Homelessness in Scotland
Recent conference highlights recent research in homelessness policy and practice.
Recent homelessness research in Scotland was showcased at a conference hosted by the Department of Urban Studies on 25 January 2003.
Professor Robina Goodlad (University of Glasgow), who chaired the conference proceedings throughout the day, introduced Iain Gray MSP (Minister for Social Justice) who gave the opening keynote address. He emphasised that preventing and tackling homelessness remained as high a priority for him as it had been for his predecessors. Iain Gray went on to praise the ?open and transparent? way in which the Homelessness Task Force has worked and described it as a partnership, drawing on a broad base of experience from statutory and voluntary sectors and including the direct involvement of people with experience of homelessness.
The Homelessness Task Force (HTF) was set up by the Scottish Executive in August 1999 and is due to produce its second and final report shortly. This is expected to contain significant proposals for policy, practice and legal changes on homelessness in Scotland. The Minister reviewed the work of the HTF, including the incorporation of the legislative proposals in its first report into the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. While the Minister could not reveal the content of the HTF?s final report, he reassured the audience that it will recognise that ?homelessness is a housing problem? but also that it is ?not only a housing problem?.
The Department of Urban Studies has been heavily involved in the HTF research programme, with Catherine Kennedy, Emily Lynch, Robina Goodlad, Peter Kemp, Danny McKay and Suzanne Fitzpatrick all involved in HTF research studies. The conference, held at the Scottish Engineering Centre in Glasgow, featured not only the HTF research conducted within the Department but also research conducted elsewhere.
Peter Kemp (University of Glasgow), in the second plenary session, presented the central findings of his study of the structural causes of homelessness (conducted with Danny McKay and Emily Lynch both from the University of Glasgow). He explained that explanations of homelessness have traditionally been divided into two groups - behavioural and structural and this project was designed to test whether there was any quantitative evidence for the latter.
The research team found that homelessness was statistically related to indicators of unemployment, housing demand and supply, housing affordability, and ?de-institutionalisation?. Unemployment appeared to be a particularly powerful driver of homelessness in Scotland. Another finding with major policy implications is that (poor) housing quality, as well as (inadequate) housing supply, appears to be a major factor in homelessness in Scotland.
Conference Workshops
Six workshops took place during the conference. Each based on policy and practice, they took one of the HTF research reports as their key focus. In the morning workshop session, Isobel Anderson (University of Stirling) presented her work on pathways through homelessness, noting that there is currently far more information on ?routes into? than ?routes out of? homelessness. Dr Suzanne Fitzpatrick (University of Glasgow) discussed possible changes to the priority need, intentionality and local connection eligibility criteria within the homelessness legislation, basing her presentation on a review of these criteria conducted by Spark Research Associates.
Dr Joanne Neale (Centre for Drugs Misuse Research, University of Glasgow) presented her research on good practice in working with homeless drug users (conducted jointly with Catherine Kennedy from the University of Glasgow).
During the afternoon, Hal Pawson (Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot Watt University) presented his work on repeat homelessness in Scotland. He recommended that all social landlords monitor tenancy sustainment amongst applicants rehoused and also that local authorities should include measures to address repeat homelessness in their homelessness strategies.
Ann Rosengard (Ann Rosengard Associates) presented her research on the future of hostels for homeless people in Scotland, whilst Catherine Kennedy (University of Glasgow) discussed her study of good practice in joint working on homelessness (conducted with Robina Goodlad and Emily Lynch).
In the final session of the day, Liz Nicholson (Director, Shelter Scotland) gave Shelter?s perspective on the work of the HTF. She noted the significant achievement represented by the translation of its first report into statute and praised the open and inclusive nature of the HTF?s work, although she felt more could have been done to directly involve homeless people. She thanked all of the researchers who had worked on the HTF studies often to very tight deadlines drawing attention to the important evidence base they had produced for the HTF recommendations. Liz concluded by highlighting three areas that she hoped to see emphasised in the final HTF report: removal of the eligibility criteria; housing supply and quality; and support, particularly for families with children.
For further information please contact Professor Robina Goodlad
[tel: 0141 330 4516; email: R.Goodlad@socsci.gla.ac.uk]