breaking it down: developing whole-family approaches to youth homelessness · 2014-10-30 ·...

Breaking it Down: Developing Whole-Family

Approaches toYouth Homelessness

Contents

03 Introduction04 Research Methodology05 Families’ Characteristics06 Executive Summary07 Key Findings08 Preventing Homelessness10 Access to Services14 Supporting Families24 Providing Suitable Accommodation28 Conclusions30 Recommendations31 Appendix: Parenting Questionnaire33 References

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our thanks to:

Parents: the 50 parents who generously spared their time to share their experiences and views

Funded by: Communities and Local Government

Agencies consulted: Alone in London; Barnardo’s; Burton-on-Trent YMCA; Chantry YMCA;Communities and Local Government; Croydon Association for Young Single Homeless (CAYSH);the Department for Children, Schools and Families; the DePaul Trust; Family Action; the Familyand Parenting Institute; Hove YMCA; Hyde Housing Association; the London Boroughs of Bromley,Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; Look Ahead Housing; Mendip YMCA;Parentline Plus; Relate; RISE Leadership; South East London Housing Partnership; St Basils; StChristopher’s Fellowship; Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council; Wakefield Metropolitan DistrictCouncil and West London YMCA

The project team: Jo Gunner, Emily Petheram and Louise Seaman, YMCA England;Victoria Rugg, CAYSH; Lori Streich, Rowan Associates

Breaking it Down: Developing Whole-FamilyApproaches toYouth Homelessness

Breaking it Down: Developing Whole-Family Approaches to Youth Homelessness

03WWW.YMCA.ORG.UK/HOUSING

IntroductionABOUT THIS REPORT

At the heart of this report are the views of 50parents and carers of homeless teenagers. Asfamily breakdown is the most common trigger forteenage homelessness, it follows that to preventhomelessness there is a need to understandparents’ views on what helps families stay togetherand prevents teenagers becoming homeless.

This report develops new perspectives on whole-family approaches to preventing and tacklingyouth homelessness. Parents’ experiences ofsuccessful approaches to homelessness preventionare included, alongside their recommendationsfor appropriate accommodation for teenagers.The report also includes the views and experiencesof key agencies and provides examples of effectiveinterventions with families at risk. The reportbuilds on work developed through the NationalYouth Homelessness Scheme, earlier consultationwith homeless young people (YMCA England,2007, On the Right Track) and consultation withparents in Brighton (Hove YMCA, 2008, Breakingit Down: A Consultation with Parents about theCauses of Homelessness in Brighton and Hove).

A summary version of this report is availableseparately from YMCA England.

The Aim of this Report is to:

• Identify ways in which existing services canbe adapted to better support the parentsof teenagers to prevent homelessness.

• Acknowledge the potential future role to beplayed by additional services that might helpfamilies stay together or reconnect once ayoung person has left home.

• Highlight the importance of holistic, whole-familyapproaches to tackling youth homelessness.

• Provide parents with a forum so their specificneeds may be addressed when tacklingyouth homelessness.

This study set out to discover the views of parentsof young people who had been homeless. Wewanted to find out their ideas about:

• Existing services and how these could beadapted to improve take-up and outcomes interms of supporting the parents of teenagersto prevent homelessness.

• Potential future services that might help familiesstay together or reconnect once a youngperson has left home.

AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THIS REPORT

• Communities and Local Government

This report is funded by Communities and LocalGovernment as part of the National YouthHomelessness Scheme. The National YouthHomelessness Scheme was launched in 2007to assist local authorities and their partners inbringing to an end the use of bed & breakfastfacilities for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds.Since the beginning of the Scheme, the numberof 16- and 17-year-olds accepted as homelessand subsequently placed in bed & breakfastaccommodation in England has fallen as localauthorities and their partners introduce newmeasures to prevent homelessness. Theseinclude providing alternatives to bed & breakfastaccommodation, improving existing accommodationand supporting pathways towards independence.

• The YMCA in England

The YMCA Movement in England is made up of135 local YMCAs working to ensure that youngpeople have opportunities to belong, thrive andmake a positive contribution to their communities.

