high risk offenders reoffending and, in so doing,
improve public safety.
Government’s plans to
abolish the distinction
between homeless people
based on whether they are in
“priority need” by 2012 does
not sit comfortably with
public opinion: six out of ten
people currently believe that
some homeless people are
more deserving than others
and that some categories of
homeless applicant should
get more help than others.
Clearly, this Homelessness
Strategy needs to take
account of these research
findings.
Anti-Social Behaviour
12
2.27 The survey outlined above
found that people who have
been evicted for anti-social
behaviour are amongst the
groups of people considered
as least deserving by the
highest proportion of
respondents. In terms of the
current legislation, this group
would not be considered in
priority need unless there
were additional extenuating
circumstances (for example,
if the applicants were young,
at risk of domestic abuse, or
otherwise considered
vulnerable).
2.28 The number of people who
become homeless in the
Falkirk Council area as a
consequence of being
evicted for anti-social
behaviour amounted to less
than 0.2% of total homeless
applicants in 2006/07.
Nevertheless, it is important
that this Homelessness
Strategy takes account of
the local Anti-Social
Behaviour Strategy and that
measures are in place to
deal appropriately with
people who become
homelessness, or are at risk of
becoming homeless, as a
result of anti-social behaviour.
This Strategy will seek to
ensure that there are
effective measures in place,
such as mediation services
and support to families or
individuals in crisis, to prevent
homelessness wherever
possible.
2.30 The total number of people
in the Falkirk Council area
who became homeless in
2006/07 upon leaving prison
was small (42 or 2.1%) and
the number of high risk
offenders who required to be
accommodated in the area
was even smaller. However,
this Strategy addresses the
issues that arise in relation to
the accommodation of
offenders and a series of
actions are proposed to
minimise homelessness
amongst this group and
maximise community safety.
Equalities
2.31 Homeless people in general
are often stigmatised but
certain groups, for example,
those who sleep rough, suffer
from mental health problems
or misuse drugs or alcohol
can face particular
difficulties. We recognise that
the reasons why people
become homeless are
complex and that we need
to understand rather than
judge people’s particular
circumstances if we are
going to be able to assist
them to find a sustainable
solution to their housing crisis.
2.32 Equality of access is
fundamental to this
Homelessness Strategy - it is
vital that homeless people
know how they can get help
and that they will be treated
fairly and impartially.
2.33 We know that our approach
to homelessness has to be
person-centred and sensitive
to the particular issues faced
by the individual presenting.
For this reason, our staff must
be aware of the needs of a
wide range of people
ranging from those who have
disabilities, to those who
have suffered trauma or loss
and those from minority
groups within our
communities.
2.34 In this context, we have
identified five ways in which
we can ensure equity of
service delivery in terms of
this Strategy:
Our offices will be
accessible for people with
impaired mobility,
Assistance will be available
for everyone who applies
to the Council for
accommodation or
housing advice to ensure
that they can get all the
information they need to
make decisions in a
language or format that
suits their requirements,
Council staff will be fully
trained in the relevant
equalities legislation and
we will require partner
agencies with whom we
have contractual
arrangements to ensure
that their staff are trained
to an equivalent level,
We will help homeless
people to access the
services that might be able
to assist them with specific
issues,
We will monitor all our
homeless applications and
the outcome of these
applications to ensure that
all applicants are dealt with
on a fair and impartial basis.
13
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Local Context
Local Housing Needs Assessment
2.35 In 2007, as part of the LHS
process, research was
carried out into affordable
housing needs in the Falkirk
Council area by Newhaven
Research. The outcomes of
this research will be set out in
greater detail in the next
Local Housing Strategy. In
summary, however, it is
estimated that there is an
annual shortfall of around 145
affordable mainstream
properties across the Council
area which will require to be
addressed through a
combination of new housing
development and housing
management initiatives.
2.36 In the current year, work is
being undertaken to
ascertain the housing
requirements of those with
particular housing needs,
especially older people and
disabled people. Together
with the Newhaven research,
this work will set the baseline
for the next LHS and provide
a robust basis for planning
new housing provision.
Strategic Housing Investment Plan
(SHIP)
2.37 Within the context of the SHIF
detailed above, the Council
prepared its first Strategic
Housing Investment Plan
(SHIP) in 2007. Whilst this SHIP
was resource neutral (i.e. no
funding allocation decisions
were based on this Plan) from
2008 onwards, annual SHIPs
will help determine how the
national funding available for
the provision of affordable
housing will be allocated
between local authority
areas. Clearly, therefore, it is
vital that Falkirk Council
14
receives an allocation of
resources that is
commensurate with needs if
new affordable housing
provision is to play its part in
ensuring that the 2012 target
is met locally. The 2008 SHIP
was submitted to the Scottish
Government in November
2008.
Housing Allocations Policy
2.38 If the Council, working with its
RSL partners, is going to be
able to meet the 2012 target,
it is essential that the
available social rented
housing stock is allocated to
those people who have most
need of it. Since 1982, the
Council has operated a
points based allocations
scheme within which people
who are homeless or
potentially homeless, are in
priority need, are not
intentionally homeless and
have a local connection with
the Council area, receive
homeless points. Table 2
shows how the Council’s
properties have been
allocated to homeless,
transfer and waiting list
applicants over the last five
years:
2.39 More detailed analysis of this
data has shown that some
homeless people have had
to wait a significant time to
be housed and this has had
a number of negative
implications:
more temporary
accommodation has been
needed to ensure that the
Council can meet its
statutory duty to provide
every homeless person
with temporary
accommodation if they
require it,
Applicant
Type
2002-2003
No.
%
2003-2004
No.
2004-2005
%
No.
%
2005-2006
No.
2006-2007
%
No.
2007-2008
%
No.
%
Homeless
425
25%
451
26%
503
37%
500
39%
442
37%
715
53%
Waiting List
807
47%
818
48%
530
39%
534
41%
530
44%
447
33%
Transfer
Total
484
1716
28%
100%
444
1713
26%
100%
318
1351
24%
100%
253
1287
20%
100%
223
1195
19%
187
100%
1349
Table 2: Falkirk Council Housing Allocations 2002-2008
homeless people have
had to cope with the stress
and disruption that comes
with living in temporary
accommodation for
longer than is considered
acceptable,
some homeless people
have had to be
accommodated in bed
and breakfast premises
with a consequent impact
on budgets and a lack of
stability for the people
concerned,
properties used as
temporary
accommodation have not
been available to meet
permanent housing needs.
2.40 During 2007-08, there was a
significant increase in the
percentage of Council lets to
homeless people. During
summer 2007, we undertook
an audit of all applicants
who were living in temporary
accommodation at that
time. We offered all such
applicants a housing options
interview and worked with
them to identify opportunities
for them to be permanently
housed more quickly - the
impact of this is
demonstrated in Table 3.
Month
Apr-07
May-07
Jun-07
Jul-07
Aug-07
Sep-07
Oct-07
Nov-07
Dec-07
Jan-08
Feb-08
Mar-08
Apr-08
May-08
Jun-08
Jul-08
Aug-08
Sep-08
Total
Homeless
No.
%
No.
35%
48
38
36%
42
50%
38
27
42
30
65
66
58
46
55
59
47
53
49
61
42
42
860
Waiting List
36%
46%
49%
57%
57%
63%
65%
66%
69%
61%
55%
58%
65%
61%
62%
54%
%
No.
44%
24
53
50%
27
32%
32
30
22
36
41
24
17
22
20
21
33
21
20
15
13
495
Transfer
43%
33%
36%
107
15
18%
84
16
20
9
26%
27%
23%
27%
15%
92
61
11%
92
6
7%
8
7
8%
11%
8%
9
12%
14
17%
13
31%
22%
75
10
9
21%
19%
21%
110
115
10
22%
22%
12%
34%
25%
Total
15%
14
24%
100%
16
31%
35%
%
14%
12
13
225
10%
14%
17%
19%
14%
116
71
83
86
77
96
84
94
69
68
1580
Table 3: Falkirk Council Housing Allocations April 2007 –
September 2008
15
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
2.41 More recently, the Council
took steps to change, on an
interim basis, the priority
given to homeless people
(pending the outcome of the
full review of the housing
allocations policy). Since 1
January 2008, most of the
Council’s housing allocations
have been restricted to
applicants who can
demonstrate a housing need
as defined in the Housing
(Scotland) Act 1987. Within
this new framework, two
thirds of allocations are
currently being directed to
homeless people unless a
specific void property is
suitable for meeting the
needs of people with
particular requirements (e.g.
housing adapted or
designed for older people or
disabled people). In addition,
all housing applicants are
now made two offers of
accommodation (previously
some categories of applicant
could receive up to five
offers of accommodation)
and this is likely to mean that
multiple offers are no longer
made to people who do not
have a housing need.
2.42 The result of these changes
has been that homeless
people are moving on from
temporary accommodation
much more quickly than
before although a backlog
of homeless applicants in
temporary accommodation
awaiting an offer of
permanent accommodation
remains and it may be some
time before this situation is
fully resolved.
16
2.43 Part of the reason for this is
that homeless people who
may be living with relatives or
friends on an insecure basis,
rather than in the Council’s
temporary accommodation,
also benefit from the new
allocations arrangements. This
group of applicants could
receive an offer of permanent
accommodation before
applicants living in temporary
accommodation.
Nevertheless, it is anticipated
that if the upward trend in the
percentage of lets going to
homeless people continues,
there will be a reduction in the
need to use bed and
breakfast accommodation in
the longer term.
2.44 The long term effect of these
changes will need to be
monitored but it is
anticipated that they will
help to increase the flow of
void properties through the
system and speed up the
rehousing opportunities of
those applicants who are in
most need.
Section 5 Referrals and Common
Housing Register
2.45 At the same time as the
Council has been looking at
its allocations policy,
discussions have been
ongoing with the various RSLs
that provide mainstream
housing in the area, namely,
Link, Paragon and Weslo
Housing Associations.
2.45 These RSLs have
acknowledged the supply
and demand pressures in the
social rented sector locally
and the part they need to
play in meeting these needs.
Robust Section 5 protocols
between the Council and
each of these RSLs are now
being finalised. Work
continues on considering how
a Common Housing Register
could deliver benefits for
housing applicants and this is
reflected in the Action Plan.
Homelessness Services Structure
2.46 The delivery of an effective,
accessible service that meets
the needs of all homeless
people is a key priority for the
Council’s Housing Service.
Given the 2009 and 2012
targets, work is currently
ongoing to restructure the
homelessness service to
ensure that it is capable of
meeting requirements both in
the immediate future and
beyond 2012.
2.47 The underpinning basis of the
new structure is that services
should be person-centred and
available in local areas. Over
time, the approach will
change from one that is
essentially about overcoming
the priority need, intentionality
and local connection hurdles
set out in the homelessness
legislation, to one that is
focused on exploring options
and meeting both
accommodation and support
needs. In this context, helping
homeless people to access
accommodation across
housing sectors will be a key
driver and our Falkirk Housing
Options Guide will play an
increasing role in assisting
people to consider the various
options that are available to
them.
Wider Planning Frameworks
2.48 This Homelessness Strategy
takes account of all the
issues noted above, but it
does not, of course, sit in
isolation from other things
that are happening in the
area. Whilst the 2004-09 Local
Housing Strategy (LHS)
identified two homelessness
objectives within its six key
housing priorities, we are
currently in the process of
reviewing that Strategy in
order to develop a new LHS
for the future. The new LHS
will consider the operation of
the local housing market in
depth and set out a series of
actions that seek to meet
housing needs. The
Homelessness Strategy has
been prepared in this
context and will be an
integral part of the new LHS.
2.49 Whilst homelessness is clearly
related to the functioning of
the wider housing market,
the issues faced by homeless
people also impact on other
areas of community life. It is
in this context that the LHS
and Homelessness Strategy sit
within the wider Strategic
Community Planning and
Corporate Planning
Frameworks (see paragraph
2.3 and Figure 2 below). One
of the key goals in the
Council’s Corporate Plan
involves increasing our efforts
to tackle disadvantage and
discrimination by ensuring
that our housing continues to
meet the needs of people
who live, or may wish to live,
in our area. These objectives
will be achieved by meeting
the needs of homeless
people through the
implementation of this
Homelessness Strategy.
Wider Community/
Voluntary Sector
Falkirk Community
Planning Partnership
Learning
Theme
Group
Local Community
Planning
Local Community
Plans
Area Forums
Partnership Board
Community
Councils
Partnership Executive
Reference Groups
Health
Theme
Group
Community
Safety
Theme
Group
Strategic Community Planning
Community
Regeneration
Theme
Group
Environment
& Transport
Theme
Group
Economic
Development
& Tourism
Theme
Group
Figure 2: Strategic
Community
Planning
Framework
Local Community Planning
17
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
3. HOMELESSNESS IN FALKIRK
General Picture
3.1 Homeless presentations in the Falkirk Council area have increased over the last six years as outlined
below:
Figure 3: Homeless
Presentations in Falkirk
Council Area 2002-2008
3000
Homeless Presentations 2002-2008
2500
2434
2000
1500
1633
1646
2003-2004
2004-2005
1940
1955
2005-2006
2006-2007
1510
1000
500
2.50 There are also important links
between the Homelessness
Strategy and the Children’s
Services Plan. Young people
who are homeless are also
affected by issues which
many other young people
have to deal with such as
educational attainment,
employment, training,
independent living, health
problems (including issues of
substance misuse and sexual
health). Our housing strategy
for young people has been
developed in this context
(see Appendix 2).
18
2.51 Similarly, it is well recognised
that there is a higher
incidence of certain health
problems affecting homeless
people. As a result, this
Homelessness Strategy
interfaces closely with the
work of the Falkirk
Community Health
Partnership and the Forth
Valley Health and
Homelessness Action Plan.
2.52 It is clear that the causes and
effects of homelessness must
be considered holistically if
any real progress is to be
made. In the next section,
we outline the nature and
extent of homelessness in the
Falkirk Council area. We then
go on to look at what is
already in place to meet the
needs identified and then to
outline our proposals for the
future.
0
2002-2003
3.2 Figure 3 above indicates that
there has been a 61%
increase in homeless
presentations in the Falkirk
area since 2002, with a
significant increase of 18%
between 2004/05 and
2005/06. Whilst there has been
an overall increase in
homeless presentations across
Scotland during the last five
years, in 2007/08 the national
rate of presentations dropped
by 4.9% ³. This situation is not
replicated within Falkirk where
homeless presentations
increased by almost 25%
during the same period.
3.3 The upward trend in
presentations has continued
in 2007/08, albeit with some
fluctuations as shown in
figure 4:
2007-2008
300
282
261
254
250
186
200
150
256
240
155
236
221
192
184
225
213
223
208
167
160
132
100
Homeless Presentations April 2007- September 2008
50
0
Apr May Jun
07
07
07
Jul
07
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
07
07
07
07
07
08
Feb
08
Mar
08
Apr May Jun
08
08
08
Jul
08
Aug Sept
08
08
Figure 4: Homeless Presentations April 2007 – September
2008
3.4 This picture reflects regular
annual fluctuations in
presentations with the preChristmas trough and
post-New Year increase
being representative of
trends in most years.
3 Operation of the homeless person’s legislation in Scotland: 2007-08. A National Statistics Publication for Scotland: September 2008
19
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
3.5 The reasons why people became homeless in the Falkirk Council
area during 2007-08 are set out in Table 4:
Table 4: Reasons for Homelessness, 2007-2008
Homeless Reason
No.
%
Applicant terminated secure accommodation
63
3%
Asked to Leave
586
24%
Discharge from prison / hospital / care / other
institution
87
4%
Dispute within household / relationship breakdown
non-violent
357
15%
Dispute within household: violent or abusive
570
23%
Emergency (fire, flood, storm, closing order from
Environmental Health etc.)
16
1%
Fleeing non-domestic violence
55
2%
Forced division and sale of matrimonial home.
29
1%
Harassment
26
1%
Loss of service / tied accommodation
16
1%
Other action by the landlord resulting in the
termination of the tenancy
148
6%
Other reason for leaving accommodation /
household
167
7%
Other reason for loss of accommodation
38
2%
Overcrowding
91
4%
Termination of tenancy / mortgage due to rent
arrears / default on payments
184
8%
Blank
1
0%
Total Assessments
2434
100%
Due to rounding percentages do not add up to 100%
20
Age Group
2002-2003
No.
<=17
108
26-59
887
18-25
60+
Total
%
No.
No.
493
30%
518
31%
63
4%
49
3%
103
59%
974
30%
61
4%
100%
2004-2005
%
7%
454
1510
2003-2004
6%
60%
1633
100%
Due to rounding percentages do not add up to 100%
%
86
No.
%
5%
100
60%
1138
100%
1940
993
1646
2005-2006
2006-2007
No.
5%
112
59%
1125
100%
1955
636
33%
66
3%
%
2007-2008
No.
6%
194
58%
1355
100%
2434
641
33%
77
4%
%
8%
792
33%
93
4%
56%
100%
Table 5: Age Profile of Homeless Applicants 2002-2008
3.6 24% of people became
homeless because they had
been asked to leave their
current accommodation
whilst 38% of applicants
became homeless as a result
of a dispute within the
household or a relationship
breakdown. Of these
disputes, 61% involved some
degree of violence or abuse
(23% of total homeless
presentations).
Who is homeless in Falkirk?
Age of Homeless People
3.7 The age profile of homeless
applicants in Falkirk over the
last six years has been
broadly consistent as shown
in Table 5.
3.8 However, this age profile
does not reflect the age
distribution within the wider
population as set out below:
3.9 Clearly, there is a
disproportionate number of
people in the 16-19 and 2024 age ranges who become
homeless. These figures are
consistent with the reasons
for homelessness noted
above: people under 25
tend to be at a period of
transition in their lives and are
likely to become homeless
because friends/relatives are
no longer willing to
accommodate them. Those
in the 25-59 age group
typically become homeless
as a result of a partner
relationship breaking down.
In both cases, better
awareness of the range of
housing options available
might help to prevent
homeless presentations to
the local authority and this is
a focus for this Strategy.
