Homelessness Among Youth in the UK

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• Homelessness Among Youth in the UK
• Dr Sarah Johnsen
• Centre for Housing Policy
• University of York, UK

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• Youth homelessness is widespread and
  relentlessly growing, but is submerged,
  unrecorded, and unnoticed.
• (Chair, Inquiry into the Prevention of Youth
  Homelessness, 1996, p.9, emphasis added)

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Outline

• Aims and methods of the Review of Youth
  Homelessness in the UK
• Causes of youth homelessness
• Characteristics of young homeless people
• Impacts of youth homelessness
• Lessons for policy and service provision
• assessment and prevention
• housing and support
• education and employment

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The Review - 1

• UK-wide study exploring changes during the last
  ten years in
• scale of youth homelessness
• causes and impacts of youth homelessness
• effectiveness of policy and service provision
• Methods
• review of literature
• analysis of statistics and survey data
• interviews with 149 young people and 121 agency
  representatives (across 6 case study areas)
• national consultation events

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The Review - 2

• Examined experiences of 16-24 year olds who were
• Statutory homeless (owed the main homelessness
  duty), including
• all 16-17 year olds
• those with dependent children
• other groups defined as vulnerable and in
  priority need (e.g. care leavers at risk of
  sexual exploitation etc.)
• Non-statutory homeless (not owed the main
  homelessness duty)
• all other 18-24 year olds (not in priority need)

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Causes - 1

• Most common trigger is relationship breakdown,
  especially with parents or step-parents re
• friends / company kept
• pregnancy
• lack of daytime activity / financial dependency
• sexuality
• young persons involvement in substance abuse,
  antisocial behaviour or crime
• parents abuse / violence, substance misuse,
  mental health problems etc.

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Causes - 2

• Violence common in relationship breakdowns
• Other common causes of homelessness
• Overcrowding
• Eviction
• Outstaying welcome

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Characteristics - 1

• Gender
• Young women more likely to be statutory
  homeless
• Young men (18) more likely to be non-statutory
  homeless
• Ethnicity
• Minority groups over-represented in some areas,
  especially London
• Household composition
• Most in single person households, but
• Many have dependent children of their own

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Characteristics - 2

• Very vulnerable group, especially 16-17 year olds
• High levels of
• suspensions / exclusions from school
• mental health problems
• family disruption
• history of running away from home
• history of Local Authority care
• financial difficulties during childhood
• drug and/or alcohol problems
• involvement in crime / anti-social behaviour

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Impacts

• Safety issues and risk of violence
• Onset or worsening of existing
• mental health problems
• drug and/or alcohol problems
• Difficulties in studying or working
• physical disruption
• psychological stress
• financial disincentives
• Feeling that life is on hold
• But also Positive impacts of service
  interventions
• social support
• safety
• life skills

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Journeys - 1
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Journeys - 2
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Assessment Prevention

• Increasing diversion of young people away from
  statutory homeless route
• Housing Options approach
• Family mediation
• Principles of prevention welcomed, but some
  tensions re implementation
• Local Authority assessment still experienced as
  difficult by young people

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Temporary Accommodation

• Range of models, including
• Hostels
• Foyers
• Bed and breakfast hotels
• Supported lodgings
• Confusion re whether should be
• Temporary aiming to move young people on as
  quickly as possible, or
• Transitional offering a more stable environment
  for longer term life skill development
• Gaps in emergency accommodation

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Settled Accommodation - 1

• Lack of settled move-on housing
• Social housing (council/Housing Association)
  offers security, but
• Limited availability
• Possibly constrains long-term mobility
• Private rented sector being explored as an
  option
• Concerns about security of tenure and
  irresponsible landlords
• Poor affordability and the welfare benefit trap
• Innovative and successful sharing schemes being
  developed, but some young people resistant

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Settled Accommodation - 2

• Rent deposit schemes
• Facilitates access to private rented sector
  housing (where appropriate)
• But, young people rarely eligible
• Tenancy support (e.g. floating support) effective
  in reducing tenancy failure. Offer important
• Practical support
• Emotional support

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Key Factors for Successful Outcomes

• Wide range of accommodation options
• Shared needs assessments and joint protocols
• Continuity of support from quality staff
• Tailored support to meet needs of different
  groups / individuals
• Flexible support (e.g. floating support), not
  necessarily tied to bricks and mortar
• Potential value of earlier intervention and
  greater focus on supporting the parents of young
  people

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Remaining Barriers

• Gaps in temporary accommodation
• Lack of affordable settled housing
• Inadequate provision of treatment for
• low level mental health problems
• poly-substance misuse
• Tensions between employability initiatives and
  welfare benefit system

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Conclusion

• Significant progress has been made in addressing
  youth homelessness during the last ten years
• But there is still a long way to go
• And many lessons to be learned!

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Further Details

• Quilgars, D., Johnsen, S. and Pleace, N. (2008)
  Youth Homelessness in the UK A Decade of
  Progress? York Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
• The full report and a summary of findings may be
  downloaded from www.jrf.org.uk