YMCA England represents and develops the YMCAMovement in England. In 2006, YMCA Englandlaunched the Step-In project to prevent teenagehomelessness and provide safe accommodationfor those who most need it. With the support ofCommunities and Local Government and localauthorities, six pilot projects across the countryare developing new ways of delivering services.These projects have undertaken to pass on whatthey are learning so that the next generation ofwork benefits from their experience. Step-Inprojects include supported lodgings schemes,school education projects, family support andmediation, easy-access housing advice and workwith the private rented sector. In their first yearStep-In projects helped 1,396 teenagers: 1,174with early advice and education, 85 with familysupport and mediation and 137 with a safe placeto live and support for the future.

• Croydon Association for YoungSingle Homeless (CAYSH)

CAYSH is a charity that works to enable youngpeople to fully meet their potential. CAYSHresponds to this challenge by providing accessfor the excluded, support to the vulnerable andsafe accommodation to those in housing crisis.


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Research MethodologyDuring the summer of 2008, YMCA England andCAYSH asked 50 parents and carers of homelessand formerly homeless teenagers their views onwhat helps families facing this situation.

LocationNearly three-quarters (74%) of parents consultedare from London and the South East (Brighton &Hove, Bromley, Croydon, Hammersmith & Fulhamand Lambeth) – historically areas with some of thehighest levels of youth homelessness in the country.Information was also gathered from parents fromrural and urban areas across England (Burton-on-Trent, Mendip, Stockport and Wakefield).

InterviewsTwenty-four in-depth interviews were carried outwith parents and carers who have experiencedthe homelessness of a child.

Interviews were arranged through local agenciesand took place, primarily, at agency venues.Parents were offered a £10 voucher to thank themfor taking part. All interviews were carried out byresearchers from CAYSH and YMCA England.Interviewers were trained by YMCA England toensure consistency of approach. Intervieweeswere briefed on how the interviews might beused and asked to sign a consent form.

QuestionnairesAdditionally, a short questionnaire was distributedto parents by local authorities, YMCAs and byCAYSH. The questionnaires were designed toenable parents to complete them independently,or with the help of agency staff. Twenty-sixquestionnaires were completed and returned.A sample questionnaire can be viewed onpage 31 of this report.

Agency Focus GroupKey government departments, local authoritiesand service providers were invited to take partin a seminar. Initial findings from the consultationwere presented and a group discussion held totest the findings and establish what is realistic interms of resourcing services. The agencies’ viewson the feasibility of implementing parents’ ideasfor change are incorporated into this report.

Case StudiesInformation from the interviews has also beenused to provide case studies of individuals tohighlight the issues explored in this report. To protectthe identity of young people and their families, specificdetails, including names, may have been changed.

Case Studies of Effective PracticesUsing contacts in the YMCA and through theNational Youth Homelessness Scheme network,a number of case studies were compiled. Eachoutlines aspects of good practice in servicedelivery, identifies why the particular serviceworks and highlights key learning points. Thecase study data is drawn from organisationswith track records in good service provision withfamilies. Semi-structured telephone interviewswere carried out with each to verify their practiceand ensure a consistent approach.

Analysis and Recommendations Data from the parent interviews and questionnaireshas been analysed to provide both quantitativeand qualitative data. From this, key themes havebeen identified and these form the basis forrecommendations concerning future service delivery.



Families’ CharacteristicsOf the 50 families whose views are representedin this report, the majority of respondents (88%)are parents; the remainder are extended family,mostly grandparents, and are referred tocollectively as ‘parents’.

The consultees are those who responded toagency requests. Agencies reported that theywere often unable to contact young people’sparents, as families were entirely estranged.Of the interviewees, one has no contact withtheir child, ten have occasional contact, oftenby phone or text and a further ten are in closecontact including three who have returnedhome. The contact between family membersfor questionnaire respondents was not recorded.

At the time of the interviews, 46% of young peoplehad found a suitable place to live. For some thiswas with family and for others it was with theYMCA or in other supported accommodation.

Ages and Reasons for Young PeopleLeaving Home:

• The majority of the young people featured(80%) left home aged 16 or 17 years old,two had left aged 15 years old and youngpeople from the remaining eight families areeither older (six respondents) or their age isnot known.

• Most parents (80%) say the young person’sbehaviour (sometimes as a result of identifiedmental health issues) is a factor in their leaving.28% gave this as the only reason.

• 12% gave parents’ relationships as the mainreason for a young person leaving home. Afurther 10% cited parental violence, oftencombined with drug or alcohol use, as theyoung person’s main reason for leaving. 14%of respondents also gave overcrowding as areason for their teenage child leaving home.