3.10 Whilst the actual number of
people who fall into the
under 17 and over 60 age
groups is relatively small, any
homelessness amongst these
groups is a concern given
that both young people and
older people are more likely
to be vulnerable if they
become homeless.
Table 6: Age of Homeless Applicants compared to the Population of Falkirk Council Area
16-19
20-24
Population
as whole *
Homeless
presentations
2007/8
6%
20%
6%
25-59
49%
Total
82%
60+
21%
17%
59%
4%
100%
(* Source: Falkirk Council
Population Projections 2006 –
Insight. Data for under 16s not
noted here as they are not
eligible to apply for homeless
priority in their own right).
21
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
3.11 In terms of the types of household who become homeless in
Falkirk, the majority are single people and single parents as shown
in Figure 5 (2007-08) and Table 7 (2003-04 to 2007-08) below.
Household Type Of Homeless Applicants 2007 - 2008
600
376
400
170
155
141
135
118
100
6
37
13
24
39
3
O
th
er
Pr
eg
na
pa
Si n
nt
re
gl
nt
e
<=
pa
17
Si n
re
n
gl
t1
e
8
pa
-2
re
4
nt
Si n
2
gl
5
e
-5
pa
9
Si n
r
e
gl
nt
e
60
pe
Si n
+
rso
gl
e
n
pe
<=
17
rso
Si n
gl
n
e
18
pe
-2
rso
4
Si n
n
25
gl
e
-5
pe
9
rso
n
60
+
Si n
gl
e
M
ar
rie
M
d/
ar
C
rie
oh
d/
ab
C
oh
-c
hi
ab
ld
-n
re
n
o
ch
i ld
O
re
A
P
n
-M
ar
rie
O
A
d
P
-S
in
gl
e
0
Figure 5: Household Type of Homeless Applicants 20072008
3.12 The relative extent of homelessness across the various household
categories has remained fairly consistent since 2003, with
variations only at the margins as shown in Table 7.
22
No.
%
No.
2006-2007
%
No.
%
2007-2008
No.
%
122
7.4%
130
6.7%
141
7.2%
184
7.6%
OAP - Married
56
7
3.4%
73
4.4%
90
4.6%
99
5.1%
127
5.2%
7
0.4%
15
0.9%
21
1.1%
19
1.0%
37
1.5%
1.5%
17
1.0%
12
1.1%
118
4.9%
155
0.8%
3
9
Pregnant
25
Single Parent 18 - 24
91
8
0.4%
6
0.6%
13
0.5%
4
5.6%
112
0.2%
11
Single Parent 25 - 59
357
21.9%
Single Person <= 17
120
Single Person 25 - 59
514
Single Parent 60 +
300
%
2005-2006
7.4%
Single parent <= 17
500
No.
2004-2005
121
Other
527
2003-2004
Married/Cohab children
OAP - Single
690
700
200
Household Type
Married/Cohab no
children
Household Type
800
Table 7: Households Affected by Homelessness, 2003-2008
Single Person 18 - 24
Single Person 60+
Total
4
92
0.6%
15
0.6%
22
0.2%
5
4.7%
96
0.7%
0.8%
0.3%
22.3%
407
20.8%
7.3%
105
6.4%
129
6.6%
130
31.5%
512
31.1%
594
30.6%
605
2.0%
100%
Due to rounding percentages do not add up to 100%
3.14 It is well recognised that
homelessness, even when
applicants are
accommodated in good
quality temporary
accommodation, has a
6.8%
4
13
432
32
3.13 In 2007/08, 800 or 33% of
homeless households
applying to the authority had
children under the age of 17.
Of these families, just over a
half had one child, roughly a
third had two children with
the remainder having
between three and five
children. 36% of homeless
children were of pre-school
age (0-4 years), 40%
attended primary school (5 11 years) and 23% secondary
school (12-16).
0.2%
11
0.5%
22.6%
17.3%
Children and Homelessness
0.8%
9
372
282
1633
0.4%
0.7%
271
16.5%
13
0.8%
1646
100%
25
1.3%
384
19.8%
7
0.4%
1940
100%
negative effect on the health
and well-being of children as
they are uprooted from
familiar circumstances and
may also be having to cope
with the effects of a
breakdown in the relationship
between their
parents/carers. Whilst the
impact of homelessness will
be different on children of
different ages, it seems likely
that those of school age will
be most affected in terms of
the potential negative
impact on their education.
As a result, it is vital that there
is close integration between
this Homelessness Strategy
and the Integrated Children’s
Services Plan if the impact of
homelessness on children is
to be minimised.
15
13
24
0.2%
0.5%
4.8%
1.0%
6.4%
527
21.7%
6.6%
135
5.5%
30.9%
690
373
19.1%
15
0.8%
1955
6
100%
0.1%
376
15.4%
39
1.6%
2434
28.3%
100%
Ethnicity
3.15 In terms of ethnicity, 93% of
homeless applicants in Falkirk
consider themselves to be
“White Scottish”, with a
further 5% being “White
British” or “White Irish”.
Applications from other
ethnic groups have been
stable at around 2% of total
applications over the last
three years. A study of the
housing needs of minority
ethnic communities in Forth
Valley between 2002 and
2006 confirmed the Council’s
figures on the extent of
homelessness within BME
communities and that the
level of homeless
applications from these
groups is roughly
commensurate with their
proportion within the local
population.
23
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
3.16 The study showed, however,
that there were some
variations in terms of
homeless applications from
different ethnic groups applications from the
Pakistani community were
broadly proportionate to
their size (20% of the minority
ethnic community, 20% of
minority ethnic applications),
whereas applications from
those of Black origin were
over represented (2% of the
minority ethnic community,
6% of minority ethnic
homeless applications) and
applications from the
Chinese community were
under represented (5% of the
minority ethnic community,
2% of minority ethnic
homeless applications).
3.17 This information perhaps
indicates some cultural
differences between
different racial groups in how
they access housing.
However, it may also indicate
that more work needs to be
done to raise awareness
within certain communities
about the Council’s duties to
homeless people and the
various services that are
available locally.
3.18 Although the number of
ethnic applicants in recent
years has been relatively low,
this situation may change as
a result of anticipated inmigration from Eastern
European countries. This will
require to be closely
monitored both in terms of
service delivery issues such as
the availability of translation
services/publicity material
and the overall impact such
in-migration might have on
the Falkirk housing market.
Rough Sleeping
3.19 The number of people who
slept rough the night before
they presented as homeless
has been fairly static over the
last five years. The majority of
these applicants were single
men who became homeless
because they were asked to
leave (23%) or as a result of a
dispute within the
household/relationship
breakdown (16%).
3.20 The figures on rough sleeping
suggest that a key issue in
terms of this Strategy is raising
awareness of the assistance
that is available for homeless
people 24 hours a day, every
day of the year and our
Table 8: Homeless Applicants who Slept Rough, 2003-2008
Year
Slept rough in the last
3 monthss
No.
%
No.
%
2003-2004
23
1%
171
10%
2005-2006
22
1%
163
8%
2004-2005
2006-2007
2007-2008
24
Slept rough last night
14
19
154
1%
1%
6%
152
179
335
9%
9%
4%
Action Plan addresses this
issue by both prioritising a
publicity campaign and a
multi-agency staff training
programme to raise
awareness of the services
available out of office hours.
3.21 The figures also suggest that
there is a need for further
research into why those who
slept rough became
homeless in the first place.
The proposal to develop a
family mediation service may
assist where the reason for
homelessness is a domestic
dispute resulting in a young
person being asked to leave
the family home.
Repeat Homelessness
3.22 Figure 6 shows the number of
repeat homeless applications
received each year from
2002-2008.
3.23 Whilst significant progress in
preventing repeat homeless
applications had been made
with the proportion of repeat
applications dropping
between 2002-2005, since
then there has been an
unacceptable increase in
the proportion of people who
have slept rough prior to
applying for assistance.
3.24 Most repeat applicants have
previously been assessed as
not having a priority need or
as being intentionally
homeless and, generally
speaking, their homelessness
has remained unresolved.
The Council’s new housing
allocations policy should go
some way to addressing this
issue as non-priority
applicants will now receive a
degree of priority within the
policy – see paragraphs 3.34
and 3.35.
Number of applicants assessed as homeless/
threatened with homelessness within 12 months
of previous case closed
80
72
69
64
59
56
48
41
40
33
32
27
24
24
16
8
0
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
Figure 6: Repeat Homeless Applications 2002-2008
3.25 A review of working practices
has led to improvements in
recording applicants when
they first contact the service
and this has had the result of
reducing the percentage of
applicants with whom the
Council loses contact prior to
an assessment being carried
out, albeit further work is now
required to ascertain why the
percentage of applicants
with whom contact is lost
after assessment is increasing.
Lost Contacts
02/03
03/04
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
Before Assessment
12.8%
15.1%
16.6%
14.9%
15.4%
6.4%
After Assessment
2.4%
2.2%
2.3%
3.0%
12.1%
14.0%
Table 9: Lost Contacts 2002-2008
25
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Priority Need and the 2009
and 2012 Targets
3.26 The current legislation
requires local authorities to
decide whether or not a
homeless applicant has a
priority need as defined in
the Housing (Scotland) Act
1987 (as amended). Key
steps in undertaking a
homelessness assessment
are:
Is the applicant
homeless/potentially
homeless?
Does the applicant have a
priority need?
Priority Need Assessment
Priority need, unintentionally
homeless
Priority need, intentionally
homeless
Non-priority, unintentionally
homeless
Non-priority, intentionally
homeless
Is the applicant
intentionally homeless?
Does the applicant have a
local connection?
3.27 This assessment determines
the type of assistance that
the local authority is obliged
to offer.
3.28 An analysis of applications
over the last six years (see
Table 10) shows that the
proportion of applicants
assessed as homeless and in
priority need has risen from
65% in 2002/03 to 78% in
2007/08.
Temporary
Accomodation
Permanent
Accomodation
Figure 7: Local Authority Homelessness Duties
26
Table 10: Priority Status of Applicants Assessed as Homeless, 2002-2008
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
1101
100%
1169
100%
1144
100%
1384
100%
1442
100%
1833
100%
Homeless
and in
priority need
714
65%
746
64%
852
74%
982
71%
1029
71%
1435
78%
Homeless
non-priority
387
35%
423
36%
292
26%
402
29%
413
29%
398
22%
Applicants
assessed as
homeless
3.29 The assessment of whether or
not an applicant has a
priority need is the key factor
in meeting the national 2009
and 2012 homelessness
targets. In making this
assessment, the local
authority has to take into
account factors including
the age of the
applicant/household
members; whether a
pregnant woman forms part
of the household; whether
there are dependent
children or there is anyone
vulnerable in the household.
3.30 As noted earlier, using the
2003/04 data as a baseline,
the Council is required to
achieve a 50% increase in
the number of homeless
applicants assessed as
having a priority need for
housing by 2009. In effect,
this means that by next year,
82% of applicants require to
be assessed as having a
priority need.
3.31 A major step towards the
achievement of the 2009
interim target has been
taken by the recent
introduction of a combined
homelessness and support
needs assessment framework
at the point that a homeless
application is made. The
support needs assessment
matrix assists staff to identify if
an applicant is vulnerable in
any way. Table 11 below
shows the impact that using
the support needs matrix has
had over a twelve month
period from its introduction in
October 2007 to September
2008 compared to the same
period in 2006/07:
Table 11: Homeless Assessment Outcomes Comparison,
Oct 2006 - Sept 2007 and Oct 2007 - Sept 2008
Oct 06-Sep 07
No.
%
Oct 07-Sep08
No.
%
Homeless
1516
100%
2144
100%
Homeless non priority
383
25%
381
18%
Homeless priority
1133
75%
1763
82%
27
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
The Need for a Home and
the Need for Support
3.35 For many homeless people
the problem is simply that
they need a home. Once
they are housed, there is little
chance that they will be
homeless again. However, as
demonstrated through the
use of the support needs
matrix, other homeless
people exhibit higher
degrees of vulnerability and
so need both a home and
support and assistance to
help them tackle the
problems that led to their
being homeless in the first
place. By addressing these
issues we can help to prevent
repeat homelessness
affecting such individuals.
agencies delivering housing
support contracts has been
established to ensure that
support providers work
closely with the Supporting
People and Homelessness
Teams. In addition to the
improvements that will result
from the reviews, the
requirements and
recommendations made in
various Care Commission
reports on supported
accommodation will also be
implemented.
3.38 It is recognised that the
delivery of Supporting People
services will change over
time to reflect changes
within the population,
particularly relating to age
and gender. The reviews
carried out to date will be
extended into 2009-10 to look
in greater detail at the
strategic fit of services and
take into account changes in
the local population.
Supporting People
3.32 In the period October 2007September 2008 the 2009
target to assess 82%
applicants as being in priority
need has been achieved.
However, this figure will be
closely monitored during
2009 to ensure that progress
towards the 2012 target is
sustained.
28
3.33 The Council currently awards
“Homeless Points” to those
applicants who are assessed
as being in priority need and
unintentionally homeless. This
gives these applicants a
relative level of priority over
other applicants for the
available accommodation.
However, those applicants
who are homeless but are
not in priority need, currently
do not qualify for Homeless
Points under the Council’s
housing allocations policy. In
effect, this means that they
are significantly
disadvantaged compared to
other applicants on the
waiting list.
3.34 The 2012 target that all
homeless people, regardless
of whether or not they have
a priority need, will be
entitled to accommodation
unless they are intentionally
homeless, means that new
measures now need to be
put in place to assist nonpriority homeless applicants.
This issue is directly related to
the Council’s housing
allocations policy and the
new policy, approved by
Council in December 2008,
goes some way to
addressing this. The new
policy, together with
increased publicity about the
other local housing options
available in the area, aims to
help this group of applicants.
3.36 During 2007 all services for
homeless people that are
funded at least in part by the
Supporting People budget
were reviewed by the
Council’s Supporting People
Team. In 2007/08 the
Supporting People budget
paid over £1.0m for housing
support for a total of 276
people living in local
supported accommodation
projects and a further £0.5m
for “floating” support for 384
people in mainstream
accommodation.
3.37 The reviews highlighted the
need for all housing support
providers to move towards
delivering housing support
services that evidence the
core tasks funded through
the Supporting People
regime. The reviews have
also led to the development
of a robust system of
monitoring the support
delivered and the outcomes
achieved. A forum for
29
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
4. CURRENT HOMELESSNESS SERVICES
2003 Homelessness Strategy
– What we have achieved
4.1 The 2003 Falkirk Homelessness
Strategy and the 2004-09 LHS
identified the prevention and
alleviation of homelessness as
strategic priorities and aimed
to ensure that no one would
have to sleep rough.
4.2 The 2003 Homelessness
Strategy identified 8 key
objectives:
To prevent and alleviate
homelessness,
To increase the supply and
improve the quality of
temporary
accommodation,
To increase and improve
housing advice and
information services,
To expand and improve
the provision of support
services for homeless
people,
To develop the role of
private sector housing in
addressing the needs of
homeless people,
To improve understanding
of the nature of
homelessness in the
Council area,
To improve access to
healthcare for homeless
people,
To work in partnership to
facilitate access to
services to break the cycle
of homelessness.
4.3 These objectives were
underpinned by an Action
Plan. Progress has been
made in all areas and key
achievements include:
30
Opening the
Accommodation Resource
Centre in central Falkirk
which provides a one stop
shop for all homelessness
related enquiries,
Developing improved
housing advice and
information services,
including training staff to
HomePoint levels 1 and 2,
Establishing the Falkirk
Housing Options Guide on
the Council’s website,
Delivering a local
homelessness awareness
information pack – House
About Me? - to pupils in S3
and S4 as part of the PSE
curriculum,
Working with LinkLiving’s
Smart Move team to
involve young people who
have themselves
experienced homelessness
as peer educators,
4.4 Since 2003 there has been an
increase in the number of
staff working on the
assessment of homeless
applications and managing
the additional temporary
accommodation units that
have been required to meet
the needs of homeless
people. Having now
established a service which
we are confident meets
statutory obligations in terms
of assessment and
accommodation, we now
aim to focus on preventing
homelessness from occurring
in the first place. In preparing
this new Homelessness
Strategy, we are carrying
forward any outstanding
actions from the previous
Strategy which remain to be
fully implemented.
Introducing local
information leaflets on
homelessness, access to
housing and other related
issues and distributing a
new homelessness poster
widely across the area,
Reviewing all supported
housing services for
homelessness people,
Establishing a Private
Landlords’ Forum
Establishing a specialist
Community Psychiatric
Nurse (CPN) post within the
Accommodation Resource
Centre.
4.5 Whilst the statutory duty to
deal with homelessness lies
with the Council, both in
terms of assessing
applications and ensuring
that homeless people are
appropriately
accommodated, in
discharging its duties the
Council works actively with a
range of RSLs and voluntary
sector organisations to
deliver specialist services,
particularly in relation to the
provision of support for the
most vulnerable.
4.6 The services currently in
place for homeless people in
the Falkirk area are set out in
Figure 7 below:
Figure 8: Current Services for Homeless People in the Falkirk Council Area
Supported accomodation
for young single people
Facilitating a Mortgage to
Rent Scheme,
Increasing the number of
properties used as
temporary
accommodation for
homeless people from 70
to nearly 200 (provided by
both the Council itself and
RSL partners),
Current Homelessness
Services in Falkirk
Rent deposit
guarantee
scheme
Loretto HA
Garry Place
15 Places
Seaforth
House
14 places
Supported
accommodation
for offenders
SACRO
12 places
Neighbourhood
Housing Offices &
One Stop Shops
Advice & Information
Dispersed
temporary
accommodation
193 properties
Floating support
Link Living
Loretto
Temporary
accomodation for
single men
Valeview
23 places
Accommodation Resource Centre
ARC
1. Assessment/Advice
2. Temporary Accommodation
3. Specialist Support Services
Peer Education
project
Women’s Aid
Refuge
12 places
Education Initiative
House About Me?
