Which Way Home? 9 PRACTICE EXAMPLE: Meeting the needs of young people leaving care South East Simon after care service for those leaving the care of the HSE. The service works with people whilst they are in care at the age 17, preparing them for leaving care. Support is then provided to individuals up to the age of about 23 to help them make the transition into independent living. Support and advice is provided on issues such as finances, benefit entitlements, health, education, training and harm reduction; accessing community supports and social activity, as well as helping the person to develop skills such as budgeting, housekeeping, home maintenance, bill paying, being a good tenant, being a good neighbour and self-care. (www.southeastsimon.ie/en-us/servicesweprovide.aspx). Adapting and modifying housing-led One respondent discussed the potential for wider approaches learning from other policy areas such as disability services. Whilst noting the value of congregate A number of respondents reflected specifically on housing models, other commentators have the Pathways model and key differences in the highlighted a contradiction in the use of this contexts between the United States (New York model and policy advocated in the Housing especially) and Ireland. One identified difference Strategy for People with Disabilities (see Focus was in relation to rent payments. Whilst the Ireland, 2012) – an argument set out in some Pathways model was able to take rent payments detail by the HSE (2011). There is certainly room at source, this option has not been available in for some discussion about how these various Ireland. This was noted as having a significant strategies and housing options link together. impact on tailoring a model in Ireland that can address money management, arrears and thresholds for evictions, especially for service Progressing data collection on users in the height of problematic drug and/or alcohol use. people who are homeless A further significant issue was the reliance in There was discussion by some respondents over many areas on other service providers for the the lack of data that currently exists nationally on provision of key aspects of support, which the profile of people who are homeless, with a emphasised the crucial role of inter-agency view that it was very hard to get a handle on what working in order to make housing-led approaches was actually happening at local level. It was felt operate effectively. This aspect is discussed in that there was a need for robust figures on the more detail in chapter four. A key point, however, number of people who are homeless, as well as was a view that a model of support utilising data on the level of needs, especially for people Intensive Case Management approaches for who have high support needs and/or are long people with high support needs was not just term homeless. This gap in the evidence base pragmatic, but also a potentially highly effective was thought to be hampering strategic mechanism where the necessary supports could responses. The absence of data also posed be accessed. The Assertive Community difficulties in assessing the effectiveness of policy Treatment model was generally viewed as and implementation of approaches for people unaffordable. who are homeless.
Which Way Home?
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