• Few families (three) thought that their child wasold enough to cope alone at the age they left(15 or 16 years old) although it was never theonly reason for their leaving. None of thefamilies interviewed identified solely positivereasons for their child leaving home.

‘72% of parents believe thatextra help could preventthe breakdown of familyunits and young peoplefrom leaving home’


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Executive SummaryEvery year, thousands of young people leavehome before they reach 18. While some are ableto find suitable accommodation, many othersbecome homeless, frequently moving on fromtemporary residences and even sleeping roughfrom time to time. With the absence of a stableliving environment, young people often find itdifficult to pursue education or employment,making them particularly vulnerable.

The breakdown of family units has been identifiedas the main trigger for homelessness amongst 16-and 17-year-olds. The YMCA believes that unlessservices move towards a more holistic approachto tackling youth homelessness, which includesthe participation of parents, children and extendedfamilies, current provisions will become ineffectivein providing long-term solutions to these issues.

PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS

The YMCA believes that extra help and supportconcerning access to services, supportingfamilies and providing suitable accommodationcould avert the breakdown of family unitsand prevent young people from leaving home.Areas requiring particular attention include:

• The availability of family support and mediationservices as an effective means of encouragingfamilies to improve communication and clarifyboundaries and expectations;

• The accessibility of support at an earlier stage,before it comes to the point where relationshipsbreak down and young people leave home;

• The availability of independent advice services.

ACCESS TO SERVICES

The research identified shortcomings in the rangeand accessibility of services currently on offerto young people and their families. Particularpoints include:

• The likelihood that families feel comfortable andconfident in asking for help in the first instance;

• The ease in which families can find appropriateservices through a wide variety of channels;

• The presence of approachable, welcoming staffwho provide clear, accurate information;

• The flexibility of services on offer to enable theactive participation of family members inresolving housing issues;

• The presence of efficient communicationstructures between service providers to enablefamilies to access multiple services with ease.

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

The YMCA recognises that many individuals relyon the support of extended family and friendswhen addressing the issues of inter-familialconflict and youth homelessness. Extendedfamilies often lack the resources – both financialand information-based – to best support theirrelative. In addition, many families do not haveextended family to rely on in times of crisis.Particular observations include:

• The imperative role played by extendedfamily and friends in providing temporaryaccommodation to young people;

• The importance of extended family andfriends in being the initial point of contactfor families in conflict, before moving onto professional services;

• The need to support the role of extendedfamily and friends through information-sharingand guidance;

• The need for professional services tosupport isolated parents.

PROVIDING SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION

The research found that the majority of parentsconsider supported accommodation to be the mostsuitable alternative for young people who areunable to live at home. Additional findings include:

• The imperative role played by short-term(respite) accommodation in providing a startingpoint from which suitable long-term solutionscan be found;

• The need for respite accommodation to bepart of a broader structure of services,including family support such as counsellingand mediation, which provides a holisticapproach to the issue of youth homelessness;

• The importance of flexibility with regards tosupported accommodation to address thespecific requirements of the individual inquestion, particularly those escapingviolence or abuse.



Key Findings50 parents from across England responded tointerviews and questionnaires led by YMCAEngland. The statistical information featuredin this report is derived from these responses.

In addition, 30 agencies contributed informationand ideas through a focus group and telephoneinterviews.

Many parents described a positive experienceof services, seeing tangible results which haveimproved their lives. However, it is evidentthat there are areas where improvement isstill required.

PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS

• 72% of parents believe that extra help couldprevent the breakdown of family units andyoung people from leaving home.

• 46% of parents would like to see more supportfor families living together. They also identifiedfamily support and mediation as an effectiveway of encouraging families to improvecommunication and clarify boundariesand expectations.

• 40% of respondents want help earlier, beforeit comes to the point where relationships breakdown and their child leaves home.

• 42% of parents found housing advice themost helpful intervention. Of these, two-thirdssay that independent advice services arethe most helpful.

ACCESS TO SERVICES

Parents appreciate services which are easilyaccessible and:

• Provide initial information through widelyaccessible venues, such as community centresand schools, about where to go for help andwhat to expect;

• Have welcoming staff members who providegood advice and clear, accurate informationwith decisions confirmed in writing;

• Assist parents to participate in resolving theirchild’s housing issues by offering home visitsand flexible opening hours.