Supported accommodation
for single homeless people
Loretto has Inchyra Place
10 Places
Supported
accomodation
for single men
The Castings
21 places
31
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
4.7 The hub of all these services is
the Accommodation
Resource Centre (ARC)
which is based in central
Falkirk. The ARC provides the
following services:
Homelessness assessments,
Temporary
accommodation
allocation and
administration,
Support services - Senior
Social Worker
(Homelessness),
Community Psychiatric
Nurse, Outreach Worker,
Specialist Debt and
Welfare Benefits Advice.
4.8 The work at the ARC is
supported by activities at the
Council’s Neighbourhood
Housing Offices and One
Stop Shops where housing
advice and information is
also available.
32
4.9 Temporary accommodation
is provided across the
Council area. At present,
around 200 units of dispersed
temporary accommodation
are being managed by staff
in the ARC. These properties
range in size from bedsits to 5
apts and, as far as possible,
we aim to have a good
spread of accommodation
types across the area so that
applicants’ needs and
preferences in terms of, for
example, health
arrangements and children’s
schooling, can be
maintained without
disruption. Whilst the bulk of
this accommodation is
owned by the Council, RSLs
also assist with the provision
of temporary
accommodation and there
are plans to increase their
contribution in 2009.
the Langlees area. The
Loretto accommodation at
Garry Place, Grangemouth
provides 15 bedspaces in
shared flats, whilst their
accommodation in Inchyra
Place, Grangemouth
provides 10 single person
flats.
4.10 The Castings provides
modern, well-designed
accommodation in 5 clusterflats for single men who
require some support before
being able to move on to
more independent living.
Support to the occupants is
available from on-site staff 24
hours a day.
4.11 In the past year, the very high
level of presentations from
single men has put particular
pressures on the
homelessness service and, as
a response, accommodation
in Valeview, Denny is now
being used to provide
additional temporary
accommodation for this
group. A 24 hour security
presence operates at
Valeview with support being
provided by housing staff
during normal working hours.
As part of the regeneration
of Denny town centre over
the next few years, Valeview,
will be demolished but, in the
meantime, it provides good
quality temporary
accommodation for single
men who are homeless. An
assessment will be made in
due course about whether
there is a continuing need to
provide this type of
temporary accommodation
for single men and, if so,
appropriate alternative
provision will be explored.
4.12 Supported accommodation
for homeless people is
currently provided by Loretto
Housing Association and
YMCA Glasgow. This
accommodation is primarily
focussed on meeting the
needs of vulnerable younger
people. The YMCA Glasgow
accommodation provides 14
bedspaces in shared flats in
4.13 Floating support is also
provided to people in
mainstream tenancies, many
of whom have been
homeless and need
assistance to establish and/or
sustain their new living
arrangements. Most of the
floating support in the area is
provided by LinkLiving
although, more recently,
Loretto HA have also been
providing this kind of service
for former residents of their
supported accommodation
who have now moved on to
more independent living.
Loretto also provides support
for couples and families in
temporary accommodation
flats in Kingseat Avenue,
Grangemouth.
4.14 In order to address the
homeless issues that face
many offenders at the end of
their custodial sentences, the
Council has worked in
partnership with Sacro to
provide up to twelve
dispersed supported
tenancies at any one time.
Up until now, the properties
have been let to Sacro who
have sub let to people
leaving prison whom they are
supporting. In future, it is
proposed to let the
properties directly to the
tenants on Short Scottish
Secure Tenancies (SSSTs). If
the tenant resettles
successfully, the SSST will
convert to a SST (Scottish
Secure Tenancy).
33
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
4.15 In an effort to prevent
homelessness in the longer
term, the Council has
developed a local
educational resource, House
About Me? This is used in the
Council’s secondary schools,
principally with students in S3
and S4, and covers the kind
of issues that a young person
should consider if he/she is
thinking of leaving home.
House About Me? has been
well supported by the
LinkLiving peer education
project, SmartLiving .
4.16 SmartLiving involves young
people, who have themselves
been homeless or faced
difficulties in setting up home
independently, speaking to
school students about their
experiences. This initiative has
proven to be a powerful way
of addressing issues about
homelessness and leaving
home in a manner that young
people can relate to. In the
past year the peer educators
have produced a DVD in
which they speak about their
personal experiences of
homelessness and leaving
home. This was developed in
partnership with the Creative
Industries Department at Forth
Valley College and is now an
integral part of the House
About Me? teaching
resource.
34
4.17 A rent deposit guarantee
scheme has been running in
Falkirk for several years. In the
last year the contract for this
scheme has been awarded
to the Cyrenians who have
significant experience in
other local authority areas
and it is anticipated that
there will be a major increase
in the number of rent
deposits that can be offered
as a means of meeting the
needs of homeless people
over the period of the
contract. The Cyrenians will
work with the Council’s
Private Sector Housing Team
to increase the supply of
accommodation from the
private rented sector to meet
local housing needs and with
the Homeless Team to
identify people whose
housing needs could be met
in the private rented sector.
4.18 The provision of furniture is a
fundamental element in a
homeless person being able
to take up any
accommodation offered to
them so that they can resettle
successfully. In recent years,
prior to the removal of the ring
fence from the Government’s
furnished tenancies scheme,
the Council provided around
110 furniture packages
(comprising of new goods) to
homeless people in the area.
Those applicants who were
not eligible for the furnished
tenancies scheme were
offered vouchers that could
be used to purchase second
hand furniture from two local
organisations, Falkirk Homeless
Project (FHP) and
Grangemouth Enterprises
(GEL).
4.19 Work is currently underway
with both FHP and GEL under
the terms of a Public Social
Partnership to develop a
more comprehensive
furniture scheme that uses
both new and second hand
furniture in order to assist a
greater number of homeless
people within the funds
available. Support and
assistance in this initiative are
being provided by the
Community Recycling
Network Scotland (CRNS).
5. PLANNING FOR 2012
5.1 In looking to the 2012 target
and beyond, we aim to put in
place a robust Homelessness
Strategy that is interlinked with
other related plans. We are
clear that homelessness is not
an issue that can be tackled
in isolation: it must be
considered alongside wider
issues such as housing
demand and supply and
whether the available housing
is affordable, of good quality
and in the right places. All of
these issues will be explored
more fully in the next Local
Housing Strategy. Taking
account of the services for
homeless people currently
available in the Falkirk Council
area that were described in
Section 4, we will now set out
how we will move from our
current arrangements to what
needs to be in place to meet
the 2012 target.
5.2 As noted in Section 2, we
have developed an overarching Vision for the future
delivery of homelessness
services in the Falkirk Council
area and this Vision is
underpinned by three key
local homelessness aims
which can be summarised as
Prevention, Accommodation
and Support.
5.3 This Strategy affects the work
of a range of agencies that
provide services for homeless
people such as Health and
the voluntary sector; it is vital
therefore that it is integrated
with the Strategic
Community Planning
framework that was set out in
Figure 2. The primary means
of achieving this integration is
via the multi-agency Falkirk
Homelessness Forum.
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
5.4 We have established the
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
(FHF) to ensure the coordination of homelessness
services across the Council
and other relevant agencies.
The aims of the Forum are to:
develop measures to
reduce and prevent
homelessness in Falkirk
wherever possible,
providing support for those
who need it,
develop arrangements to
assist those who become
homeless to resolve their
situation as quickly as
possible,
work towards the abolition
of the priority need
assessment by 2012 by
ensuring that appropriate
policies and procedures
are developed to facilitate
access to housing for all
who need it.
5.5 The over-arching structure for
the FHF within the wider
strategic community
planning framework is set out
in Figure 9 below:
Falkirk Community
Planning Partnership
Figure 9: Falkirk Homelessness
Forum Structure
Partnership Board
Partnership Executive
Community Regeneration
Theme Group
Falkirk Homeless Forum
Executive Group
Communications
Subgroup
Young
Persons
Subgroup
Temporary
Accomodation
Subgroup
Relationship
Breakdown
Subgroup
Debt and
Evictions
Subgroup
High Risk
Offenders
Subgroup
Health and
Homelessness
Subgroup
35
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
5.6 To date, the practical work of
the Forum has been coordinated by an Executive
Group that has overseen the
work of seven sub groups.
Each sub group was given a
key issue to address and the
objectives and actions set
out in the Action Plan flow
from the work carried out by
each group.
Health and Homelessness
Aim: to address the health
issues specific to homeless
people, facilitate access
to mainstream health
provision and lead on the
implementation of actions
in the Forth Valley Health
and Homelessness Action
Plan as it applies to the
Falkirk Council area,
Young People
Aim: to consider the issues
that young people face in
accessing housing and
making successful
transitions from the family
home or care provision,
Debt, Homelessness and Evictions
Aim: to ensure that local
arrangements are in place
to prevent
eviction/mortgage
foreclosure wherever
possible through the
provision of easily
accessible information,
advice and support,
High Risk Offenders
Aim: to establish
arrangements to ensure
that offenders are
appropriately
accommodated and
supported on leaving
prison, taking account of
community safety,
36
Relationship Breakdown
Aim: to consider what
measures could be
established locally to
prevent family breakdown
by supporting people at
times of crisis,
Temporary Accommodation
Aim: to develop a
Temporary
Accommodation Plan that
takes account of best
practice and local
circumstances,
Communications
Aim: to develop a
communications strategy in
respect of homelessness in
order to raise public
awareness of the issues and
the assistance available.
5.7 The Action Plans at the end
of this Strategy detail specific
Objectives that require to be
met if we are to achieve our
aims. These objectives are
SMART⁴ and will direct our
work over the period of this
Strategy. Beneath these
Objectives detailed Actions
have been identified and
each Action is crossreferenced with the relevant
national and strategic local
homelessness outcomes.
5.8 We will ensure that progress is
being made through our
Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework in which the
Council’s Housing and Social
Care Committee and the FHF
Executive Group will have
key roles to play in monitoring
progress formally and
requesting further reports as
required. Figure 10 outlines
the various reporting
methods that will be used to
ensure that there is greater
awareness of homelessness
issues in the Falkirk area and
that the key aims of this
Strategy are being achieved.
4 SMART – All tasks or objectives will be Specific, Measurable, Action-orientated,
Resourced and Timed
Figure 10: Homelessness Strategy Monitoring Arrangements
Audience
Frequency
Housing and Social Work
Services Committee
Quarterly
FHF Executive Group
Quarterly
Falkirk Homelessness
Forum
Annually
Service Users and
General Public
Annually
5.9 In developing this Strategy
we have taken account of
the views of service users but
we recognise that there is
more that we need to do in
this area. The further
development of consultation
mechanisms will be a major
objective over coming years.
We will also seek to develop
ways of communicating
better with the range of
people who use our services.
Focusing our services on
what people need will
underpin how we move
forward.
Report
Key Homelessness
Performance Indicators
Progress report on
Action Plans
Progress report on
Action Plans
Progress report on
Action Plans
Falkirk Council News
Council Performance
Zone
team of Assessment Officers
carry out all assessments in
relation to homeless
applications. The
advantages of a centralised
team include consistency in
assessment processes but a
major disadvantage is that
people need to travel from
outlying parts of the Council
area to make an application.
5.12 Currently, we are considering
how we can better deliver our
homelessness services so that,
over the longer term, we can
provide a full service at each
of our local offices. As we
move towards 2012, the
current assessment process
whereby homeless applicants
have to cross the hurdles
relating to priority need,
intentionality and local
connection will no longer be
relevant. Instead, we aim to
develop the role of
homelessness assessment staff
into one that takes account of
both the accommodation
and support needs of
applicants and is underpinned
by the aim of preventing
homelessness.
5.10 Whilst Section 4 outlined
current service provision, the
remainder of this section will
outline proposals for future
services.
Access to Services
(ARC/Neighbourhood
Offices/One Stop Shops)
5.11 As noted previously, our
services for homeless people
are currently focused on the
Accommodation Resource
Centre (ARC) located in
central Falkirk where the
37
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
losing their home and
assisting them to take
preventative action to
sustain their existing
accommodation
arrangements.
5.13 In this context, our Housing
Advice and Information Plan
which is set out in Appendix 3
will inform the staffing
arrangements that we will
put in place but, in summary,
this will involve all housing
applicants having housing
options interviews with
specialist staff in our local
offices who can assist people
to access the type of
accommodation that best
meets their needs. In doing
this, we will help people
explore the full range of
housing options available in
the area.
38
5.14 Moving to the type of service
outlined above will require a
degree of culture change within both the Council and
amongst the wider
community of partners and
the general public; this will
not happen overnight. Staff
training will be vital and the
development of a
comprehensive housing
advice and information
training plan that
incorporates homelessness
assessment is a key priority.
Temporary Accommodation
5.15 There is likely to always be a
requirement for a pool of
temporary accommodation
for those in housing crisis but,
as 2012 draws nearer, it is
anticipated that the need for
the current pool of
temporary accommodation
will reduce. The principal
reasons for this are:
5.16 However, in the short term,
we will continue to need a
significant supply of
temporary accommodation
and we are currently looking
at the different ways in which
this can be provided. A key
issue will be the replacement
of the 23 units of temporary
accommodation for single
men currently provided at
Valeview, Denny which will
be demolished during the
next three years as part of
the Denny Town Centre
Regeneration Strategy. We
are considering the option of
leasing accommodation in
the private rented sector for
use as temporary
accommodation thus freeing
up more social rented
housing for permanent
letting, however, some issues
remain to be resolved and
further guidance on best
practice is currently awaited
from the Scottish
Government on this issue in
the context of the Firm
Foundations discussion
document.
5.17 For the foreseeable future we
are likely to continue to need
to use bed and breakfast
accommodation to
augment our temporary
accommodation provision.
We recognise that this is an
expensive way of meeting
need and that it does not
provide a suitable
environment for homeless
people. In acknowledging
the need to continue to use
bed and breakfast
accommodation, we will
endeavour never to place
households with children or
pregnant women in such
accommodation unless there
is absolutely no alternative
and we will always seek to
keep the duration of any
such placement as short as
possible and certainly within
the fourteen days stipulated
in the Unsuitable
Accommodation Order.
The Council’s and RSL
partners’ housing
allocations policies will
focus more on housing
those with the greatest
needs,
The Housing Advice and
Information Plan will raise
awareness of all the
housing options available,
including accommodation
in the private rented
sector, and help people to
address their housing
needs before a housing
crisis arises,
Homelessness will be
prevented because
agencies will be more
proactive in identifying
people who are at risk of
39
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
5.18 In the short term, it is likely
that we will continue to have
to place some single people
in bed and breakfast
accommodation but this will
only be when there is no
alternative accommodation
available. We are currently
putting in place measures
with one local provider to
make bed and breakfast
accommodation available
for women only. Regardless
of gender, we will aim to
move people placed in bed
and breakfast
accommodation into more
suitable temporary
accommodation as soon as
the opportunity arises.
Wherever possible, we aim to
use bed and breakfast
accommodation located
within the Council’s
boundaries in order to
comply with the terms of the
Unsuitable Accommodation
Order 2004 but this does not
always prove to be possible
given the lack of supply
within the area. This is an
issue that will continue to be
addressed throughout the
period of this Strategy.
5.19 In continuing to use bed and
breakfast accommodation,
we aim to balance the need
for temporary
accommodation to meet
statutory requirements with
the need for permanent
tenancies: the more Council
or RSL properties used to
provide temporary
accommodation, the less
there is available for
permanent lets with the
consequence that people
remain in temporary
accommodation longer. Our
Temporary Accommodation
Plan is set out in Appendix 4.
40
Supported Accommodation
and Floating Support
5.20 It is clear that there will be an
ongoing requirement for
good quality housing support
in the Council area. Whilst
there is likely to be more of a
focus on the provision of high
quality self-contained
accommodation with
accompanying floating
support, it is also likely that
there will continue to be a
need for shared
accommodation for some
people. In order to ensure
that the housing support
provided in the area meets
the needs of those who
receive it, we intend to carry
out a full review of existing
supported accommodation
and floating support projects
in 2009. This review will take
account of the improved
needs assessment processes
described earlier in this
Strategy and the changes
that have already been
implemented as a result of
recent housing support
contract reviews. It is
envisaged that support
packages will be more
directly linked to the assessed
needs of individuals than has
been the case in the past.
Domestic Abuse
Refuge for Women and Children
5.21 Domestic abuse is an
increasing cause of
homelessness in the Council
area. At present, refuge for
women fleeing abuse is
provided by Women’s Aid in
both a communal refuge
where women who wish to
have the support of other
women around them at a
time of crisis can be
accommodated and in
several refuge flats provided
by an RSL. Women’s Aid also
operate an outreach service
for women who prefer to be
accommodated within the
Council’s pool of temporary
accommodation.
5.22 Increasingly, there is
evidence that fewer women
wish to be accommodated
in a communal refuge and, if
the Unsuitable
Accommodation Order is
extended to refuge facilities,
significant alterations would
be required to the existing
communal refuge in order to
make it compliant with the
Order, with a consequent loss
of bedspaces that might
make the facility unviable in
financial terms. Discussions
are ongoing with Women’s
Aid about reprovisioning the
current communal refuge
and increasing the number
of refuge flats in a range of
locations across the Council
area to give women and
their children more choice
about where they can
access refuge and more
control over their living
environment during a very
stressful time.
5.23 The Council’s current three
year Operating and
Management Agreement
with Women’s Aid expired in
March 2009 but work is
already underway to ensure
that an Agreement for the
following three year period
interfaces with relevant
Council strategies, including
this Homelessness Strategy
and the Integrated Children’s
Services Plan.
Men and Domestic Abuse
5.24 It is recognised that a small
number of men present as
homeless as a result of
domestic abuse. In the
absence of any local
organisation to represent the
interests of men fleeing
domestic abuse, we would
aim to identify the
accommodation and
support that any individual
man might require through
our comprehensive needs
assessment process and
undertake to source any
specific assistance that he
might benefit from.
Private Sector / Rent Deposit
Guarantee Scheme
5.25 As noted in Firm Foundations,
the Scottish Government
plans to carry out a review of
the private rented sector
looking in particular at the
role the sector can play in
housing low income families
and individuals, including
those presenting as
homeless. The private rented
sector can clearly play an
increasing role in meeting the
41
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
housing needs of homeless
people and the
development of strong links
between the Council and
reputable private landlords
will be a key objective in the
period to 2012. In Falkirk,
around 3% of the total
housing stock is in the private
sector and this figure has
grown in recent years.
