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The impact of the crisis on homelessness in Spain: social intervention in a context of greater need and fewer resources
- Authors:
- MARQUEZ Gorka Moreno, URRAZA Xabier Aierdi
- Journal article citation:
- European Journal of Social Work, 19(1), 2016, pp.31-45.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The purpose of this article is to deepen the understanding of the impact of the social and economic crisis on homeless people in Spain. To this end we present the results of research carried out prior to the crisis and later updated in the midst of the economic recession, underscoring the main results obtained in both periods and tracing their evolution. The number of homeless people in Spain has risen as a result of the crisis. Moreover, while some characteristics of this group remain the same, others have changed. Hence, difficulties in access to the labour market and cuts in certain economic benefits are resulting in an increase in the duration of social inclusion processes. This results in a worsening of the personal situation of the homeless, especially in relation to mental illness and substance abuse. The immigrant population is the group most affected by these impacts. The situation clearly demonstrates the need to reflect on how to deal with the problem of homelessness in Spain, and to rethink the way professionals intervene, especially during periods of economic recession. (Publisher abstract)
Turning the Tide: a Vision Paper for multiple needs and exclusions
- Author:
- PAGE Anna
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Dual Diagnosis, 4(4), 2011, pp.173-179.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article summarises the 2011 publication, “Turning the Tide: A Vision Paper for multiple needs and exclusions” by Revolving Doors and Making Every Adult Matter, and addresses the financial and social costs of society's failure to support adults facing multiple needs and exclusions in England. The report showed that people with multiple needs and exclusions experience several problems simultaneously and have ineffective contact with services. The article sets out the vision that in every local area people facing multiple needs are supported by effective coordinated services. It argues that to achieve this, a new approach is needed, and five key areas to achieving this are examined. The article shows how politicians, local leaders, and commissioners can act to make coordinated services for people facing multiple needs and exclusions the norm, and is of relevance to service providers to tackle multiple needs by building partnerships, taking proposals to commissioners, and supporting members to develop new approaches to care.
Tackling homelessness and exclusion: understanding complex lives
- Author:
- MCDONAGH Theresa
- Publisher:
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 15p.
- Place of publication:
- York
Homelessness is often something that is inextricably linked with complex and chaotic life experiences. Mental health problems, drug and alcohol dependencies, street culture activities and institutional experiences are often closely linked with the more extreme experiences of homelessness. This paper explores evidence collected as part of the Multiple Exclusion Homelessness (MEH) Research Programme. The programme provides a statistically robust account of MEH in seven UK cities, alongside evidence from the life histories and accounts of people with first-hand experience of MEH and reflections from front-line workers, managers and commissioners. The paper looks at services for people with complex needs and suggests ways that policy and practice can more effectively tackle homelessness. Key points show that most complex needs were experienced by homeless men aged between 20 and 49, and especially by those in their 30s. Where homelessness and housing support agencies take on primary responsibility for supporting people with multiple and complex needs, workers can often feel isolated and out of their depth. It has been suggested that housing support workers are now filling the gap left by the retreat of social workers from direct work with adults. The paper concludes that there needs to be an integrated response across health, housing and social care.
Turning the tide: a vision paper for multiple needs and exclusions
- Authors:
- PAGE Anna, HILBERY Oliver
- Publisher:
- Making Every Adult Matter
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 23p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This publication calls for a vision, that, in every local area, people experiencing multiple needs are supported by effective, coordinated services and empowered to tackle their problems, reach their full potential and contribute to their communities. The publication suggests that, despite some good progress, it is clear that local services cannot achieve this vision alone. Too often offering coordinated services means going against policy and battling for political and strategic engagement. A new approach is needed from national government to create an environment in which it becomes the norm for leaders in local areas to put in place the coordinated services that have been shown to work for this group. The Vision Paper is aimed at government ministers, Members of Parliament and key local decision makers. It sets out five building blocks for the new approach with recommended actions for each. Each of these is covered by a two-page spread setting out the problem thoughts on the solutions. Areas addressed include: communicating a clear message that tackling multiple needs and exclusions is a government priority; defining and identifying people experiencing multiple needs and exclusions; creating accountability, leadership and transparency; making outcomes and commissioning work for this group; and getting the finances right in local areas.