Families often need to engage the support ofmultiple services and many suggest thatsupported referrals, good communication andinformation sharing helps them to make the bestpossible use of the services on offer, resultingin a more holistic approach to family issues.

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

54% of families have been helped by familyor friends and of these:

• 44% of young people have stayed withextended family or friends at some point;

• 25% of parents consider family membersto be the best source of help.

In addition, 34% of parents want support inparenting their teenagers but find that asking forhelp is not easy. Some parents commented thatassistance would come best from their peers.

Some parents and agencies suggest that the roleplayed by extended families in offering advice,information and accommodation would bestrengthened and sustained through the provisionof information and short-term financial support.

PROVIDING SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION

• 74% of respondents consider supportedaccommodation to be most suitable for16- and 17-year-olds who cannot live withtheir family.

• 36% of respondents say short-term (respite)accommodation in times of crisis would helpfamilies stay together, providing interimsolutions until alternatives are found. To bewholly effective, respite accommodation shouldbe combined with family support (includingcounselling and mediation). It should alsoenable families to build in temporary breaksand have the capacity to provide out-of-areaplacements for young people escapingviolence or abuse.

• Most parents believe that it is in the bestinterests of 16- and 17-year-olds to be livingwith adults who can provide support, guidanceand a safe environment while they learn theskills they need to live independently.


08 YMCA ENGLAND

Preventing HomelessnessOur first thought was to go to the Council,but… it was confusing, all these different placesto go to. When you are in a distressing situationyou find it hard to know what to do.

• 72% of parents believe that extra help couldprevent the breakdown of family units andyoung people from leaving home.

• 46% of parents would like to see more supportfor families living together. They also identifyfamily support and mediation as effectivemeans of encouraging families to improvecommunication and clarify boundariesand expectations.

AGENCY CASE STUDY: HASS

London Borough of Southwark HousingAssessments and Support Service (HASS)The Youth Team is part of CommunityHousing Services and is located in the HousingAssessments and Support Service (HASS)in Southwark. It is a multi-agency team whichspecialises in homeless prevention work with allthose aged 16 and 17 who present as homeless.

The team aims to prevent homelessness byaddressing parents’ practical issues, includingincome maximisation and overcrowding;addressing young people’s challengingbehaviour and providing a range of options toprevent homelessness. These include mediationand respite accommodation and support foryoung people wanting to move back intoeducation, employment or training.

The current team was established in April 2008and comprises seven staff: a Youth HomelessnessManager, a Prevention Officer, Families Workers,a Social Worker, a Youth Offending Team (YOT),a Resettlement Officer and a Connexions Worker.

Sandra Pass, the Deputy Business Managerresponsible for HASS’ young people’s team,believes the success of the service is a resultof its multi-agency approach. The multi-agencymake-up of the team has provided a depth ofunderstanding which addresses a whole rangeof issues experienced by young people and theirfamilies. By creating an internal ‘one-stop-shop’,it allows for a holistic, tailored approach, enablingeach team member to identify individual needsand redirect people to the most relevant agency.

Where possible, HASS provides support so thatyoung people can remain in the family home. Ifthis is not possible, young people are referred tothe Gateway Foyer (run by Look Ahead Housing)where they are offered accommodation for sixweeks or longer on an excluded licence. Allyoung people referred to this respite provisionreceive intensive key work to address the issuesbehind the crisis which has led to an initial referral,and mediation to repair the family relationship.

The multi-agency approach generates a rangeof productive partnerships including LookAhead Housing and St Christopher’s whichare developing homelessness awarenesspackages to be delivered in schools.

Contact Sandra Pass,Deputy Business Manager, HASS,[email protected].

• 40% of parents want help earlier, beforeit comes to the point where relationshipsbreak down and their child leaves home.

• 42% of parents find housing advice themost helpful intervention. Of these, two-thirds say that independent advice servicesare the most helpful.

• 82% of parents have used housingadvice services.



INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY: REBECCA

Rebecca, 17, recently returned home to livewith her mother and two younger brothers aftertwo months of living with a friend. Rebecca’sfather has not been part of her life since shewas young and the rest of Rebecca’s extendedfamily live abroad.

Rebecca and her mother had a closerelationship when Rebecca was younger.However, when Rebecca reached 16 her motherfelt things began to change. Rebecca seemedunhappy, communication broke down andRebecca’s mother feels her daughter’sbehaviour began to deteriorate. As thingsgot more difficult at home she used theinternet to search for help and advice:

I looked at pages on dealing with teenagersand the emotions they’re going throughbecause I’d forgotten what it was like. Someof the things she does brings back memoriesof some of the things I did and the way I feltat that age.