5.26 The Council now has a
dedicated Private Sector
Housing Team that is forging
links with private sector
landlords and a successful
Landlords’ Forum is well
established. We are
preparing a Private Sector
Housing Strategy in the
context of the Local Housing
Strategy and the use of
private sector housing to
meet housing need is an
integral part of our Housing
Advice and Information Plan
and our local Housing
Options Guide.
5.37 A positive recent
development is the signing of
an Agreement with the
Cyrenians for the provision of
a rent deposit guarantee
scheme that will seek to
provide a minimum of 75 rent
deposit guarantees a year,
thereby allowing people who
would otherwise be homeless
to access accommodation
in the private rented sector.
42
5.38 A further positive
development has been the
establishment of a pilot
scheme between the
Scottish Government, the
Council and the Scottish
Association of Landlords to
arrange for 20 properties in
the local private rented
sector to be made available
for homeless Council
nominees. Only accredited
landlords will be eligible to
take part in this initiative Accredit Lets – and its
success will mean that an
additional housing option will
be available for homeless
people in the Falkirk Council
area.
5.39 A key objective over the
coming years is that through
a combination of improved
housing advice and
information that raises
awareness of the availability
of accommodation in the
private rented sector, along
with the continued
development of the
Landlords’ Forum, a
significant number of those
people who might otherwise
depend on the local
authority and other public
sector landlords to meet their
housing need can be
accommodated in good
quality private housing by
2012.
Health
5.40 Homelessness is a complex
issue and homeless people
are not themselves a
homogenous group.
However, it is clear that
health and homelessness are
inextricably linked: ill health
can be both a cause and an
effect of homelessness. The
work of the Health and
Homelessness Sub Group of
our Falkirk Homelessness
Forum aims to co-ordinate
the development and
implementation of the health
related actions in this
Homelessness Strategy and
integrate them with the Forth
Valley-wide Health and
Homelessness Action Plan.
5.41 The secondment of a
dedicated Community
Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) post
within the ARC has had
significant benefits for
vulnerable homeless people
suffering ill health by
improving the assessment of
need, helping people get
access to the health and
social care services that they
need, developing links
between agencies and
providing specialist mental
health advice to clients,
carers and agencies. This
post worked alongside the
Senior Social Worker and
Outreach Worker also based
in the ARC. We have
reviewed the services
provided by all three of these
posts and staff from Housing,
Social Work and Health are
currently working to firm up a
revised model of provision
that will ensure that homeless
people who are particularly
vulnerable will be able to
gain access to the
mainstream health and care
services that they need whilst
receiving support in the short
term from a dedicated team
of staff with an appropriate
range of skills.
5.42 We will also continue with the
Street Sport programme that
has helped more than 200
vulnerable young people
over the past year. This
initiative involves partnership
working between over forty
organisations from the
voluntary, public and private
sectors and allows those
agencies access to a
traditionally “hard to reach”
group who face some of the
greatest health inequalities.
Issues such as
alcohol/substance use and
sexual health are addressed
and mental health, physical
activity and a healthy diet
are promoted. The
programme offers significant
benefits in terms of positive
social interaction, team
building, improved body
image, self esteem and
social skills.
5.43 We will also continue to
develop the work of the
Community Food and
Development Officer from
Forth Valley NHS who works
with the Salvation Army in
Falkirk. This post has made
significant progress in
supporting the Salvation
Army to make and identify
changes to food provision,
motivate staff and provide
training and ensure that
adequate resources are
available for food activities.
During the period of this
Strategy, this post will
develop cooking and food
awareness skills with clients
and help clients realise their
own skills.
43
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Offenders
5.44 As noted in Table 12 below,
the number of offenders who
become homeless upon
leaving prison is small.
However, it is generally
accepted that the lack of
settled accommodation can
lead to re-offending
behaviour. In this context,
measures that prevent
homelessness amongst exoffenders can have
significant community safety
benefits. During the course of
this Strategy, we will continue
to prevent homelessness
amongst offenders by
working with the Criminal
Justice Authority and the
Prison Service to provide
offenders from the Falkirk
area with early advice and
information about their
housing options so that they
can plan for their release.
Applicant
Type
Discharged
from prison
20022003
20032004
5.45 We will also continue to
support the work of agencies
that assist in the resettlement
and support of offenders so
that homelessness is
prevented and offenders
can learn to play a more
positive role in their local
communities.
Education Initiatives
5.46 We aim during the early part
of 2009 to review and
evaluate the House About
Me? education pack that
was introduced into Falkirk
Council’s secondary schools
in 2006/07. Depending on the
results of the review, we will
work to amend or develop
the resource so we can be
sure that it addresses the
issues that young people
face and plays a positive role
in preventing youth
homelessness in Falkirk.
5.47 Following the above review,
we also aim to roll out House
About Me? to a wider group
of young people through
community education and
youth organisations. It is likely
that we will seek to launch
this during the second half of
2009.
20042005
20052006
20062007
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
27
1.8%
54
3.3%
51
3.1%
52
2.7%
42
2.1%
Table 12: Applicants Homeless Upon Release from Prison
2002-2007
5.48 In all of the above we will
continue to work in
partnership with LinkLiving’s
peer education group who
add “real life” experience to
the process and who help to
deliver the message that we
are seeking to get across in a
way that young people can
relate to. In doing this, the
DVD produced by the peer
educators on their
experience of setting up
home for the first time has an
important role to play.
Family Mediation
5.49 In line with the national
picture, relationship
breakdown is the highest
cause of homelessness in
Falkirk. The causes of such
breakdown are many and
varied and homelessness is
often the result of a crisis
situation arising.
44
5.50 Sometimes, a reconciliation
will take place whilst a
person in still in temporary
accommodation and in such
circumstances the cost to the
individual may not be too
high but often, particularly
where young people are
concerned, a reconciliation
can take some time to
achieve and, in the interim, a
permanent tenancy has
been granted.
5.51 In such cases, there can be
both a significant financial
cost and an emotional cost.
In terms of the financial cost,
the individual and their family
often lay out money to
establish a home for the
person concerned and the
public purse is often required
to contribute in terms of
grants and welfare benefits.
In emotional terms, people
who become homeless as a
result of relationship
breakdown can experience
loneliness and, if the new
arrangement fails, a loss of
self esteem.
5.52 We recognise that there are
currently no arrangements in
place locally to help prevent
homelessness as a result of
relationship breakdown and
a key objective over the
period of this Strategy will be
to develop a family
mediation service. We
acknowledge that such a
scheme will have only a
limited role to play in
preventing relationship
breakdown between
couples and there are
already measures in place to
help people in such
circumstances. Whilst we will
signpost people to such
services, we will concentrate
our efforts on preventing
homelessness amongst
young people by mediating
between them and their
families before or when crises
occur.
45
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Furniture Scheme
5.56 We recognise that people
who are not able to furnish
their home can have
difficulty in settling in and
sustaining a tenancy. In 2007,
we provided 28 people with
furniture packages using ringfenced Scottish Government
funding for the provision of
furnished tenancies. A further
82 people who were not
eligible for this scheme
received assistance by
means of a voucher scheme
funded from wider
homelessness strategy
budgets enabling them to
buy second hand items from
local furniture projects.
5.53 In this way, we will aim to
provide a crisis temporary
accommodation service that
gives all parties a break from
the situation that is causing
difficulties and work to
achieve an amicable
resolution which may involve
the young person moving
into permanent housing,
albeit with support from their
family, or back to the family
home where it is safe and
appropriate for them to do
so. As noted previously, our
housing strategy for young
people is set out in Appendix
2.
Befriending
46
5.54 We recognise that a
proportion of the homeless
people with whom we deal
do not have the support
networks of family and friends
that most people take for
granted. It is well known that
loneliness and social isolation
can have an impact on both
physical and mental
wellbeing and that this can
make longer term
resettlement of vulnerable
homeless people more
difficult.
5.55 During 2009 we will use the
data that we are able to
collect from the support
needs assessments now
being carried out for
homeless people, to quantify
the extent of this issue and
consider possible responses.
At this stage, it seems unlikely
that we will want to set up a
befriending scheme for
homeless people specifically
but rather that we will work in
partnership with those other
schemes/projects that
provide this kind of service in
or near to the Falkirk Council
area – indeed, there may be
the opportunity to explore
links across the Forth Valley
area.
5.57 In the past, both
Grangemouth Enterprises Ltd
(GEL) and Falkirk Homeless
Project (FHP) have provided
furniture for homeless people
through re-using items of
furniture donated by
members of the public. An
opportunity has now arisen to
work with both these
organisations and with
Community Recycling
Network Scotland (CRNS) to
form a Public Social
Partnership for the provision
of a comprehensive furniture
scheme for homeless people.
5.58 Under these arrangements,
we propose to work with FHP
and GEL jointly to provide
furniture packs for homeless
people comprising both new
and used items. It is
envisaged that “emergency
packs” will be available for
people who are eligible for
Community Care Grants to
provide the basic items that
they need to enable them to
move into a new tenancy
whilst they are awaiting
payment of their grant and
that a more comprehensive
pack will be available for
people who are not eligible
for other forms of assistance
and require a greater degree
of help to furnish their new
home.
5.59 This model of provision
appears to offer significant
benefits for homeless people
taking up a tenancy,
landlords who are providing
them with accommodation
and the Council which is
responsible for waste
management within the
area. These benefits include:
Using a mixture of new and
used items of furniture
means that the cost per
package is reduced and
so more people can be
assisted within the budget
available,
Homeless people are able
to choose which items
they wish rather than have
a fixed package of goods,
Local people have a
greater opportunity for
disposing of furniture that
they no longer require but
which may be of interest to
homeless people,
The Council can divert
more waste from landfill
and thus reduce its landfill
tax liability either because
items are re-used in
furniture packages or the
goods donated are
recycled in some other
way.
47
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Basic Skills, Training and
Employment
5.60 There is ample evidence
nationally that people are
more likely to be able to
sustain their accommodation
and live successful
independent lives if they are
in employment or working
towards this. People who lack
basic literacy and numeracy
skills are more likely to be
excluded from work than
those who have a
reasonable standard of
education and, as a result,
they are then unable to
access the training, further
education and employment
opportunities that help them
to sustain independent living.
48
5.61 We are aware that we need
to develop better links
between the numerous
services that are available in
the Falkirk area such as the
Council’s Employment and
Training Unit, Careers
Scotland, JobCentre Plus
and The Big Plus to assist
people to maximise their
potential by having a robust
means of referring people to
the relevant agencies that
can help them. However, we
recognise that when we are
working with an individual to
address their housing
problems, they may not be
at an appropriate stage in
their life to deal with other
matters such as
unemployment. Given this,
we do not envisage that
housing officers will make a
direct referral to services that
can provide specialist skills,
training or employment
assistance but rather that
housing support providers
who develop a longer term
relationship with a homeless
person will work with them
over time to address issues
like this at an appropriate
time in the resettlement
process.
5.62 In this context, we will use our
support needs assessment
matrix to identify individuals
who have problems with
literacy or numeracy or who
would benefit from
assistance from employment
and training agencies and
record this on the referral to a
housing support provider. The
provider will then draw up a
support plan with the
individual and, at an
appropriate stage in the
resettlement process, make
contact with appropriate
specialist organisations that
might be able to assist.
PREVENTION
ACCOMMODATION
Housing advice & information:
Accommodation Resource Centre
Neighbourhood offices/One Stop
shops
Housing Options Guide on Council
Website
Adequate supply of affordable housing
to meet local needs.
Robust Assessment process focussed on
the needs of the individual
Specialist services including:
Debt and welfare benefits service
Family mediation
Befriending
Furniture provision
Employment/training initiatives
Access to mainstream health services
Young People’s Housing Strategy
Range of housing options available
across all tenures.
Priority to people in housing need for
vacancies in social rented sector so
that needs are met and time in
temporary accommodation is
minimised.
Sufficient supply of good quality
temporary accommodation so that
people do not need to use bed &
breakfast accommodation.
Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Schools education programme: House
About Me?
5.63 We will also seek to ensure
that housing support staff
and others who may be
working with a person to
address their problems, have
a full understanding of these
issues and an awareness of
when to refer the individual
to one of the specialist
services available. In doing
this we aim to prevent
homelessness in the longer
term but we know that there
will be no overnight drop in
homelessness presentations
as a result of these measures.
HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY
SUPPORT
5.64 Figure 11 illustrates the range
of services that this
Homelessness Strategy seeks
to put in place:
Figure 11: Proposed
Homelessness Services in
the Falkirk Council Area
Range of supported accommodation
and floating support services available
across Council area to meet the varied
needs of homeless people including:
Families
Single people
Young people
People with specific needs
Well-established links and protocols with
prevention and support services
including:
Debt and welfare benefits advice
Family mediation
Befriending
Literacy schemes
Employment/training initiatives
Furniture provision
Access to mainstream health
services
Drug and alcohol services
Peer education services
49
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
6.
RESOURCES
6.1 Section 5 set out the
framework of services that
we need to deliver in order to
meet both the 2012 target
and wider objectives in
relation to housing and social
inclusion. The purpose of this
section is to set out the
resource context in which this
Homelessness Strategy will be
delivered. In doing this, we
acknowledge that there are
significant challenges to be
faced in respect of all three
of the key resource elements:
Money
Houses/Land
People
General Fund Homelessness Analysis of Total Budgeted Expenditure 2007/8
Money
6.2 In recent years, the Scottish
Government (previously the
Scottish Executive) allocated
resources for homelessness
through various ring-fenced
funding streams. In addition
to the income received from
these funding streams, the
Council also allocated
monies from its own resources
(General Fund) for the
provision of services for
homeless people. In 2007-08,
the amount of funding
available from the Scottish
Government and the
General Fund to deal with
homelessness in Falkirk was as
follows:
Total Employee Costs
Total Property Costs
Total Supplies & Services
5
Table 13: Resources for Homelessness Services, 2007-2008
Homelessness Task Force
£618,753
Furnished Tenancies Grant
£158,747
Rough Sleepers Initiative
£154,270
General Fund
£467,170
Total Support Services
Payments to other agencies
Figure 12: Funding of
Homelessness Services, 20072008 (General Fund)
6.4 The Council’s Housing
Revenue Account (HRA) also
contributed to the running of
homelessness services and
received income in relation
to the rents charged in
respect of Council-owned
temporary accommodation.
Taking account of all funds
used to provide homeless
services in 2007/08, Figure 13
below sets out how the
budgets were used.
Homelessness Services Analysis of Total Budgeted Expenditure 2007/8
Total Employee Costs
Total Property Costs
6.3 As illustrated in Figure 12, a
significant proportion of this
money (47%) was used to
fund the staffing
infrastructure required to
meet statutory obligations in
respect of homelessness,
ranging from staff dealing
with the prevention of
homelessness, the assessment
of homeless applications and
the management of
temporary accommodation.
50
5 Rough Sleepers Initiative; Homelessness Task Force Funding; Furniture Grants
Total Supplies & Services
Total Support Services
Payments to other agencies
Capital Costs
Figure 13: Funding of
Homelessness Services, 20072008 (General Fund and HRA)
51
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
as public sector housing
allocations policies (by
ensuring that the available
properties are given to those
in greatest housing need)
and other housing
management measures (e.g.
by ensuring that empty
properties are brought back
into use as quickly as
possible). However, we
recognise that there will
continue to be a need for
new affordable housing to
meet the increasing
requirement for
accommodation that arises
from projected population
increases and continuing
trends in respect of new
household formation.
6.9 Affordable housing can be
provided by a variety of
means:
Council housing for rent
RSL housing for rent,
6.5 In the current year, there has
been particularly high
expenditure on the provision
of bed and breakfast
accommodation in order to
meet the statutory obligation
to provide temporary
accommodation for every
homeless person who needs
it. A range of initiatives have
now been put in place to
tackle this problem.
52
6.6 Although the sums of money
that were previously ringfenced for homelessness are
now part of wider budgets, it
is anticipated that these
monies will still be available
to allow the Council to meet
its statutory obligations in
respect of homelessness and
the homelessness indicators
within the Single Outcome
Agreement.
Houses/Land
6.7 It is evident that a
fundamental resource for
tackling homelessness is the
provision of an adequate
supply of good quality
affordable housing and so
robust links between the
Homelessness Strategy and
the Local Housing Strategy
(and the Local Development
Plan) are vital. As noted
previously, a housing needs
assessment undertaken in
2007 as part of the LHS
process identified that, over
the next ten years, there is
estimated to be a shortfall of
around 145 affordable
dwellings per annum across
the Council area.
6.8 Some of that shortfall can be
met through measures such
investment policies and any
decision that the Council
might take to build new
homes is set within that
context. The Council has
recently approved a
programme for building 110
new Council houses over the
next three years and
continues to explore further
opportunities to add to the
Council’s housing stock.
6.12 New RSL housing for rent and
owner occupation is
currently funded through the
Scottish Government’s
Affordable Housing
Investment Programme
(AHIP). Resources are
allocated by the Scottish
Government, following the
assessment of local
authorities’ Strategic Housing
Investment Plans (SHIPs) in
accordance with the
Strategic Housing Investment
Framework (SHIF). The
rationale behind SHIF is that
the resources available to
deliver new housing across
Scotland should be targeted
on those areas in greatest
need.
6.13 In 2008-09, there has been a
cut of around 25% in the total
budget available for AHIP
across the country, albeit the
amount of funding available
over the coming three year
period will rise above current
levels. It is vital that sufficient
resources are made
available for new affordable
housing if both new RSL
housing and new Council
housing are to make a
significant contribution
towards meeting the 2012
target in relation to
homelessness given wider
demands in respect of
housing provision.
RSL housing for owneroccupation (including
shared ownership, shared
equity),
Private sector housing for
owner occupation,
Private rented sector
accommodation.
6.10 In this context, it is vital that
we both recognise the
resource constraints that we
face and seek to maximise
the benefits that can be
gained from the resources
available.
