1. Homelessness and Occupational Justice
Mary Melvin, Amy Sinclair, Cathy Healy,
Nicola Greene, Megan O’Carroll, Jessica Holland

2. Aim: The aim of our presentation is:
To evaluate the services provided to homeless people in Scotland, focusing on Edinburgh and Glasgow, two of the biggest cities in Scotland

3. Definition of Homelessness
In the broadest sense homelessness is the problem faced by people who lack a place to live that is supportive, affordable and secure.
(ODPM (2002)
Being homeless doesn’t just mean sleeping on the streets, you don’t have to be roofless to be considered homeless (Shelter 2006)

4. What Causes Homelessness?
Economic factors:
Access
Location
Lack of security
Gender- women
Social factors:
Domestic dispute
Environment

5. Homeless in Scotland Edinburgh as a city Homeless services OTs role
Models
Successful?

6. Homeless in Scotland Glasgow as a city Homeless services OTs role
Models
Successful?

7. Case Study

8. Occupational Justice
Occupation as a central feature of human existence
Look beyond ‘work’. Occupations are all ways in which we occupy ourselves. (Townsend 2003)
Homelessness can affect how a person carries out an occupation with fair treatment from society.
Being homeless can impact on both physical and mental health. This can affect carrying out occupations.

9. Social exclusion
‘Homelessness is not an isolated problem, but part of a broader phenomenon of social exclusion’ (housingrights.org.uk)
Evidence of identity required to obtain financial services or receiving benefits
Financial debt
Families: access to education problematic, potentially creating further difficulties for them in later life.

10. Conclusion Comparison of services The need for more OTs in this area
A change in society’s views

11. References:
Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (2002) More than a roof: A Report into Tackling Homelessness London: HMSO.
Crisis UK- Fighting for hope for homeless people,
Shelter (2006)
Shelter (2007)- Homelessness fact sheets.
Scottish executive publications (2007) Homelessness- An Action plan for prevention and effective response report from the homelessness task force to Scottish ministers