The family then approached Social Services forhelp and ultimately were referred to the localFamily Support Service. They arranged formediation between Rebecca and her mother,helping them to learn to communicate moreeffectively and providing information onoptions both for support and housing.

Rebecca’s mother sums up what worked:

[The family support worker] is easyto talk to, but also very professional. Sheweighed up the situation quickly and knewhow to deal with it. Everything she said shewould do, she has done. She had a ‘can-do’attitude. She was very relaxed and you didn’tfeel she was criticising or judging and havingsomeone to talk to has been essential. Shemade me feel like there was a light at the endof the tunnel and paved the way forward.Rebecca could see I was trying to help whichmade her behaviour improve a bit and sinceRebecca moved back home [the familysupport worker] stayed in touch with us.


10 YMCA ENGLAND

Access to ServicesThe help is there, but I think people are notmade aware of it. You have to be willing togo out and look for it.

When parents want help, they tell us that it is oftendifficult to find out what services are available andwhat each can provide.

Parents want information for both young people andparents. They say that there is stigma attached toasking for help and therefore suggest advertising ‘inplaces that anyone might go to from time-to-time’.Suggestions include noticeboards, community centres,schools, supermarkets and tenants’ newsletters.

There should be more information so youngpeople and their parents know where to go beforethings pass the point of no return – this shouldbe available in places like Connexions, placesyoung people would go such as schools andplaces parents would go such as supermarkets.

Maybe a card with numbers and places wherethey can go… like you have one for refuges…they could have cards they give out in schoolsso they do know where to go and they do knowwho to turn to.

Parents also suggest delivery in a range ofdifferent venues, especially alongside otherservices which are already used by young peopleand their families:

If they ran surgeries like they do for politicians…also on buses, in doctor’s surgeries, librariesand on the internet.

I’m aware of a primary school which has acounsellor-style worker who young peoplecan talk to about problems and get advice.

[My daughter’s] school provided her with helpwhen she became homeless. She got quite alot of help from them about where to go andphoning agencies for help.

Some parents suggest that there should bespecific job roles in schools with the objective oftelling people about services.

If they had things in schools, Family LiaisonOfficers or people like that, where they couldgo and they could get help… they probablywouldn’t feel as if it was stigma going into aschool rather than going into a police stationor an official building like [the Council].

Most families experience the difficulties oftransition though it does not always lead tohomelessness. Many of the agencies consultedsay that families at risk when their child is 13or 14 will not necessarily identify a need for ahomelessness service. Agencies suggest that thefocus needs to be more on providing support toyoung people in transition rather than youngpeople facing homelessness.

Agencies suggest that positive messages aboutfamilies wanting to stay together need to bereinforced and that there is a need to identify thetrigger points that can turn the normal processof transition into the need for crisis intervention.

Agencies also recognise the value of earlyinterventions and suggest that further resourcesare needed if additional demands are placed onschools. Some agencies are already providingsuch a service.

We [Hove YMCA] find working with EducationWelfare Officers in schools a good way to reachout to young people; to recognise the early signsand risk indicators of them becoming homeless.

CLEAR INFORMATIONAND ACCURATE ADVICE

The advisor explained all the [accommodation]options and support that was available andhelped us decide which might be best… theywere clear that it could take a while and didn’traise expectations.

62% of parents value clear, accurate information andgood advice about housing and support options.Clear information helps families make realisticdecisions and know what they can reasonably expect.

Additionally, parents have some specific suggestionsabout how services might be improved by havingdecisions and processes clarified in writing.

Once [the process] reaches a point where it isunlikely to change, it would be good if agenciescommunicated in writing to the parent and child.

This respondent suggests that such a documentmight include details of the available options andwhat to expect, including milestones for thefuture, usual waiting times for various servicesand the processes involved. She believes thiswould clarify expectations and avoid having torepeat earlier discussions.



AGENCY CASE STUDY: CAYSH

Croydon Association for Young SingleHomeless (CAYSH)CAYSH (Croydon Association for Young SingleHomeless) is a key provider of services foryoung people with housing needs in Croydon.It aims to provide young people with advice andaccess to safe and settled housing, and theopportunity to gain the skills needed to liveindependently. It does this by:

• Working with young people and the widercommunity to maintain local links andsupport networks.