6.11 New Council housing can be
developed provided that
there is sufficient land
available and resources
within the HRA to fund the
building costs. The Prudential
Regime sets out a framework
that requires the Council to
demonstrate the affordability
and sustainability of its
53
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
6.14 However, a major resource
constraint in terms of
delivering new social rented
housing is the supply of
developable land. Locally,
most of land in the Council’s
ownership that had
development potential has
been used and such sites
that remain available present
difficulties in terms of
infrastructure and planning
constraints. This situation is
replicated at a national level
and whilst we will continue to
address these difficulties
locally through our LHS and
development planning
processes, we await with
interest the outcome of the
work of the national Housing
Supply Task Force which was
set up in 2007 by the Scottish
Government to tackle such
obstacles as land supply and
planning constraints which
have been hampering the
delivery of more housing
across Scotland.
54
6.15 New affordable private
sector housing for owner
occupation will generally be
delivered through local
authorities’ Affordable
Housing Policies. However,
such policies do not apply
where planning consents on
sites have already been
granted. In the local context,
an Affordable Housing Policy
has been agreed whereby
on new housing sites of 100 or
more units, 15% of the
properties will require to be
affordable or for special
needs groups. In
Larbert/Stenhousemuir,
Polmont and District and the
Rural North areas, where
there is already an identified
shortfall of affordable
housing, there will be a
requirement for 25% of new
units on sites of 60 or more
units to be affordable or for
special needs groups. Whilst
this policy should lead to an
increase in the availability of
new affordable homes in the
area in the longer term, its
impact during the period of
this Homelessness Strategy
will be limited as the majority
of sites zoned for housing
already have planning
consent and are therefore
unaffected by it.
6.16 The “Credit Crunch” has had
the result that Homes for
Scotland and a range of
builders/developers have
approached the Council to
initiate discussions on
exploring how additional
land, currently held by
private sector owners, might
be made available for
affordable housing. These
approaches will be further
explored in 2009 whilst
discussions continue at
Government level about how
extra resources can be
brought forward to enable
this type of partnership work
to increase the supply of
affordable housing. Clearly,
this issue will continue to be
developed in the Local
Housing Strategy 2009-14.
6.17 The private rented sector can
also contribute to increasing
the supply of affordable
housing in the area and thus
meet the needs of some
homeless people. During the
period of this Strategy, we will
seek to develop links into the
local private rented sector to
increase the number of
properties that are made
available to homeless
people. Whilst it is difficult to
estimate at this stage the
additional housing resource
that the private rented sector
can bring to the table, it is
anticipated that new
arrangements in respect of
the local Rent Deposit
Guarantee Scheme and the
pilot project under the
National Landlord
Accreditation Scheme will
allow the potential
contribution that this sector
can make to be more fully
explored.
People
6.18 Homelessness is traumatic for
anyone who is affected by it
and we recognise that we
can only help people who
find themselves homeless or
threatened with
homelessness if we have staff
who are able to deliver the
range of services that they
need. Having a pool of staff
who are well-trained on the
causes and effects of
homelessness and the range
of housing options available
in the Council area, and who
are also able to provide the
practical support that
homeless people sometimes
need, requires a significant
financial investment that
underpins everything in this
Homelessness Strategy.
6.19 As outlined in Section 5, a key
element of this Strategy is the
redesign of our services to
move away from a model of
provision that is based on the
assessment of homelessness
within a tight legislative
framework and rations a
scarce resource (public
sector housing), to one that
helps people explore the full
range of housing options that
are available across housing
sectors to meet their needs.
6.20 This new model of provision
will require both a degree of
culture change across
organisations dealing with
homelessness in its various
forms and a change in
public perceptions of
homeless people. Dealing
with negative perceptions of
homeless people is a
significant challenge within
this Homelessness Strategy –
we need to move from a
form of service provision that
involves some measure of
judgement of the relative
merits of different categories
of homeless people to one
which accepts that as a
basic human right, everyone
needs a home.
6.21 A key priority during the
period of this Strategy will be
the establishment of a rolling
programme of training and
education on homelessness
and related issues so that,
regardless of which
organisation they work for,
everyone who works with
people who are homeless or
at risk of homelessness in the
Falkirk Council area has all
the skills they need to be
able to find positive
outcomes for the individual
concerned.
55
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Appendix 1
FALKIRK HOMELESSNESS
STRATEGY 2008-2013
The Health of Homeless
People
Homelessness is a complex
issue and homeless people
themselves are not a
homogenous group. However
it is clear that health and
homelessness are inextricably
linked; ill health is both a
cause and effect of
homelessness. There are a
wide range of health
problems that are more
prevalent among homeless
people than the domiciled
population including chronic
conditions, stress, anxiety and
other mental health problems
affecting both single
homeless people and
homeless families with
children (Pleace and Quilgars
2003). A study of homeless
people in Aberdeen found
that only 22% assessed their
health as ‘Good’, compared
to 77% of the general
population using the Scottish
Health Survey and a
significant minority of
homeless people were
assessed as being dependant
on drugs or alcohol alongside
mental health problems and
infectious diseases (Love
2002).
Access to Health Services
56
It is also recognised that
barriers experienced by
homeless people relating to
accessing health services are
similar to those experienced
by a range of marginalised
groups in our communities.
Barriers for homeless people
can include:
organisational barriers e.g.
some homeless people
have difficulty in engaging
with the bureaucracy of
mainstream health services
such as making and
keeping appointments;
attitudinal barriers e.g.
attitudes of staff based on
low awareness of the
needs of homeless people
or homeless people having
low expectations of a
positive service response
based on previous
experience of service use;
mental health and
drug/alcohol dependency
e.g. such complex
problems can lead to
chaotic living
circumstances and
lifestyles where individuals
are unable to engage or
stay in contact with health
services without specialist
support;
focussing on immediate
problems of survival e.g.
homeless people often do
not prioritise their health
needs until they become
debilitating.
The National Policy
Response
On this basis, Scottish health
policy has recognised the
need to address the health
of homeless people as part
of the broad goal to reduce
health inequalities. ‘Our
National Health: a plan for
action a plan for change’
(Scottish Executive 2000)
committed to improving the
health of homeless people
and this commitment was
built on in ‘Improving Health
in Scotland: The Challenge”
(Scottish Executive 2003).
‘The Challenge’ asserted that
All NHS Boards are required
to produce and implement
Health and Homelessness
Action Plans outlining the
activity planned at local
level to meet the health and
health care needs of
homeless people. In 2005 the
Scottish Executive published
the following Health and
Homelessness Standards for
Health Boards:
The Board’s governance
systems provide a
framework in which
improved health outcomes
for homeless people are
planned, delivered and
sustained
The Board takes an active
role in partnership with
relevant agencies to
prevent and alleviate
homelessness
The Board demonstrates
an understanding of the
profile and health needs of
homeless people across
the area
The Board takes action to
ensure homeless people
have equitable access to
the full range of health
services
Local Policy Response
The NHS Forth Valley Health
and Homelessness Steering
Group is the main partnership
that works to ensure that the
Health and Homelessness
Standards are achieved on
an NHS Forth Valley wide
basis. In Falkirk, a Health Sub
Group of the Falkirk
Homelessness Forum
Executive Group was
established in December 06
to co-ordinate the
development and
implementation of the health
related actions of the Falkirk
Council Homelessness
Strategy 2007-2012 and
integrate the Falkirk related
actions from the Forth Valley
Health and Homelessness
Action Plan into the Falkirk
Homelessness Strategy. The
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
Health and Homelessness Sub
Group consists of
representatives from Falkirk
Community Health
Partnership, Falkirk Council,
Forth Valley NHS Department
of Public Health and is
chaired by a Public Health
Practitioner from Falkirk
Community Health
Partnership from April 2005.
Forth Valley Health and
Homelessness Needs
Assessment
In The Falkirk Homelessness
Strategy 2003-05, Falkirk
Council committed to jointly
commissioning a
comprehensive health needs
assessment of homeless
people in partnership with
NHS Forth Valley Health and
Homelessness Steering
Group. The findings were to
inform the implementation of
the joint health and homeless
plan for Forth Valley. The
needs assessment was
structured around surveys of
91 service users from all three
local authorities, Falkirk,
Stirling and
Clackmannanshire.
The Board’s services
respond positively to the
health needs of homeless
people
The Board is effectively
implementing a health
and homelessness action
plan
Whilst the NHS Board holds
the strategic responsibility for
the Standards it is expected
that delivery will be through
Community Health
Partnerships.
57
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
The aims of the needs assessment
were to:
Identify and review current
data and information
sources on homeless
people,
Investigate the health
needs of homeless people
especially in relation to
access,
Explore how existing
services can best meet the
needs of homeless people.
Findings
The research provided a
wide range of findings and
views of the health needs of
homeless people in the Forth
Valley area including:
54% were registered with a
dentist. 1/3 of those not
registered with a dentist
could not find an NHS
dentist who would accept
new registrations;
18% had contact with a
community mental health
team;
25% have contact with a
drug treatment agency;
18% described their health
as poor;
The most common health
problems included;
Asthma (26.4%), chest
problems (27.5%), fungal
infections (20.1%), skin
problems (27.5%), eye
problems (30.8%), Teeth
and gum problems
(50.5%), Headaches
(57.1%), and Joint
problems (25.3%)
14.3% were frequently or
constantly taking
prescribed methadone
26.4% were frequently or
constantly taking anti
depressant tablets
58
92% said that they had
access to cooking facilities
within their
accommodation but only
73% actually used them.
24% admitted having an
alcohol problem and 8%
were seeking assistance for
this.
Specific Issues
A range of strengths and
challenges were identified
across Forth Valley. Strengths
identified included:
Evidence of positive and
flexible approaches to
working with homeless
people in particular
general practices, in
mental health services,
community services and in
housing services.
Centralised specialised
resources appear to work
well in facilitating access
to mainstream health
services for some homeless
people (Salvation Army
Stirling).
Challenges identified
included:
Insufficient data for
identifying homeless
peoples’ health needs and
use of health services;
Service provider’s
perceptions of poor
interagency operational
collaboration;
The need for training for
frontline health service
staff;
Delays in benefits
payments have a
significant affect on the
health of homeless people
as well as prescription costs
for those on benefits;
Access to healthy food
particularly for clients in
Bed and Breakfast
accommodation;
The need to improve
discharge planning to
achieve sustainable
resettlement;
Negative attitudes by
some service users towards
NHS Community
Psychiatric Nurse services
effecting access to mental
health services;
The need to improve
access to podiatry and
dental services.
Recommendations
Key recommendations of the
needs assessment include:
The creation of one stop
shops for homeless health
provisions;
Targeted outreach in
health provision to ensure
that homeless people are
reached and interventions
happen at the right time;
Better networking and
training for all key
agencies;
Appointment of a lead
person to work across
organisations to ensure
that services are delivered;
Targeted professional
development for health
professionals to ensure a
consistent and sensitive
approach to the treatment
of homeless persons.
The recommendations are
being progressed through a
review of the Forth Valley
Health and Homelessness
Action Plan by the Forth
Valley Health and
Homelessness Steering
Group. Actions will be based
on the following cross cutting
themes that emerged from
analysis of the findings.
Partnership and user
involvement;
Information - this
encompasses both
information for people
experiencing homelessness
and information for service
providers;
Capacity and service
development - this
encompasses the human
resources of agencies
involved:
- staff numbers, skills,
knowledge and
attitudes (and the
potential for workforce
planning, training and
education to improve
these),
- facilities, materials,
equipment - service
development plans
based on improvements
in these are likely to
have a positive impact
on the health of people
who are homeless and
on access to services.
These 3 main cross-cutting
areas relate to each other,
and interact, but between
them provide a means for
considering improvement in
relation to the health of
people experiencing
homelessness. The actions in
the Falkirk Health and
Homelessness Action Plan are
grouped according to each
of these three key themes
and it is anticipated that this
provides us with a public
health framework of long
term solutions aimed at
improving the health of
homeless people and
reducing/ preventing
homelessness in Falkirk.
59
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Examples of Good Practice
in Falkirk
Community Food and
Development Worker/
Falkirk Salvation Army
A Community Food and
Development Worker from
NHS Forth Valley works in
partnership with Falkirk
Salvation Army to:
support the organisation in
making and identifying
changes to food provision,
motivate staff and provide
training/resources;
ensure that adequate
resources are available for
food activities;
highlight opportunities for
development, including
funding.
The Community Food and
Development Worker has
added much valued
capacity to the
development of the
Homelessness ‘Drop In’
Service. Listening and
responding to clients needs
and opinions has further
improved the drop in service
menus with less pies etc. and
more healthier choices e.g.
spaghetti bolognaise being
offered. The laundry and
shaving facilities have
‘opened doors’ and a
feeling of community is more
prevalent, volunteering at
the ‘Drop In’ has increased
and people are staying at
the drop-in centre for longer.
60
The full time post of a support
worker has made a real
difference, resulting in more
time to speak to clients and
has increased use of the
service. The support worker
and cook attended a Food
Health and Homelessness
conference which
encouraged them to look
positively at what they had
achieved. This further
stimulated them to
undertake some basic
cooking skills with the clients
and provide extra fruit and
vegetables and they have
been successful in obtaining
a grant from Community
Food & Health (Scotland) to
fund this.
In 2007 the Community Food
and Development Worker
supported Falkirk Salvation
Army to successfully host a
national Food Health and
Homelessness event for
Community Food and Health
(Scotland).
Future developments:
Develop/increase cooking
and food awareness skills
with clients.
Provide clients with a
piece of fruit or vegetable
at drop-in sessions.
Realisation of clients own
skills within the centre
where appropriate.
Falkirk Council
Accommodation Resource
Centre (ARC) Community
Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) For
Homeless People
A CPN was appointed to
work on a two year pilot
project run by Falkirk Council
and the Falkirk Community
Health Partnership. The post
involves working with
homeless people with mental
health needs and is funded
by Falkirk Council, based at
the ARC. The aims of the
project are to:
Contribute to the health
and social care
assessment of people who
are homeless or at risk of
becoming homeless within
the Falkirk Council area;
Assist homeless people
who are experiencing
mental health problems
get access to the health
and social care services
they require;
Meet the mental health
support needs of people
either by ongoing CPN
involvement or through
referral to other
appropriate services;
Develop and maintain links
with other agencies
involved in health and
social care support to
homeless people;
Provide specialist mental
health advice to clients,
carers and agencies
involved in supporting
homeless people.
The CPN carries out nursing
assessments of individuals
who present as homeless and
who are experiencing mental
health difficulties, to inform
an action plan developed in
partnership with the client
aimed at working towards
increased stability in terms of
social and mental wellbeing.
The CPN also provides
advice and support to
homeless people with mental
health difficulties leaving
hospital and liaises with
fellow members of the
Accommodation Resource
Team to identify appropriate
accommodation options for
these clients. The CPN also
provides a valued liaison
service for other professionals
including ARC staff, Castings
Hostel staff and hospital staff
are working with patients
who are homeless or at risk of
becoming homeless.
Working in partnership with
sector mental health teams
the CPN also provides
additional support to known
vulnerable clients during a
period of homelessness or
when they are at an
increased risk of becoming
homeless.
The post has evolved to
become a key link between
mental health services,
homelessness services and
non statutory services
providing support to
homeless people. Between
July 2006 and July 2007, the
CPN had direct involvement
with over 70 clients, all of
whom had experienced
difficulties in accessing or
maintaining engagement
with mainstream health
services and who were at
increased risk of deterioration
in their mental wellbeing and
level of social functioning for
a variety of reasons revolving
around their situation of
homelessness.
Future Developments
The Health sub group of the
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
will support the
implementation of the
recommendations from the
evaluation of the ARC CPN
for Homeless People pilot
service to sustain the benefits
achieved. At the moment
the use of this post is being
reviewed alongside the post
of Senior Social Worker also
based at the ARC.
61
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Streetsport / Health
Promotion Department
contribution
The Health Promotion Officer
(HPO) in the Community
Team has a specific remit for
homelessness across Forth
Valley. In the Falkirk area the
HPO works in partnership with
many organisations on varied
aspects of homelessness and
the prevention of
homelessness. This has
included:
The production of a leaflet
for people who are
homeless or at risk of
homelessness to inform
them of how to access
services.
In conjunction with the
Salvation Army, initiating
significant changes to the
structure and set up of the
Homelessness “Drop In”.
This included changing
opening times to make it
more accessible for
services to be in
attendance and creating
the full time post of Support
Worker rather than Coordinator.
Through the Health
Promotion Department,
offering training free of
charge on a variety of
health subjects including
Scottish Mental Health First
Aid, sexual health and
drug awareness. Workers
from services working
within the homelessness
sector are encouraged to
attend these certified
courses.
62
Registering representatives
from homelessness
organisations and
accommodation providers
with the Health Information
Resource service to
provide direct access to
appropriate information for
workers and clients alike.
Assisting the Oral Health
Team to set up a service
for the distribution of oral
health packs through
organisations working with
people who are homeless.
Setting up the Street Sport
project which works with
vulnerable people who are
either homeless or at risk of
homelessness. The project
uses sport to tackle health
inequalities in a holistic
manner.
Street Sport
Street Sport is a programme of
sport, education and health
activities, which has helped
more than 200 vulnerable
young people over the past
year. The main strength of
Street Sport is the strong
partnership of more than 40
organisations, from the
private, public and voluntary
sector, working together.
Originally the programme
comprised of football only,
but at the request of
participants it has been
expanded to include hill
walking, canoeing, trail
biking and rock climbing.
The introduction of the WISH
programme in January
enabled Street Sport to
extend its appeal to women.
In partnership with the Big
Issue Foundation, residential
courses are offered, which
enable participants to gain
the John Muir Discovery
Award. Two participants
have had the opportunity to
play for Scotland at the
Homeless World Cup in South
Africa and in Denmark and
three participants were
chosen to go to the
Himalayas in October 2007.
Participants are encouraged
to carry out voluntary work.
This not only has a direct
benefit to the volunteer and
their community but it also
assists them to re-engage
with society. The programme
has developed a school
outreach teaching module
on Alcohol and Knives that is
being built into the
curriculum at Grangemouth
High School.