The variation in family background amongst young homeless shelter users in Denmark
- Author:
- BENJAMINSEN Lars
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Youth Studies, 19(1), 2016, pp.55-73.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article analyses variation in the family background of young homeless people in a cohort of young Danes. The study is based on administrative data for individuals who were 18 years old in 2007 and their parents. Homelessness is measured by shelter use over a five-year period. Data also cover education, employment, mental illness, substance abuse problems and placement outside home in childhood for the young persons, and education, employment, civil status, mental illness and substance abuse problems for their parents. A cluster analysis identifies two groups, each comprising half of the young shelter users. In the first group, social marginalisation is transmitted between generations, as most parents have low education and mental illness or substance abuse problems, and are unemployed. In contrast, the young people in the second group come from wider socioeconomic backgrounds, with few of their parents having mental illness or substance abuse problems. These young people develop psychosocial problems and become homeless without strong predictors from their family background. Amongst the young shelter users from families with severe social problems a higher share are in the Not in Education, Employment or Training group. They also have more shelter stays, compared to young shelter users from families with fewer social problems. (Publisher abstract)
Supporting people with multiple needs and exclusions: strategic briefing
- Author:
- TERRY Lucy
- Publisher:
- Research in Practice for Adults
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 44
- Place of publication:
- Dartington
People with multiple needs and exclusions face a combination of problems at once, including mental ill health, substance misuse, repeat offending, homelessness and poverty. This briefing explains how by working with key partners and contributing to a ‘whole area approach’, strategic leaders in adult social care can help to coordinate the kind of personalised, assertive and persistent support that has been shown to work for people facing multiple needs and exclusions. This has potential to improve health and well-being outcomes, and to save public money through more effective coordination of services and reduced demand in the long-run. This Strategic Briefing summarises the benefits of a whole area approach and provides guidance on how it can be achieved. It covers the themes of strategic leadership and collaboration; services working together; personalised support; assertive and persistent support; and non-punitive, positive approaches. For each theme the document provides a list of key points outlining what it means in practice, why it is important, and how it can be achieved. (Edited publisher abstract)
Problem drug users' experiences of employment and the benefit system
- Authors:
- BAULD Linda, et al
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 120p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report details findings from research exploring the experiences of problem drug users (PDUs) in relation to claiming benefit, looking for and being in employment, and dealing with Jobcentre Plus. The research involves two components: an international literature review, and in-depth interviews with drug users and professionals working in the field of drug misuse. The main findings were that Problem drug users' form an extremely marginalised group who face significant and multiple disadvantage in the labour market. Interviewees commonly had a long history of drug misuse; most were using multiple drugs as well as alcohol. All had some experience of substance misuse treatment and for the majority this was not their first time in treatment. Interviewees often had multiple problems in addition to their drug use – most commonly in the areas of housing, mental and physical health, and skills and education. Most interviewees were on benefits and only a few were in employment. However, barriers to claiming benefit included lack of knowledge and advice, difficulties filling in forms and attending appointments, and the feeling that PDUs are stigmatised by Jobcentre Plus staff.
Stamp Out Stigma campaign: challenging attitudes to support and build a recovery-orientated ethos in substance misuse, mental health and dual diagnosis services
- Authors:
- HIND Alix;, MANLEY David
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Dual Diagnosis, 3(1), February 2010, pp.23-25.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Stigma is a significant issue for people who experience dual diagnosis, and a number of researchers have investigated the attitudes of staff providing services – concluding that the attitudes are suboptimal. This article describes the development of the “Stamp Out Stigma” campaign developed by service users in Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust. It highlights the positive benefits the campaign can have for service users, staff and the services they receive and/or in which they work. The campaign included, among other things, service user mentoring and living books – where service users spent time in libraries where people could ‘borrow’ them for 30 minutes to hear their story. The article outlines how people may develop mental issues because of substance abuse, or may abuse substances because of mental issues, and that both problems needs to be addressed without the naive assumption that one causes the other.
'Get Up. Stand Up.' Riding to resilience on a surfboard
- Author:
- MORGAN Paul
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 15(1), February 2010, pp.56-65.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The systematic forced removal of Australian Aboriginal children from their families ended in the 1970s. A very high proportion of Aboriginal children removed from their families endured abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence while in care - the trauma associated with this removal remains active in the present day for those removed and their offspring, contributing to the damaging set of health and social problems afflicting many Aboriginal communities. Child abuse and neglect are an important avenue of the inter-generational spread of trauma leaving many Aboriginal children challenge-averse and vulnerable to social disadvantage, substance abuse and mental health problems in later life. This article describes ‘Sunset Surfers’ - a Sydney based learn-to-surf programme targeting a disadvantaged urban neighbourhood with a high proportion of Aboriginal families, designed to build resilience in disadvantaged children through positive and enjoyable physical activity. Qualitative evaluation, through informal interviews, showed that participants experienced positive effect associated with the challenging activity of learning to surf, allowing for reframing of children's negative beliefs about challenge. The author concludes that by providing an appropriate balance of challenge and support, and encouraging physical activity, Sunset Surfers represents a holistic, preventative approach to a harmful array of social and health problems.
The end of stigma?: changes in the social experience of long-term illness
- Author:
- GREEN Gill
- Publisher:
- Routledge
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 156p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
The author investigates the contemporary experiences of stigma and examines stigma in relation to a variety of long term conditions such as HIV, mental illness and substance misuse. Chapter two reviews the concept of stigma and looks at the ways in which the concept has been defined and applied in understanding long-term illness. Chapter three looks at the technological, personal and organizational challenges to stigma and exclusion. Chapters on HIV, mental health and substance misuse follow. The concluding chapter discusses the challenges and asks whether we are arriving 'at the end of stigma?'. The author demonstrates that people with long-term conditions refuse to be defined by their condition and highlights their increasingly powerful voice.