• Promoting a secure environment whereyoung people can take positive stepstowards independence.

• Providing housing opportunities andinformed, reliable housing advice.

• Helping young people to access appropriatetraining, employment opportunities andcounselling support to underpin long-termindependent living, or providing this themselves.

CAYSH provides accommodation and housingservices for over 120 young people aged 16to 25 in the Croydon area through supportedhousing schemes, a supported lodgings scheme,a private rented sector access scheme andfloating support.

In addition to providing realistic solutions foryoung people with housing needs, CAYSH alsoplaces a strong emphasis on homelessnessprevention. It runs HAP<25, a multi-agencydrop-in centre in Croydon, established by theHousing Department, Children’s Services andConnexions in partnership with CAYSH. HAP<25 works with around 1,500 young people ayear, approximately 70% of whom are aged16-17. Around 1,000 of these (or two-thirds),are supported to return home. The range ofneeds among young people using HAP<25has created a culture of innovation. A numberof agencies work from the same location andthe project’s wide range of services includes:

• General advice about housing needs andoptions.

• Referrals to relevant agencies or further workwith HAP<25 staff and wherever possible,providing same-day appointments.

• Face-to-face mediation between youngpeople and their families, delivered by Relate.

• Referrals to other agencies and supportgroups, e.g. careers and employmentsupport, education welfare from schools,colleges and cultural support groups.

• Specialist support for particular groups,such as young offenders.

The multi-agency nature of the service meansthat young people can access joint assessmentsby Croydon Council’s housing and social servicesstaff based at HAP<25, as well as a rangeof on-site “surgeries” with other agencies,which include:

• Croydon Adolescents Mental Health Service(mental health/counselling services)

• Off the Record (counselling) • Action for Children Rightfully Yours

(advocacy services) • Youth Drug Support (drug advice & support)

Family Support ProjectCAYSH’s new Family Support Project workswith clients from age 14 who are at risk of familybreakdown and consequent homelessness.Floating support is provided to young peopleaged 14-17 and their parents while the youngperson is still living in the family home. Clientsare identified through HAP<25 and other localreferral agencies.

The project aims to support young people backinto education, employment or training to enablea culture of achievement. This in itself canbenefit the family and create a more positivehome life. It offers weekly support sessions withyoung people and their parents and supportsfamilies to maintain the young person at homeand where appropriate, prepare for a plannedmove. It supports the parent-householder andprovides a support plan for the young personthat includes the active involvement of the othermembers of the household. Issues addressedfrequently include setting boundaries and houserules, and providing life skills such as cookingand cleaning. Service users can access theHAP<25 services, including mediation, signpostingand the support of the HAP Connexions worker.

This pilot scheme defines success as the preventionof homelessness, young people making andkeeping to a plan for their future and becomingmore confident about their futures.


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Specialist service for young offendersAs a response to the particular needs of youngoffenders, many of whom are homeless or inpoor accommodation, CAYSH and CroydonYouth Offending Team (YOT) established aHousing Support Officer post to work with16–18-year-old YOT clients. The Support Officeris based at the YOT for three days per weekand at CAYSH for the remaining two. Employedby CAYSH and funded by Supporting People, allreferrals are made from the YOT.

The Support Officer assists young offenderswith budgeting, life skills, benefits, employmentand training. They also help with placementsinto emergency accommodation and withplanned moves into alternative (usuallysupported) accommodation. When clients areabout to leave custody, CAYSH offers ongoingsupport with accommodation needs. The aim isto prevent homelessness and support youngpeople in gaining stability in their lives, thusreducing the chance of them reoffending.

An important aspect of the work is to supportyoung people in rebuilding relationships withtheir families. The service has a forward-lookingfocus, highlighting options that move youngpeople beyond their past patterns of offendingand giving them positive reasons to change.The location of the project enables easy accessto CAYSH’s family support and mediationservices. “Some young offenders prefer to steerclear of the YOT, but there is no stigma aboutseeing me at CAYSH”, said Jane Chinapen,the Support Worker.

The project defines success as being situationsin which a young person returns home, or issuccessfully housed elsewhere and when youngpeople engage with the support and makechanges, including improving family relationships.