Through Street Sport, all
partners are given direct
access to this traditionally
‘hard to reach’ group, who
face some of the greatest
health inequalities. Issues
such as substance use and
sexual health are addressed,
and mental health, physical
activity and a healthy diet
are promoted. In addition
there are significant benefits
from positive social
interaction, team building,
improved body image, self
esteem and social skills.
Independent research of the
programme displayed that
among the tracking survey
sample (n=25): (please note
that the percentages shown
for substance reduction are
of the total sample, whether
they used substances or not.
If they were based only on
those who actually used
substances the
reduction/quit rates would
be much higher):
Alcohol: 4% quit, 79%
drink less often, 63% have
less when they drink
than participation in Street
Sport
83% are physically active 5
or more days per week
50% eat healthy food more
often
79% reported improvement
for I am taking good care
of myself
38% reported improvement
for I am sleeping well
79% reported improvement
for I am using my free time
well
79% reported improvement
for I am moving forward
toward my life goals
71% reported improvement
for I have a positive
attitude
67% reported improvement
for I feel that my job
prospects are looking up
67% reported improvement
for I am late for
appointments or I don’t
show up
33% reported improvement
for I get along with my
partner or family
“The programme is valued
and respected by the
participants and the
Stakeholders. There is a
feeling that the programme
has positive street credibility
and that it is growing in
value. Participants feel that
they are positive role models
and that their constructive
involvement is recognised by
local residents and potential
employers. For any willing to
grow with the changes, newfound confidence was
channelled naturally into skills
development. The positive
outcomes were numerous
and reached every aspect of
their lives, including transition
to independent housing,
employment and
education.”
Chris Mason Sept 2007
Researcher
Future Developments
To undertake a pilot in
partnership with Falkirk
Education Services in
Grangemouth High school
to engage S2 and S3
pupils.
To develop participants’
voluntary role to enable
them to facilitate health
promotion activities with
local young people.
Tobacco: 17% quit, 38%
smoke less often, 38% have
less when they smoke
Cannabis: 25% quit, 29%
use less often, 29% have
less when they use
Class A: 29% quit, 13% do
them less often, 4% have
less when they do them
71% reported improvement
for I get into trouble
outside my
home/hostel/digs
58% are more often
physically active other
63
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Appendix 2
YOUNG PERSONS HOUSING
STRATEGY
This Young Persons Housing
Strategy has been
specifically developed to
address the housing needs of
young people aged under 26
and sets out how, over the
next five years, we will put in
place a network of services
to help young people in the
Falkirk Council area get
access to good quality
affordable homes that meet
their needs. This is an
ambitious aim and it is closely
linked with other local
strategies including the:
Local Housing Strategy:
aims to provide enough
good quality affordable
homes in the places that
people want to live,
Homelessness Strategy:
aims to ensure that
everyone can access the
right type of housing to
meet their needs,
Supporting People
Strategy: aims to provide
housing support services
for vulnerable people who
need help to sustain their
tenancies,
Integrated Children’s
Service Plan (For Falkirk’s
Bairns): aims to provide
services which help
children and young
people achieve their
personal goals.
64
The Young Persons Housing
Strategy has been
developed as an integral
part of our Homelessness
Strategy. It is focused on the
particular housing needs of
young people. We have
Temporary Accommodation
involved young people in the
development of the Young
Persons Housing Strategy and
we have listened to their
views on how the strategy
should be presented. For this
reason, the Young Persons
Housing Strategy is
deliberately short and
concise. It is presented as a
‘statement of intent’ which
tells our young people what
we will do to help them find a
home and how we will do it.
It is action-oriented and
involves young people in
evaluating whether it is
effective.
If the young person is
homeless, we will give them
temporary accommodation
and work with them to
resolve their housing crisis.
Family Mediation
If a young person has
become homeless because
they have fallen out with their
family or the friends they
have been living with, we will
offer “family mediation”. We
will only do this if there is no
risk of violence or abuse to
the young person if they
return home. We will work
towards developing a family
mediation service specifically
aimed at preventing young
people from becoming
homeless.
Why do we need a Young
Persons Housing Strategy?
At 16, young people can
leave home without their
parents’ permission.
Housing Support
Last year:
41% of all new housing
applications were from
people aged under 26,
986 young people aged
under 26 applied to the
Council as homeless,
14 young people who had
been looked after by the
Council left care and
needed to be housed.
26% of the housing waiting
list was made up of young
people under 26,
For many young people,
leaving home and finding
somewhere in an area that
they want to live in can be
really difficult and they can
find it very hard to keep a
tenancy going. If things go
wrong, there can be long
term effects such as
homelessness, debt and loss
of self esteem. It can take
time for people to get back
on the right track and the
costs can be high both for
the young person and for the
wider community.
The Young Persons Housing
Strategy aims to help young
people get the housing most
appropriate to their needs
and to provide them with
tenancy support if they
require it.
How will we achieve this?
Housing Options Interviews
Every young person in the
Falkirk Council area who is
looking for a home will be
able to have a Housing
Options Interview with a
specialist Housing Options
Officer, either at the
Accommodation Resource
Centre (ARC) or at one of our
One Stop
Shops/Neighbourhood
Offices.
Housing and Support Needs
Assessment
At the Housing Options
Interview, we will carry out a
full assessment of the young
person’s housing and support
needs and we will provide
them with the fullest
information on all the housing
options available in the
Falkirk Council area. Any
special needs that a young
person may have will be
considered as part of this
assessment and we will be
able to refer young people
to other agencies that can
give help and assistance.
If a young person needs
housing support, either in
temporary or permanent
accommodation, we will
arrange this through one of
the specialist housing support
providers working in this area.
The length of time that
housing support is provided
will vary depending on the
needs of the young person.
Information
We will advertise our services
in ways that will encourage
young people to use them
by:
maximising the use of the
internet to provide
information about housing
options for young people,
exploring the use of
modern technology such
as text messaging to keep
in touch with them once
they have told us what
they need,
65
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
ensuring that there are links
from other suitable
websites used by young
people to the Falkirk
Housing Options Guide,
providing leaflets and
posters about our services
in the places used by
young people for those
who do not have internet
access,
continuing to develop our
housing education
programme, House About
Me? and extending its use
from Falkirk’s secondary
schools into other places
where young people meet
such as the Street Sport
Initiative, Forth Valley
College, Community
Education and youth
organisations.
Participation
It is vital that we know what
young people need to help
them make the move from
living with their family or
friends to living on their own
successfully. We will ask every
young person who contacts
us to give us feedback on
the services we have been
able to offer them and the
accommodation and
support we have provided.
We will also invite young
people to take part in focus
groups where they will meet
informally with other young
people to discuss issues such
as the quality of our
temporary accommodation,
the specialist housing support
provided or the information
we make available. Over
time, this active participation
will help us improve our
housing and support services
for young people.
66
What about looked-after
children?
Young people who have
been looked after and
accommodated by the
Council tend to be younger
than other young people
setting up home for the first
time with an average age of
16/17 years compared to an
average of 24 years for other
young people.
These young people will
often have already
experienced greater stresses
or difficulties in their lives and
have to adjust to adulthood
much faster with little or less
reliable family support than
most young people.
Sweet Sixteen
In the light of the ‘Sweet
Sixteen’ Report published in
March 2008 by the Scottish
Commissioner for Children
and Young People we will:
This PHP will be developed
in partnership with their
Pathway Co-ordinator,
Aftercare worker and a
named housing officer.
A Care Leavers
Accommodation and
Support Needs Matrix
assessment will form the basis
for a referral to the Leaving
Care Resource group. The
most appropriate
accommodation will then be
identified and the named
housing officer will ensure
that the plans are
progressed. The housing
officer will also track the
young person’s progress and
report to Aftercare Reviews
to ensure that the
accommodation and
support provided continue to
meet the young person’s
needs.
What else can we offer?
It is widely accepted that
people are more successful
in maintaining their
accommodation if they have
a job or take part in
education or training. At our
housing and support needs
assessment we will identify
whether a young person
might need help to find a job
or education/training
opportunities and we will
work to ensure that suitable
referrals are made to the
agencies that might be able
to help such as Careers
Scotland, the Council’s
Employment and Training
Unit, The Big Plus or The
Chance.
How can I get a house that meets
my needs?
Contact us – we’ll talk with
you, find out what you need
and provide advice and
information on the best
housing options for you!
The way forward
Specific actions that flow
from this Young Persons
Housing Strategy are set out
in the Action Plan to the
Homelessness Strategy 200813. Progress on implementing
these actions will be
monitored through quarterly
reports to Falkirk Council
Members and to the Falkirk
Homelessness Forum
Executive Group. An annual
report on progress will also be
prepared for the wider Falkirk
Homeless Forum and for
public reporting purposes.
take steps to ensure that
care leavers have direct
access to transitional
accommodation with
support to help them
develop the necessary
skills to move onto more
independent
accommodation,
ensure that the housing
service is closely involved
in the Pathway planning of
any young person leaving
care who requires support
and accommodation to
ensure that they do not
become homeless when
moving on from the care
system,
make sure that all young
people moving on from
care to independent living
have a Personal Housing
Plan (PHP) contained
within their Pathways Plan.
67
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Appendix 3
HOUSING ADVICE AND
INFORMATION PLAN
Introduction
The development of a
Housing Advice and
Information Plan has been
identified as a key objective
within the Homelessness
Strategy 2008-13 and the
Local Housing Strategy
currently being developed.
In taking forward this Plan we
aim to:
maximise choice by
providing advice on
housing options,
prevent homelessness by
providing advice before
the point of crisis,
provide good quality
housing information and
advice that meets the
needs of the residents of
Falkirk.
In doing so, we will take
account of the following
issues:
equal opportunities,
accessibility,
provide housing
information and advice in
accordance with the
Scottish National Standards
for Housing Information
and Advice,
ensure that there is enough
funding to provide a
sufficient supply of housing
information and advice
services of the right quality,
plan for the provision of a
range of information
services as required to
meet identified needs in
the local authority area,
including access to
independent advice.
The Standards are the
recognised quality
framework for organisations
providing housing, money
and welfare related benefits
advice.
customer needs,
The National Standards cover
the following activities:
confidentiality,
Diagnosing the problem,
choice,
accountability,
best value and
effectiveness,
customer feedback.
Statutory Requirements and
National Standards
68
The Housing (Scotland) Act
2001 and the Homelessness
etc. (Scotland) Act, 2003
emphasise the importance of
good quality information and
advice in preventing
homelessness. Specifically,
the 2001 Act states that local
authorities should:
We have prepared this Plan
taking account of statutory
requirements and the
National Standards for
Information and Advice
Providers.
Listening to clients,
Giving information,
Advising on the options
available,
Taking action on behalf of
clients, or advocating with
other services,
Negotiating on their
behalf,
Representing client’s cases
at tribunals or courts,
Referral where suitable,
Enabling or empowering
individuals to take
informed action on their
own behalf.
The Standards also identify
three levels of service that
staff provide when offering
housing advice and
information:
Type 1: Advice Information
Signposting & Explanation –
The provision of information
orally, or in writing, where the
enquirer is signposted or
referred to a resource or
service,
Type 2: Casework –
Casework includes
diagnostic interviews that
assist the enquirer to achieve
their desired outcome,
Type 3: Advocacy –
Advocacy involves further
actions arising from
casework. This may involve
independent advocacy and
representation on the client’s
behalf. Some advocacy
activities can only be
undertaken by a lawyer.
a locally-based housing
advice service is offered
through the Council’s
network of Neighbourhood
Offices and One Stop
Shops,
a Community Advice
Service provides assistance
in respect of
housing/welfare benefits
and debt problems.
External Services
locally-based RSLs provide
housing advice and
information to their
tenants,
independent housing
advice is provided by
Citizens Advice Bureaux,
some voluntary
organisations offer their
clients help with housing
matters.
Over the past year we have
developed the Falkirk
Housing Options Guide to
help people access a range
of information on housing
options in the Falkirk Council
area. The Guide provides
information about Council
housing, housing
associations, the private
rented sector and buying a
property. The Housing
Options Guide is available on
the Council’s website at
www.falkirk.gov.uk and is
supplemented by a range of
leaflets which are widely
available through our local
office network.
In preparing this Plan we
have taken account of all
three levels to ensure that
comprehensive housing
advice and information
services are available across
the Council area.
Current Provision of Housing
Advice and Information in Falkirk
Housing advice and information is
currently provided across the
Council area as follows:
Council Services
a specialist service is
provided for people who
are homeless or
threatened with
homelessness at the
Accommodation Resource
Centre (ARC),
69
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Future Provision of Housing Advice
and Information Services in Falkirk
We know that good quality
housing advice and
information has a vital role to
play in preventing
homelessness by helping
people to take appropriate
action to sustain their
accommodation and by
assisting them to gain access
to suitable housing. With the
Scottish Government target
that, by 2012, anyone who is
not intentionally homeless will
have a right to permanent
accommodation and the
proposed abolition of the
priority need test, there is an
increasing requirement to
both prevent homelessness
and to ensure that people
are aware of the full range of
housing options that are
available to them.
Over the period of our new
Homelessness Strategy (20082013) we will:
move from an approach
that is based on reacting
to homelessness when a
crisis occurs, to one that
helps people take
reasoned decisions about
their housing
circumstances at the
earliest possible stage,
help local people to have
a better understanding of
the full range of housing
options that are available
to them,
publicise our services more
widely so that there is a
greater awareness of the
advice and information
that can be offered,
extend the ways in which
we provide information to
maximise take-up,
70
take account of customer
feedback on the
information we provide to
ensure it meets clients’
needs.
Priority actions for us in the
coming years include:
Continuing to update and
improve our Housing
Options Guide and to
make it available in a
range of formats so that it
is easily accessible to the
widest range of people,
Redesigning our
homelessness and housing
advice and information
services so that specialist,
highly trained Housing
Options Officers are
available at all our local
offices as well as at the
ARC,
Extending our portfolio of
leaflets and other publicity
material to cover all
aspects of housing advice
and information,
other formats e.g. large print,
or in other languages. In
addition, we will ensure that
posters are on display in all
our Neighbourhood
Offices/One Stop Shops and
the ARC to inform service
users who speak limited
English that an interpreting
service is available. “Point
Pages” will also be on display
in our offices and these
include a number of simple
phrases and welcome
statements in different
languages – Urdu, Chinese,
Russian, Lithuanian and
Polish. By using the “Point
Pages” our staff can find out
what language a service
user speaks and whether the
matter is urgent so that we
can then contact the correct
interpreter.
Advertising the availability
of our housing advice and
information services more
widely so that the public is
actively aware of the
assistance we can provide,
Working in partnership with
independent providers of
housing information and
advice to ensure that a
good quality advocacy
service is available for
those who need it.
Equal Opportunities
It is vital that our Housing
Advice and Information Plan
is able to meet the needs of
everyone in our communities.
For this reason, we will
continue to ensure that our
offices are accessible to
people with disabilities and
that all our leaflets state that
they can be provided in
71
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Appendix 4
households with children or
pregnant women. The
Order sets out specific
standards for the quality
and accessibility of
temporary
accommodation for these
groups.
TEMPORARY
ACCOMMODATION PLAN
Introduction
This Temporary
Accommodation Plan has
been developed as a key
part of our Homelessness
Strategy 2008-2013 and aims
to set out clear standards
that homeless people can
expect if they need
temporary accommodation.
Local authorities have a
statutory duty to provide
temporary accommodation
for homeless people. It is now
over 20 years since the
Housing (Scotland) Act 1987
set out local authorities’
duties in respect of
temporary accommodation
for homeless people in
“priority need” but over
recent years, duties have
increased as a result of:
the Housing (Scotland) Act
2001 - which extended the
right to temporary
accommodation to all
homeless applicants, for
such a period as would be
reasonable to allow them
to find or access
alternative housing,
72
the Homelessness etc
(Scotland) Act 2003 which gave Ministers the
power to specify
accommodation that is
not suitable as temporary
or interim accommodation
and followed this up with
the Homeless Persons
(Unsuitable
Accommodation)
(Scotland) Order 2004
which aims to reduce the
use of bed and breakfast
accommodation for
In developing this Plan, we
have taken full account of
such legislation and
recognised good practice
and responded to recent
increases in demand for
temporary
accommodation from
homeless applicants.
1)
Our Temporary
Accommodation Plan is
underpinned by four key
principles:
Access: There should be fair,
open access to temporary
accommodation at the point
of need, with choice being
offered wherever possible.
This means:
Information about
temporary
accommodation should
be widely available and
easy for all homeless
people to use,
Temporary
accommodation should
meet the specific
requirements of the
individual/household as
identified through a full
assessment of their needs,
Temporary
accommodation should
be available for all
homeless people
irrespective of their age,
gender, race, disability,
No-one should have to
sleep rough because they
cannot access temporary
accommodation.
2)
Demand/Supply: There
should be enough temporary
accommodation to meet the
demand for it. This means:
Trends in the demand for
temporary
accommodation and
occupancy levels within it
are analysed regularly so
that additional
accommodation can be
commissioned when
necessary, minimising the
need to use bed and
breakfast accommodation
to meet statutory duties,
Temporary
accommodation is
available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week to meet the
needs of those in housing
crisis,
Temporary
accommodation is
located across the Council
area to take account of
households’ needs in
respect of education and
health arrangements and
there should be easy
access to shopping and
transport facilities,
There is a sufficient supply
of permanent and settled
accommodation to meet
the longer term needs of
those in temporary
accommodation.
3) Quality: Temporary
accommodation should
meet publicised quality
standards and be suitable for
people whatever their needs.
This means:
Standards for temporary
accommodation in terms
of furniture and
equipment, decoration
and cleanliness are
publicised and open to
scrutiny,
Regular inspections of all
temporary
accommodation
properties are carried out
to ensure that the required
standards are being met,
There are agreed
processes in place for the
establishment of
temporary
accommodation that take
account of local
circumstances.
4) Support: Support should be
available for households
living in temporary
accommodation if they
need it. This means:
Arrangements are in place
to refer vulnerable people
in temporary
accommodation to those
services/agencies who
can assist them.
