Monitoring Homelessness Prevention Duncan Gray & Dr. Andrew Waugh

Purpose To discuss and get your reactions to:- a) The need to gather statistical data on housing options/ homelessness prevention at national level. Is the proposed approach:- –Sensible? –Feasible in a reasonable timescale? To get your advice on proposed next steps.

Outline: Our views on Why monitor homelessness prevention? Progress to date Next steps Questions and discussion. –Feel free to interrupt as we go.

Why?

To provide an evidence base which underpins housing options work ICI Committee Recommendation: “ The Committee also considers that the Scottish Government should consider the development of a measurement tool for homelessness prevention work.”

Why? : Information needs at different levels/ stages Within team –Case management. –Service management. Within council –Strategic planning: Housing Need and Demand Assessments. –Senior management, members and public. National and Parliament –Scottish Housing Regulator. –Statistical publication and reporting –Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee –Resource distribution

Why national level information? Key priority identified by most at stats user group. Standard set of basic statistical information useful for:- –Regulator/ self assessment/ risk based assessment. –Sharing information about what works and why? Discharges public accountability for operation of policy:- –Parliament/ public/ voluntary bodies. –To support resource distribution

Social landlords work together to ensure that: –people looking for housing get information that helps them make informed choices and decisions about the range of housing options available to them –tenants and people on housing lists can review their housing options. Social landlords ensure that: –people at risk of losing their homes get advice on preventing homelessness.

Progress to Date

Progress to date Initial Draft of case level core questions presented to HSUG April 2012 A total of six consultation responses from LAs and Vol Orgs. Researched Prevention Monitoring Statistics in England/ Guidance

Issues (1) The return has to reflect whether the household has made a homelessness application and provide a link to this. Councils’ statutory duties under section 28(1) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987:- If a person (“an applicant”) applies to a local authority for accommodation, or for assistance in obtaining accommodation, and the authority have reason to believe that he may be homeless or threatened with homelessness, they shall make such inquiries as are necessary to satisfy themselves as to whether he is homeless or threatened with homelessness. “ ”

Possible Solution (1)  As a result of this approach to the local authority has a homeless application been made? Y/N  If yes, record the HL1 reference for the homelessness application.

Issues (2)  We need to consider what constitutes an instance of homelessness prevention work.  In England only instances with ‘caseworker involvement’ are recorded.  But is this definition too narrow?

Possible Solutions (2)  We could use Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers. A Quality Assurance Framework 2006  Type I – Active Information, Sign-posting and Explanation  Type II – Casework  Type III – Advocacy, Representation and Mediation at Tribunal or Court Action Level

Possible Solutions (2) Type ActivityIIIIII [List of activities] Monitor the intensity of the prevention activity provided

Issues (3)  Who has responsibility for providing the information?  In some instances, homelessness prevention work may involve a number of agencies. It is therefore important that we are clear about who should provide this information to avoid duplicate report or non-reporting.

Possible Solution (3) The responsibility for making the return must rest with the local authority.

Issues (4)  We do not yet have a mandate to collect information on homelessness prevention work.  We would need the Minister’s approval, probably in conjunction with COSLA, before we could proceed with the collection of data on monitoring homelessness prevention.

Next Steps

Update Minister and COSLA at 2012 Steering Group meeting in December Full consultation of local authorities and other interested parties –Finalise core questions –Gauge support for data collection Report back findings to Minister and COSLA and seek mandate

The PREVENT1 Return Draft Version 2 Application Details Household Characteristics Reasons for application Prevention Activity Outcomes

Questions How do you manage recording when multiple agencies are involved in a case? How many cases are resolved on the same day? How long do cases take? Do the activities cover the range of prevention work?

The End