Ireland “Homelessness Strategy and Data: A Two-way Process” Denis Conlan & Marie Falvey Housing Division Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin.

Part 1 Background - economy, housing market, homelessness GDP - actual & forecast

House building as % GDP

Public Finances – surplus to deficit

Homelessness Trends Dublin Homeless (“Counted In” survey) as % of population Gross count  2008: 0.5%  2005: 0.5% Excluding long-term & transitional accommodation  2008: 0.3%  2005: 0.3% Rough sleepers  2009: 98  2008: 110 (0.009%)  2005: 185 (0.016%)

2009 homeless funding accommodation related  +5.3% nominal  + 29% weighted (relative to all housing funding)  4% of housing funding (3% 2008)

Homelessness Policy  Homeless Strategy – August 2008  National Implementation Plan - April 2009  New model of Dublin Homeless Services - June 2009  New Legislation – July 2009 : Homeless Fora and Action Plans  New “SLI” scheme (Support to Live Independently) - July 2009

Part 2 – Strategy and Data a two-way process  Data key to policy, services, monitoring  Progress reports on implementation of strategy  Strategic approach to data  National Implementation Plan – Data and Information Strategy

Homelessness Data Key developments and issues  MPHASIS –focus on data, timely in Irish context  Current developments in Ireland:  Homeless Counts  Assessment Criteria  National Client Database  Census enumeration

Homeless Counts “Counted In”  Special purpose homeless count  Very inclusive  In Dublin since 1999  3 further cities in 2008  3-yearly; annual counts in 2009 and 2010

“Housing Needs Assessment” homeless category  Part of overall social housing needs  Homelessness a category of social housing need  Only includes those suited to standard social housing options  2.5% of social housing needs due to homelessness in 2008 (4.6% in 2005)

“HNA” v “Counted In”  Different figures – misunderstandings  Different purposes of each survey  Scope for more reconciliation and convergence  Changes to HNA - legislation

Homelessness assessment criteria  Application of statutory definition of homelessness being examined  Paper on assessment criteria in Dublin to promote consistency  Consider application nationally

National Client Database  New system following review of LINK: less detail, service provider data export, regional application  New system in Dublin in 2010  Next phase – national roll out

National census of population 2011  Enhanced coverage of homeless in 2011 census  Apply methodologies in Counted In and rough sleeper counts – maximise consistency  Take account of reconfiguration of services

Local/regional focus  Homelessness Action Plans to be informed by data/evidence review  Monitoring and reporting process - Service providers to Homeless Forum - Service providers to Homeless Forum –Forum to local authority –local authority to Department –Department to CDT, Senior Officials Group, Cabinet Committee, Parliament

Future data priorities  Homeless Counts:  further refinement  assessment criteria guidelines  Census 2011 homeless data  New client database  national roll out  full participation of all services  quality data, user friendly system, training, etc

Future Data Priorities  Quality of information for policy, funding and services –data on use of homeless services –identification of homeless using mainstream services –accurate identification of needs –those in long term accommodation not classified homeless  Homeless Strategy implementation  local Action Plans – data quality  monitoring and reporting