Current Temporary
Accommodation Services
Currently, the following
temporary accommodation
is available in the Falkirk
Council area:
around 200 dispersed
properties. “Floating
support” services are
provided where required
by the occupants,
supported
accommodation units that
provide temporary/interim
accommodation for:
-
young single people,
-
people with more
complex needs.
-
single males over 21
years,
Bed and Breakfast
accommodation is also used
to meet excess demand for
temporary accommodation.
73
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Work in Progress
To ensure that temporary
accommodation priorities in
relation to Access,
Demand/Supply, Quality and
Support can be delivered, a
range of work is currently
underway. This includes:
Considering the staffing
structure that will need to
be put in place to meet
the need for temporary
accommodation up to
and beyond 2012,
Continuous analysis of
occupancy rates and
demand in order to
identify if additional
temporary
accommodation needs to
be provided so that the
use of bed and breakfast
accommodation can be
reduced,
Improving turnaround
times within the pool of
temporary
accommodation to
minimise void periods,
Using a range of housing
across the social rented
sector to meet the
demand for temporary
accommodation and
maximise the choices
available to individual
households.
Developing the Support
Needs Assessment process
to ensure that a full
assessment is made of a
homeless person’s
accommodation and
support needs at the point
of first contact with the
Homeless Service so that
they are assisted to move
on to sustainable housing
options at the right time,
74
Ensuring that supported
accommodation responds
to the needs of vulnerable
homeless people,
Developing new shared
supported
accommodation for
young people as an
interim step between fully
supported
accommodation and
independent tenancies,
Facilitating quicker access
to permanent housing
options (thus reducing the
time people spend in
temporary
accommodation and,
consequently, the need for
such accommodation) by:
- expanding access to
housing association
properties through the
increased use of Section
5 referrals,
- implementing the
Council’s new housing
allocations policy that
gives homeless people
appropriate priority for
the available housing,
- increasing the number
of rent deposit
guarantees that can be
provided to assist
homeless applicants to
obtain settled
accommodation in the
private rented sector.
Temporary Accommodation
Standards
We have developed a set of
Standards to ensure that all
our temporary
accommodation is of a good
quality. The Standards take
account of wider
responsibilities in relation to
the Care Commission’s
National Care Standards for
Housing Support Services and
those standards set out within
the Unsuitable
Accommodation (Scotland)
Order 2004.
Our Standards require all
temporary accommodation
should be:
Clean,
Safe,
Meet the occupants’
needs in respect of
bedspaces/bedrooms,
Centrally heated,
Equipped so that the
occupants can cook basic
meals and store food,
Equipped with a washing
machine.
In meeting the requirements
of individual households,
every attempt will also be
made to allocate temporary
accommodation so that
occupants’ existing
arrangements in respect of
healthcare and the
education and welfare of
any children can be
maintained.
Monitoring the Standards and
Performance Management
Compliance with the
Standards will be ensured
through:
Completion of a Property
Checklist at the beginning
and end of every period of
occupation with any
deficiencies being rectified
prior to a new occupant
moving in,
An annual Property
Inspection to identify
longer term requirements
in respect of decoration
and furniture/equipment
replacement,
Development of an annual
Temporary
Accommodation
Improvement Programme,
Tenant/Service-user
Feedback Questionnaires –
every occupant will be
invited to complete a
questionnaire to ascertain
their level of satisfaction
with the property provided
for them.
The Way Forward
Specific actions that flow
from this Temporary
Accommodation Plan are set
out in the Action Plan to the
Homelessness Strategy 200813. Progress on implementing
these actions will be
monitored through quarterly
reports to Falkirk Council
Members and to the Falkirk
Homelessness Forum
Executive Group. An annual
report on progress will also be
prepared for the wider Falkirk
Homelessness Forum and
public reporting purposes.
75
Appendix 5
Falkirk Homeless Forum:
Stakeholders
Central Scotland Police
Communities Scotland
Denny and Dunipace
Citizens Advice Bureau
Falkirk and District
Women’s Aid
Falkirk Citizens Advice
Bureau
Falkirk Council Corporate
and Neighbourhood
Services
Falkirk Council Criminal
Justice Services
Falkirk Council Education
Services
Falkirk Council Finance
Services
Falkirk Council Social Work
Services
Forth Valley NHS
Forth Valley Primary Care
NHS trust
Glasgow YMCA
Grangemouth Citizens
Advice Bureau
Health promotion NHS
Forth Valley
Link Group
LinkLiving
LinkLiving SmartMove Peer
Education Workers
Loretto Housing
Association
Mental Health Services
Falkirk CHP
Paragon Housing
Association
Public Health Services NHS
Forth Valley
Shelter Scotland
76
1. Undertake regular focus
groups with service-users to
gather feedback on awareness
of homelessness, access to
services to prevent homelessness
and the provision of
accommodation & support
A. Gain a better
understanding of the
views of homeless
people about the
services needed to
prevent homelessness
Service User questionnaire
reviewed and amendments
made
Quarterly report on appeals
prepared and areas for concern
addressed
Quarterly report on complaints
prepared and areas for concern
addressed
Analysis of local population
completed and services
appropriately targeted
4. Analyse information on
homeless appeals
5. Analyse complaints to identify
need for service improvements
6. Profile the local population so
that homelessness services can
address the issues faced by
different groups within the
community
Evaluation of service user
questionnaires completed &
comments considered and
issues addressed
Service user focus groups carried
out and reports prepared
Output
3. Review the current service
user feedback questionnaire
2. Complete an annual
evaluation of service user
questionnaires
Action
Objective
December
2008 and
annually
thereafter
End of each
quarter
End of each
quarter
April 2009
May 2008
and annually
thereafter
January 2009
– March 2013
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
NHO 1,2,4
LHO 1, 2, 3
NHO 2, 3
LHO 1, 2, 3
NHO 2, 3
LHO 1, 2, 3
NHO 2,4,5
LHO 3
NHO 2,4,5
LHO 1, 3
NHO 2,3,4
LHO 1, 3
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
77
78
April 2009
Falkirk Homelessness Strategy
launched
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
FHF Exec
Group
SMT
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
FHF Exec
Group
Service
Manager
FHF Exec
Group
Responsibility
NHO 2, 4
LHO 3
NHO 2, 4
LHO 1, 2, 3, 4
NHO 2, 4
LHO 1, 2, 3
NHO 2, 4
LHO1, 2, 3, 4
NHO 1,2,3,4,5
LHO 1
NHO 2, 4, 5
LHO 1
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
13. Develop Housing Information
& Advice Strategy to assist in the
prevention of homelessness
C. Implement a range
of measures that will
prevent homelessness
in the council area
Arrears procedures reviewed
16. Review rent arrears
procedures to prevent
homelessness
Amended procedures
developed and implemented
Review completed and
recommendations implemented
May-June
2009
April 2009
March 2009
December
2009
June 2009
Investigate innovative ways to
prevent youth homelessness and
address issues such as mental
illness, aggression & violence,
addictions
New communication methods
for young persons housing
advice identified and
implemented
December
2008
Young People’s Housing Strategy
finalised
June 2009
June 2009
New ways of providing
information developed and
implemented
Publicity campaign
implemented
December
2008
2008-2013
Timescale
Information and Advice Strategy
finalised
Falkirk Housing Options Guide
updated regularly
Output
15. Review processes for Debt
and Welfare Benefits advice
14. Develop information and
advice services & housing
options to prevent young
people from becoming
homeless
Action
Objective
H Revenues
H Hsg Mgmt
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
NHO 4
LHO 1
NHO 1,3,4, 5
LHO 1
NHO 1, 2, 4,
LHO 1, 2, 3, 4
NHO 1, 2, 4, 5
LHO 1,2 3, 4
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
12. Launch Falkirk Homelessness
Strategy 2008-13
June 2009
Communications Plan
developed and implemented
September
2009/10/11/
12/13
11. Develop Communications
Plan to ensure continued public
awareness of homelessness
issues
Homelessness Performance
Indicators published
March 2009
June 2009
and annually
thereafter
Homelessness Performance
Indicators reviewed and new
suite of indicators agreed
Annual report on progress of
Falkirk Homeless Strategy
prepared and distributed
October 2009
then annual
programme
10. Review the range of
performance indicators used to
measure the efficiency and
effectiveness of homelessness
services in Falkirk
9. Prepare annual report to
inform stakeholders about
homelessness issues and
progress with the Falkirk
Homeless Strategy
Training Plan implemented
September
2009
June 2009
Training Needs Assessment
completed and results analysed
8. Carry out multi-agency
Training Needs Assessment to
identify training requirements to
ensure that all agencies can
deliver effective services for
homeless people and housing
options can be accessed at a
range of locations
Training Plan developed
February 2009
Consultation with Falkirk
Homelessness Forum carried out,
evaluated and action plan
prepared
7. Consult with Falkirk
Homelessness Forum partners to
identify their awareness of issues
Timescale
B. Raise awareness
about the nature and
extent of homelessness
in the Falkirk Council
area and the services
available to prevent
homelessness or help
those who do become
homeless
Output
Action
Objective
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
79
80
19. Raise awareness of the
Mortgage To Rent scheme to
prevent homelessness amongst
owner occupiers
18. Develop effective joint working
arrangements between Housing
and Revenues staff to ensure that
Council tenants falling into rent
arrears are identified at the earliest
opportunity
17. Review procedures for
processing Housing Benefit
claims to ensure that the risk of
homelessness is minimised
Action
Staff training, leaflets and posters
implemented
Joint procedures developed
and implemented
Mandate developed for landlords
to enable them to make enquiries
on behalf of their tenants
Programme of liaison meetings
involving RSL’s and Housing
Benefit staff established to
discuss emerging issues
Procedural guidance prepared
for both Housing and Housing
Benefit staff
Dedicated Housing Benefit
phone line established to allow
RSL staff to access HB advice
and information
Review procedures for
processing Housing Benefit
claims to ensure that the risk of
homelessness is minimised
Protocols for the processing of
housing benefit claims
developed between Housing
(Council and RSL) and HB staff
Output
June 2009
April 2009
April 2009
April 2009
April 2009
April 2009
April 2009
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
FHF Prevention
Sub Group
Service
Manager
Benefits
Manager
Responsibility
NHO 2, 4
LHO 1
NHO 4
LHO 1
NHO 4, 5
LHO 1
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
Objective
‘House about me?’ pack is
used in all Falkirk Council
secondary schools
21. Deliver effective housing
education programme about
leaving home and
homelessness, including the use
of peer educators to prevent
young people from becoming
homeless
* Getting it Right for Every Child
23. Support and implement the
recommendations of the
GIRFEC* project throughout the
Housing Service
22. Publicise SCSH resource,
‘Young People Living at Home
and Leaving Home: a Guide for
Parents’ to local parents groups
and support agencies to help
prevent young people from
becoming homeless
Models of service provision for a
family mediation service
identified and way forward
approved
20. Develop a family mediation
service to prevent current and
future homelessness
GIRFEC recommendations
incorporated into Housing ‘s
working practices
Housing represented at GIRFEC
meetings
Presentations on young people
leaving home delivered to
support agencies
Presentations on young people
leaving home delivered to
parents’ groups
Operating and Management
Agreement with LinkLiving Peer
Education project reviewed
Use of ‘House about me?’ is
extended to other organisations
used by young people
House about me?’ is reviewed
and updated
Family mediation service
established in Council area
Output
Action
Ongoing
Ongoing
September
2010
September
2010
March 2009
Ongoing
August 2009
Ongoing
2010
December
2009
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
LinkLiving
SmartLiving
project
Service
Manager
(in partnership
with Education
Services and
Community
Services)
Service
Manager
Responsibility
NHO 3, 4, 5
LHO 4
NHO 2, 4
LHO 1
NHO 2, 4
LHO 3
NHO 4
LHO 1
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Objective
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
81
82
March 2009
28. Develop procedures and
monitoring arrangements for
dealing with applicants from EU
countries or subject to
immigration control
Research completed
27. Carry out research into repeat
homelessness, loss of contact with
applicants and intentionally
homeless households
Monitoring arrangements
developed / implemented
Procedures developed /
implemented for applicants from
EU countries or subject to
immigration control measures
Action Plans developed
Rough sleeping Action Plan
developed
Rough sleeper research carried
out and report presented to
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
Executive Group
April 2009
March 2009
January 2010
September
2009
December
2009
November
2009
March 2009
Links made with armed forces
and relevant welfare
organisations
Housing advice and information
for Armed Forces personnel
developed
April 2009
Continuous
March 2009
June 2009
Timescale
Prison discharge protocols updated
NASSO and MAPPA requirements
implemented
Housing support services for
offenders reviewed
Bespoke housing advice &
information resource developed
for offenders who are homeless
or at risk of becoming homeless
upon leaving prison
Output
26. Investigate the extent of
rough sleeping in the Falkirk area
25. Develop specific information
and links to organisations to
ensure Armed Forces personnel
are aware of their housing
options upon leaving the
services
24. Review service delivery
arrangements in respect of
offenders
Action
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
SIO
Service
Manager
Responsibility
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 1, 2, 3, 4
LHO 2, 3
NHO 3, 4
LHO 1, 2, 3
NHO 1, 2, 4
LHO 2
NHO 1, 2, 3, 4
LHO 1
NHO 1,3,4,5
LHO 1, 2, 3
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
Services audited against the
National Standards for Housing
Information and Advice
Providers
30. Ensure compliance with the
National Standards for Housing
Information and Advice
Providers
August 2010
March 2010
January 2010
Continuous
December
2008
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 1, 4
LHO 1
NHO 1, 3, 4, 5
LHO 1,
Action
31. Carry out Housing Needs
Assessments as part of the LHS
process and develop Strategic
Housing Investment Plans to
deliver more affordable housing
across the Council
Objective
E Ensure that there is a
sufficient supply of
suitable housing to
meet the needs of
homeless people
HNDAs SHIPs
Output
Yearly
Timescale
Service
Manager
Responsibility
NHO 1, 3, 4, 5
LHO 1, 3
AIM 2: WE WILL MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION BY ASSISTING PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE FULL RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION
OPTIONS IN THE AREA
Independent housing advice/
advocacy service is available in
the Council area
Improvement Action Plan
developed/ implemented for
housing advice and information
services
Outcome of assessments
monitored and any inequalities
addressed
Equalities Impact Assessment
completed
29. Homelessness Strategy meets
all legislative requirements in
terms of equalities
D Ensure that we have
effective mechanisms
in place by 2013 to
assist in the prevention
of homelessness
Output
Action
Objective
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Objective
AIM 1: WE WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA BY DEVELOPING NEW SERVICES TO MEET
LOCAL NEEDS
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
83
84
34. Improve the standard of
temporary accommodation
provided
33. Develop a Temporary
Accommodation Plan
Training programme for Housing
Options Officers implemented
32. Implement arrangements for
Housing Options interviews for all
housing applicants, including
homeless people
September
2009
Cleaning and maintenance
arrangements reviewed
Quality assurance processes
established for all temporary ,
interim accommodation and
B&B
September
2009
April2009
March 2009
Standards for Temporary
Accommodation established
including void properties
Temporary accommodation
replacement schedule agreed
March
2009/10/11/1
2/13
December
2009
June 2009
December
2008
June 2009
June 2009
June 2009
Timescale
Need for temporary
accommodation over next five
years assessed on annual basis
Temporary Accommodation
Plan Reviewed
Temporary Accommodation
Plan implemented
Temporary Accommodation
Plan developed
Housing Options Officer posts
established
Procedures for Housing Options
Interviews developed
Output
Action
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
SMT
Responsibility
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 3, 5
LHO 2
NHO 3, 5
LHO 2
NHO 1,2,4,5
LHO 1, 2, 3
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
F Ensure that the
accommodation
provided for homeless
people meets their
needs
Objective
Housing Options processes
implemented
Procedures for maintaining
contact with occupants of
temporary accommodation
reviewed
36. Enable people to move onto
permanent accommodation
quickly
37. Improve support for homeless
households in temporary
accommodation
Procedures for keeping pets in
temporary accommodation
reviewed
Contents of Welcome Packs
reviewed and changes
implemented
School transport arrangements
reviewed
Referral arrangements into
health, education, children’s
services reviewed and changes
implemented
Furniture storage arrangements
reviewed
Assessment processes reviewed
to ensure that assessments are
completed in the quickest time
Robust Section 5 referrals
process implemented with RSLs
Output
35. Use available social rented
housing stock to the best of its
potential
Action
December
2009
September
2009
September
2009
September
2009
June 2009
May 2009
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
June 2009
March 2009
Service
Manager
RSLs
Responsibility
June 2009
Timescale
NHO 3, 5
LHO 2
NHO 3, 5
LHO 3
NHO 3, 5
LHO 3
AIM 2: WE WILL MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION BY ASSISTING PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE FULL RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION
OPTIONS IN THE AREA
Objective
AIM 2: WE WILL MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION BY ASSISTING PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE FULL RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION
OPTIONS IN THE AREA
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
85
86
Requirements of men fleeing
domestic abuse ascertained
Protocols with RSLs, Private
Landlords to deal with issues
surrounding Domestic Abuse
developed
December
2009
September
2009
March 2009
February 2009
Data and service user feedback
from victims of domestic abuse
analysed
38. Review arrangements for
people fleeing domestic abuse,
including provision of refuge
places
New Operating & Management
Agreement with Falkirk & District
Women’s Aid developed
Timescale
Output
Action
Service
Manage
Service
Manage
Falkirk &
District
Women’s Aid
Service
Manager
Responsibility
40. Carry out a Best Value
Service Review of homelessness
services to ensure that the they
are able to deliver the Vision,
Goals and Outcomes of this
Homelessness Strategy
39. Put in place measures to
ensure that the 2009 interim
target is achieved in Falkirk
Council area
Action
Service Review completed and
Action Plan developed
Support Needs Assessment
process implemented to assist in
identifying applicants in priority
need
Output
June 2009
December
2008
Timescale
Service
Manager
Head of
Service
Service
Manager
Responsibility
Objective
Training and Employment
services available for homeless
households in the Falkirk Council
area identified
Options for temporary
accommodation in private
rented sector explored
42. Investigate options to
provide training, education and
sustainable employment
opportunities for homeless
people
43. Explore the use of Private
Rented Sector tenancies to
address the needs of homeless
people,
Rent Deposit Guarantee
Scheme reviewed in light of
Scottish Government guidance
on the use of private rented
sector properties to discharge
local authority’s duties to
homeless people
Referral arrangements agreed
and implemented for Training and
Employment services available for
homeless households in the Falkirk
Council area
Young people who have been
looked after or
accommodated
Women who are the victims of
domestic abuse
People who have mental
health problems
People with addictions
People leaving prison
Health Services
Out of Area Temporary
Accommodation Placements
Protocols agreed and
implemented in respect of:
Output
41. Develop inter-agency
accommodation and support
protocols for groups at particular
risk of homelessness
Action
June 2009
September
2009
April 2010
December
2009
December
2009
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
G Provide a range of
support service for
homeless / vulnerable
people
Objective
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
Objective
NHO 2, 3, 5
LHO 3
NHO 3
LHO 4
NHO 2, 3, 5
LHO 3
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 3, 5
LHO 2
NHO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
LHO 3
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 3, 5
LHO 2
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
AIM 2: WE WILL MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION BY ASSISTING PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE FULL RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION
OPTIONS IN THE AREA
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
87
88
49. Assess the recommendations
of the Forth Valley Health Needs
Assessment and take forward
recommendations for Falkirk
48. Implement the Forth Valley
Health and Homelessness Action
Plan as applicable to the Falkirk
CHP
47. Develop a local furniture
scheme to assist homeless
households to access essential
furniture
Scottish Social Networks training
delivered to all homeless support
staff and support agencies
46. Develop an awareness and
understanding of the
importance of good social
networks for homeless people so
that support staff & agencies
can help clients to establish
positive relationships
Gaps in health services
/practices identified and action
plans agreed
Recommendations from health
needs assessment evaluated
Forth Valley Health &
Homelessness Action Plan
implemented
Public Social Partnership
established for the provision of
new and re-used furniture to
homeless households
Referral arrangements for
befriending scheme agreed and
implemented.
