2 What are Housing-Led Services? Introduction Housing-led services are best described as a group of approaches that are designed to sustainably end homelessness among people with support needs which share a common philosophy. This chapter of the report briefly describes the different types of housing-led service models in use, looking specifically at the Pathways Housing First model, Communal Housing First and finally at Housing First ‘Light’ services. Once the different models of housing-led service have been described, the chapter then moves on to review the existing international evidence base about each group of housing-led services. What are housing-led services? Where housing-led services differ from supported housing is that they move someone straight into permanent or settled Comparing housing-led and supported housing service accommodation and then provide support to them in that models accommodation. Whereas supported housing has two or more steps or stages, housing-led services are designed to just have Housing-led services are ‘housing-led’ because the first thing they one step, from homelessness directly into ordinary housing or do is place a person who is homeless into permanent or settled permanent and settled accommodation. accommodation and because the support they provide is mainly delivered within that accommodation. Most models of housing- Within housing-led services the support team can function in one led services are called ‘Housing-First’ because the first thing they of three ways, always within a framework that seeks to maximise do is provide permanent or settled accommodation to people who choice for people who are homeless and which follows a harm are homeless. A housing-led service is also characterised by reduction approach: following a specific philosophy that promotes choice and control • Directly providing help, support and where required personal for people who are homeless within a harm reduction framework. care and treatment to meet any support needs a person who is homeless has, including psychiatric and medical care and Housing-led services are different from some other forms of specialist drug and alcohol services. Alongside this support, homeless service because of how they work and where they providing practical help and advice to enable that person to work. It is common, not just in Ireland but throughout the EU, to 9.elbissopsayltnednepednisaevil use specially designed supported housing with on-site support staff in responding to homelessness. Supported housing6 services work by immediately providing emergency accommodation and then working to help people who are homeless to become housing ready’, i.e. physically and mentally well enough and also capable of handling the practicalities of living independently, before resettling them into ordinary housing. These services exist in many forms, one model is sometimes called the staircase7 approach, which uses a series of ‘steps’, which involve moving 6 The convention in many EU member states, including Ireland, is to refer to communal (shared living and sleeping spaces) or congregated (clusters of flats or apartments in the same block) from intensively supportive and supervised housing through two housing with on site support staff as ‘supported housing’. This differs from the way the term or more steps into less supportive and less supervised settings is used elsewhere as in the USA for example, ‘supported housing’ often refers to ordinary housing in which people who are homeless receive floating support services. that become more ‘housing-like’ before eventually getting one’s 7 Also sometimes referred to as Linear Residential Treatment (LRT) or a continuum approach. own home. Other supported housing services are more ‘elevator’8 8 Johnsen, S. and Teixeira, L. (2010) Staircases, elevators and cycles of change: ‘Housing First’ like, i.e. they use a key-worker or support worker system that and other housing models for homeless people with complex support needs London: Crisis seeks to support people who are homeless towards being 9 For example help with ensuring their new home is suitable for their needs, help with running a home, e.g. ensuring someone can cook, knows how to pay bills, and help with maximising ‘housing ready’ without moving them between steps or stages, income, through welfare rights advice, debt management advice and help accessing again until the point when they are ready to live on their own. education, training or paid work. 8
Finding the Way Home
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