Homelessness Case Study
Homelessness prevention and meeting housing need for (ex)offenders
A guide to practice
www.communities.gov.uk community, opportunity, prosperity
Homelessness prevention and meeting housing need for (ex)offenders
A guide to practice
Clarissa Penfold, Naomi Day, Josie Dixon and Stephen Webster
(National Centre for Social Research) with Anwen Jones (Centre for Housing Policy, University of York) and Sue Thomas (Nacro)
November 2009
Department for Communities and Local Government
The findings and recommendations in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London …show more content…
With regard to the case study initiatives, although some had been evaluated (or were under evaluation at the time of fieldwork), such evaluations were usually short-term in scope, and therefore unable to provide evidence of long-term outcomes. Also, due to financial constraints, such evaluations were also often limited in their ability to provide robust measures of outcome (for example tracking clients to assess impacts of initiatives on offending behaviour). Where outcome data were available, information on outcomes is provided.
1.3 Structure of the guide
Through the literature review and case study research, three key activities have been identified which appear to constitute promising practice in relation to …show more content…
Activities which increase capacity and diversity in housing provision are equally important at the move-on stage from short-term to longer-term settled housing to ensure that the
‘silting up’5 of short-term accommodation is minimised. For example, tenancy support workers can establish relations with local housing providers and help negotiate access to independent settled housing. Once a client is re-housed they may continue to work with the client to maintain the tenancy and liaise between clients, housing providers and, for those under statutory supervision, the probation service (Allen & Barkley 2002; SEU 2002).
2.2 Promising practice: evidence from the case studies
Evidence from the case studies also suggests that, in order to overcome the barriers highlighted above, it is important that a range of housing options are available to (ex) offenders themselves and to the agencies involved in helping offenders to access housing.
Key to achieving this was strengthening the links and developing relationships at the
A guide to practice
www.communities.gov.uk community, opportunity, prosperity
Homelessness prevention and meeting housing need for (ex)offenders
A guide to practice
Clarissa Penfold, Naomi Day, Josie Dixon and Stephen Webster
(National Centre for Social Research) with Anwen Jones (Centre for Housing Policy, University of York) and Sue Thomas (Nacro)
November 2009
Department for Communities and Local Government
The findings and recommendations in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London …show more content…
With regard to the case study initiatives, although some had been evaluated (or were under evaluation at the time of fieldwork), such evaluations were usually short-term in scope, and therefore unable to provide evidence of long-term outcomes. Also, due to financial constraints, such evaluations were also often limited in their ability to provide robust measures of outcome (for example tracking clients to assess impacts of initiatives on offending behaviour). Where outcome data were available, information on outcomes is provided.
1.3 Structure of the guide
Through the literature review and case study research, three key activities have been identified which appear to constitute promising practice in relation to …show more content…
Activities which increase capacity and diversity in housing provision are equally important at the move-on stage from short-term to longer-term settled housing to ensure that the
‘silting up’5 of short-term accommodation is minimised. For example, tenancy support workers can establish relations with local housing providers and help negotiate access to independent settled housing. Once a client is re-housed they may continue to work with the client to maintain the tenancy and liaise between clients, housing providers and, for those under statutory supervision, the probation service (Allen & Barkley 2002; SEU 2002).
2.2 Promising practice: evidence from the case studies
Evidence from the case studies also suggests that, in order to overcome the barriers highlighted above, it is important that a range of housing options are available to (ex) offenders themselves and to the agencies involved in helping offenders to access housing.
Key to achieving this was strengthening the links and developing relationships at the