Existing befriending schemes
identified
45. Establish befriending
arrangements for homeless
people in the Falkirk Council
area
Literacy/Numeracy referral
arrangements agreed and
implemented
Existing literacy/numeracy
schemes identified
Output
44. Establish links to literacy and
numeracy schemes to address
problems faced by some
homeless people
Action
2008-13
Sept 2008
2008-13
December
2008
April 2010
May 2010
April 2010
October 2009
Sept 2009
Timescale
LHO 4
Community
Health
Partnership
Objective
53. Undertake a multi-agency
Training Needs Assessment to
improve frontline staff
knowledge of health issues that
may affect homeless people
52. Improve access to primary
health care services and
improve health service
understanding and knowledge
of homelessness within the Falkirk
area
Recommendations
implemented
51. Improve the wellbeing of
families and children affected
by homelessness by reviewing
provision and access to health
services
Basic assessment of housing
needs developed specifically for
health professionals
Targeted health training plan
developed
TNA for health completed
Explore opportunities for
improving access to primary
care health services for homeless
applicants
Health notification system
reviewed and amendments
implemented
Arrangements made to improve
access to leisure facilities for
children who are affected by
homelessness
Recommendations from the
CPN evaluation presented to
Health and Homelessness Sub
Group, Falkirk Homeless Forum
Executive Group and the Falkirk
CHP
CPN post reviewed and
evaluated
Output
50. Respond to the mental
health needs of homeless
people
Action
March 2011
July 2011
June 2011
2008-2013
September
2009
January 2009
May 2009
March 2009
January 2009
Timescale
Falkirk
Homeless
Forum Support
Sub Group
FV Health &
Homelessness
Steering
Group
CHP
Falkirk
Homeless
Forum Health
and
Homelessness
Sub group
FV Health &
Homelessness
Steering
Group
Falkirk CHP
Responsibility
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 1, 3, 4, 5
LHO 4
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 3, 4, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 4, 5
NHO 3,4, 5
LHO 1
NHO 3, 4
LHO 3
NHO 3
LHO 1
NHO 3
LHO 4
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
Community
Health
Partnership
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
H Ensure that the health
needs of homeless
people are addressed
over the next five years
Objective
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
89
90
Dec 2009
February 2009
Develop system to record health
and support needs of homeless
people
Health Consultation event held
Information on Streetsport / WISH
provided in temporary
accommodation welcome
packs
56. Review the way that health
information and support
provision is collated and shared
and make recommendations for
improvement
57. Involve service providers and
homeless people/ex serviceusers in the planning and
delivery of health services
58. Promote participation in
healthy living programmes and
activities for people in temporary
accommodation
Healthy eating initiatives
promoted to homeless
households in transitional
accommodation
Pilot system to record health
needs of homeless people
developed
Family support accessed
February 2009
December
2009
October 2009
March 2009
Access to substance misuse
agencies and support in the
Falkirk area explored and referral
arrangements agreed
55. Respond to the needs of
homeless people who misuse
alcohol & other substances
June2009
Timescale
Proposal developed for cross
boundary protocol
Output
54. Ensure access to support /
health services for clients placed
in accommodation outwith the
Council area if necessary
Action
Service
Manager
Falkirk
Homeless
Forum Support Sub
Group
Falkirk
Homeless
Forum Support Sub
Group
Falkirk CHP
FV Health &
Homelessness
Steering Group
Substance
Abuse Forum
FV Health &
Homelessness
Steering Group
CHP
Responsibility
Hospital discharge referrals to
the homeless service monitored
and reviewed on a regular basis
60. Monitor discharge protocols
within the homeless service to
inform any future review of NHS
discharge protocols
4. Everyone can access health, care, education, training and employment
services that will help them avoid homelessness in the future
3. Everyone can get help to find suitable accommodation and housing support
suitable for their longer term needs
2. Everyone in housing crisis can get temporary accommodation that meets
their needs
1. Everyone can get help to access the services they need to prevent them
from becoming homeless from their current accommodation
LHO = Local homelessness Objectives
5. The duration of homeless is reduced
4. Fewer People become homeless in the First Place
3. Sustainable resettlement is secured for people who become homeless
2. Existing homelessness becomes more visible
1. No on need sleep rough
NHO = National Homelessness Outcome
Referral arrangements agreed
and implemented
Existing support agencies
identified
Output
59. Establish links and referral
mechanisms to services for
clients with emotional support
needs
Action
Homeless Strategy Action Plan Outcomes Key
Objective
December
2009
June 2009
Timescale
Service
Manager
Service
Manager
Responsibility
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
Objective
AIM 3: WE WILL HELP VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME HOMELESS AGAIN
NHO 1, 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 4
LHO 4
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 1,3,4
LHO 4
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
NHO 3, 5
LHO 4
Local Outcome
(link to National
Outcome)
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
91
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
List of Tables and Figures
Table
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
92
Assessment Decisions, 20032004
Falkirk Council Housing
Allocations, 2002-2008
Falkirk Council Housing
Allocations, April 2007September 2008
Reasons for Homelessness,
2007-2008
Age Profile of Homeless
Applicants, 2002-2008
Age of Homeless Applicants
Compared to the Population
of Falkirk Council Area
Households Affected by
Homelessness, 2003-2008
Homeless Applicants who
Slept Rough, 2003-2008
Lost Contacts, 2002-2008
Priority Status of Applicants
Assessed as Homeless, 20022008
Homeless Assessment
Outcomes Comparison,
October 2006-September
2007 and October 2007–
September 2008
Applicants Homeless Upon
Release from Prison, 20022007
Resources for Homelessness
Services, 2007-2008
Figure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Falkirk Homelessness Model
Strategic Community
Planning Framework
Homeless Presentations in
Falkirk Council Area, 20022008
Homeless Presentations, April
2007-September 2008
Household Type of Homeless
Applicants, 2007-2008
Repeat Homeless
Applications, 2002-2008
Local Authority Homelessness
Duties
Current Services for Homeless
People in the Falkirk Council
Area
Falkirk Homelessness Forum
Structure
Homelessness Strategy
Monitoring Arrangements
Proposed Homelessness
Service in the Falkirk Council
Area
Funding of Homelessness
Services, 2007-2008 (General
Fund)
Funding of Homelessness
Services, 2007-2008 (General
Fund and HRA)
Glossary
Allocations Policy
A policy that sets out how a
Council or Registered Social
Landlord will allocate
properties in their ownership.
Antisocial Behaviour (ASB)
Acting in an antisocial
manner can cover a wide
range of behaviour from
serious harassment to littering
or dog fouling.
The new Antisocial Behaviour
etc (Scotland) Act 2004 has
provided local authorities
and the police with
additional powers to tackle
antisocial behaviour.
Children’s Services Plan
Integrated Children’s
Services Plan 2005 to 2008
brings together existing
planning arrangements into
a single plan. It sets out
Falkirk’s objectives for
developing and providing
universal and targeted
services for children and
young people through
integrated service delivery
systems and outlines the links
into other planning processes
and, in particular, the
Community Planning process.
Falkirk Children’s Commission
is responsible for overseeing
the production of the
Integrated Children’s
Services Plan for Falkirk.
Common Housing Register (CHR)
There is a single form for all
applicants in a particular
area to complete and a
single pool of applicants from
which social housing partners
can select prospective new
tenants. Within those broad
principles, participating
landlords are free to prioritise,
select and re-house
applicants according to their
own unique allocations
policy.
Community Planning
Community planning is a
process through which a
council and its public sector
partners, in consultation with
the voluntary and private
sector, and the community,
can agree a strategic vision
for the area and the action
which each of the partners
will take in pursuit of that
vision. The impetus for
Community Planning came
in 1998 when the Scottish
Executive and COSLA
produced guidance to steer
Councils in the development
of Community Planning
Partnerships.
Edinburgh Cyrenian’s
The Edinburgh Cyrenian’s are
a charitable organisation
who believes in empowering
those who are excluded to
take control of their lives and
to fulfil their potential, while
working for social change.
The Cyrenian’s currently run
the Falkirk Rent Deposit
Guarantee Scheme that
actively works with landlords
and people in housing need
to creating successful long
term tenancies and
overcome the barriers that
prevent those on low
incomes accessing private
rented properties.
Firm Foundations
In October 2007 the Scottish
Government published the
discussion paper ‘Firm
Foundations’ to inform their
vision to develop a housing
system that delivers more
houses: which meets higher
environmental standards;
offers more choice of
housing that is affordable;
contributes to the creation of
sustainable mixed
communities, and achieves
better value for public
expenditure. The full
document can be found on
the Scottish Government
website.
Health and Homelessness
Standards
The Health and Homelessness
Standards are not clinical
standards. The standards are
strategic and aimed at the
corporate level of NHS
Boards in recognition of the
critical importance of strong
leadership in tackling health
inequalities.
Getting It Right For Every Child
(GIRFEC)
A national pathfinder project
was launched in relation to
Domestic Abuse and GIRFEC
by the Scottish Executive with
four local areas participating.
Falkirk Council is one of those
areas with the local pilot coordination being carried out
by the Police. The project
aims to reduce the
bureaucracy and simplify
systems that get in the way of
helping children affected by
domestic abuse
HomePoint
A subsidiary of Communities
Scotland. Set up to improve
standards of housing
information and advice
provision throughout
Scotland through the Scottish
National Standards for
Housing Information and
Advice Providers.
Intentionality
Under the 1987 Act, every
household assessed as either
homeless or potentially
homeless and deemed to
have a ‘priority need’ must
also be further assessed to
see whether they have
made themselves homeless
intentionally. The 2003 Act
replaces the duty on local
authorities to investigate
intentionality with a power to
do so therefore local
authorities will decide
whether or not to investigate
intentionality.
93
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
Local Connection
Currently, households found
to be in ‘priority need’ and
unintentionally homeless may
be denied help from the
local authority they have
applied to if they are
deemed to have a local
connection with another
local authority. In these
cases, the original local
authority has a power to refer
them to another local
authority which will then take
responsibility for discharging
the statutory duties. Referrals
may not be made if a
member of the household
runs the risk of domestic
abuse. A local connection is
established with a local
authority by living within the
local authority area, for at
least six months of the
previous twelve months, or
not less than three years of
the previous five years.
The 2003 Homelessness ect.
Act (Section 8, likely due
date 2008) enables the ‘local
connection’ provision to be
suspended (and if necessary,
re-instated at a later date).
Local Housing Strategy
The Housing (Scotland) Act
2001 requires local authorities
to undertake comprehensive
assessment of housing need
and condition in their area
and produce strategies to
tackle the housing problems
in their area.
Low Cost Home Ownership
(LCHO)
Subsidised housing in the
private, owner-occupied
sector which is available to
people who cannot afford to
occupy houses generally
available on the open
market.
94
The Multi Agency Public
Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
The Multi Agency Public
Protection Arrangements
(MAPPA) provide the
framework, for the police,
local authorities, the Scottish
Prison Service and the Health
Service to work together to
assess and manage high risk
offenders allowing early
identification of those high
risk offenders who must be
managed on a multi-agency
basis, the sharing of relevant
information involved in
assessment of risk and the
management of the risk
posed.
NASSO
National Accommodation
Strategy for Sex Offenders
(NASSO) provides a new
national framework for the
accommodation of sex
offenders in the community.
It sets out the role of housing
and accommodation in
contributing to the effective
management and
minimisation of the risk posed
to communities by sex
offenders; Clarifies the
respective roles and
responsibilities of local
authorities, housing providers
and other statutory agencies
in relation to the
accommodation of sex
offenders; aims to ensure
consistency and coherence
in joint working between
agencies across Scotland in
arranging and managing the
accommodation of sex
offenders; and sets out
requirements and
expectations for information
sharing with housing and
accommodation providers.
Priority need
As part of the Housing
(Scotland) 2001 and 1987
A person (or persons in the
household) will be in priority
need if:
They are pregnant
They are responsible for
dependent children (this
includes foster children,
step children and adopted
children. Dependent
children are those aged 15
or under or those aged 1618 who are still in full-time
education or training. The
children don’t need to live
in the household all the
time, for example it may
be shared custody with a
former partner)
They are homeless
because of an
emergency, such as a fire,
flood or other disaster
They are 16 or 17 years old
They are aged 18 to 20
and have been in care or
had a social worker, or are
at risk of being exploited
financially or sexually, or
are at risk of misusing drugs
or alcohol
They are at risk of violence
or harassment because of
their
religion/sexuality/race/
colour or ethnic or national
origin
They are at risk of domestic
abuse
They are vulnerable and
therefore less able to take
care of themselves
because they: are elderly,
are disabled, have a
mental illness or personality
disorder, have learning
difficulties, have a chronic
illness, have had a
miscarriage or an abortion,
have just left hospital,
prison or the armed forces,
have some other special
reason that means they
are vulnerable.
Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s)
Registered Social Landlords
(RSL’s) provide quality
affordable housing for those
in housing need. Housing
Associations, Housing Cooperatives and Local
Housing Companies all fall
under the term “Registered
Social Landlords” and are
commonly referred to as
“RSL’s”
RSL’s are non-profit making
friendly societies, run by
professional staff, but
controlled by voluntary
management committees.
Rent Deposit Guarantee Schemes
(RDGS)
Rent Deposit Guarantee
Schemes provide a service to
support and assist persons
who are in housing need to
access the private rented
sector. RDGS generally offer
a written guarantee to
landlords in place of a
deposit for a period between
6-12 months.
Social Rented Sector
Housing owned by local
authorities and housing
associations built with public
money.
Supporting People
The Supporting People
programme commenced in
April 2003 as a government
initiative aimed at enabling
vulnerable people with
housing related support
needs to live independently
in the community.
Supporting People is
targeted at vulnerable
people, including the
homeless, people with
mental health needs and/or
substance misuse problems,
people with learning
disabilities, older people,
young people, rough
sleepers, women fleeing
domestic violence, ex
offenders and a number of
other needs groups.
Unsuitable Accommodation Order
The Homeless Persons
(Unsuitable
Accommodation) (Scotland)
Order 2004 stipulates that
any accommodation used
as homeless temporary
accommodation for families
with children must meet
certain basic standards.
These include
accommodation with
adequate cooking and
washing facilities, etc.
Families can only be placed
in accommodation that does
not meet these standards
(usually bed and breakfast
accommodation) in specific
circumstances. These
exceptions allow for flexibility
both for the family and the
council, in exercising its duty.
The longest time a family
should spend in this
accommodation is fourteen
days. However, if, at the end
of fourteen days, a family
chooses to stay in unsuitable
accommodation rather than
be moved, they can exercise
that choice (this might be
because they want to stay
near a child’s school, for
example). In doing so, they
must be offered alternative
suitable accommodation by
the local authority in order to
ensure their choice is an
informed one.
95
Homelessness Strategy 2008-13
If you would like this information in another language,
Braille, LARGE PRINT or audio, please speak to member of
staff at the Accommodation Resource Centre.
Arabic
‫ىرخا ةغلب تامولعملا هذه ىلع لوصحلاب بغرت تنك اذا‬, ‫ليرب‬, ‫ةلجسم وا ةريبك فرحا‬
‫ايتوص‬, ‫كنم اوجرن‬
‫نكسلا رداصم زكرم يف انيفظوم دحا عم ملكتلا‬.
Chinese
如果你需要這個信息其他版本，如：另一種語言文字，盲人用點字，大字體印
刷或者錄音版本，請你聯系房屋資源信息中心的工作人員。
Lithuanian
Jeigu jūs nortumte gauti šią informaciją kita kalba, Brailio raštu,
stambiu šriftu ar įgarsintą, prašome kreipkits į Gyvenamųjų Patalpų
Fondo darbuotoją.
Polish
Jeśli Ŝyczą sobie Państwo tych informacji w innym języku, Braillem,
DUśYM DRUKIEM lub w wersji audio, prosimy zwrócić się do pracownika
Accommodation Resource Centre.
Urdu
Punjabi
96
AN
E FOR A'