Anna received an ASBO because of herbehaviour in the area around her family home.She therefore had to move out, but was foundintentionally homeless. She was angry aboutwhat was happening when she went for aninterview at a local hostel. Due to her hostileattitude, the hostel would not offer her aplace. After working with the Housing SupportWorker, Anna went for a second hostelinterview. She was willing to engage with thehousing provider and was accepted for

housing. From that new start, she was able torepair her relationship with her family and shegot the confidenceto go on to college. Since then, she hascompletely turned her life around. What sheneeded was the support and encouragementto enable her to do this and to believeshe could.

Working in partnership to reshape servicesCAYSH is one of a number of voluntaryorganisations which work closely with the localauthority, the London Borough of Croydon.There is an increasing awareness of theimportance of homelessness preventionservices linked to the provision of familysupport. Placing family support at the heart ofa strategic approach to a range of preventionservices, Croydon Council is developing a newcommissioning framework that will support localproviders to deliver quality services and worktogether in an accredited network of providers.The Council aims to ensure service deliveryis consistent, meets the needs of families andoffers a range of accessible services acrossthe spectrum of local needs.

Contact Victoria Rugg, CommunicationsManager, CAYSH, [email protected].



Good links between servicesIf they worked together and tried to dosomething about a young person and thesituation they are in, I think it would makeit a lot easier.

Families often need the support of more than oneagency and want services to communicate witheach other more effectively to avoid having to telltheir stories repeatedly.

A worker who liaises between Social Services,housing and schools can raise an early warningsignal if they see a young person struggling.[A neighbour] knows a primary school thathas a worker like this.

Agencies speak of the value of the CommonAssessment Framework and the Team Around theChild approach in integrating support and agreethat clearer signposting between services isneeded. Agencies suggest that connections withthe risk of homelessness need to be more explicitand housing needs to be involved as a matter ofcourse in multi-agency planning. In particular,both parents and agencies noted the potentialvalue of Targeted Youth Support and of co-locatedyouth advice, counselling and support services.

Somewhere that young people could go to getinformation about a whole range of relevanttopics – all located in the same place.

Access and referrals24% of parents would welcome home visits,particularly for parents who are working or haveyounger children.

They were fine because they would do homevisits, outreach services and stuff like that…

22% of parents value services that are easy to getto and have flexible opening hours. This includesevening opening times, especially for people whoare working during daytime office hours.

It would be good if the places were openmore in the evening.

28% of parents value short waiting times forinitial appointments.

Quicker help would also be good – even when[my daughter] went against her normalbehaviours and went to ask for help, stillnothing happened and she was told to wait.

18% of parents want supported referrals toother services.

He got a mentor who did very well with him – he helped him fill in forms, went with him toappointments and sat and listened if hewanted to talk.

Agencies agree that such referrals are needed andspeak of the need for agencies themselves todevelop their understanding of what is available.

Welcoming staff[My grandson] benefits from having an outsiderto talk to as well as us. Sometimes he respondsbetter to those who don’t know him and willtell them more.

36% of parents identify staff attitudes andparticularly how welcoming staff are, as a vitalpart of what makes a service particularly helpful.Parents appreciate staff who take their concernsseriously and who treat them with respect. Parentsalso recognise that this needs to be reciprocated.Parents say that they often just need someone tolisten to them and that they and their childrenappreciate having someone neutral to talk to.

Parents particularly value staff they can trustand often define this as staff members who fulfiltheir promises.

If I couldn’t trust someone, I wouldn’t sayanything to them. I wouldn’t ask for any help.If I couldn’t trust that he or she would be helpfulto me, supportive to me, then I wouldn’t go.

It is important to persevere and find someonethat can help you. Even if you don’t get on withthe first person, it is important to keep trying.

Securing ResourcesAgencies discuss methods of securing resourcesand identify the need for shared corporateoutcomes e.g. making links concerning thenumber of young people who are engaged withhomelessness services, who also access familysupport services and are also not in education,employment or training. By making these linksat the strategic level, it becomes possible togenerate a sense of shared outcomes and work.

The need for representation from housing in keystrategies was highlighted and for homelessnesstargets to be incorporated into Children andYoung Peoples Plans.


14 YMCA ENGLAND

Supporting FamiliesPerhaps some outside support would havebeen good, to help the brothers come to termswith their ‘baby sister’ getting pregnant sincetheir constant verbal abuse towards her made itimpossible for my daughter to stay living at home.

Parents interviewed think that support for boththemselves and their children would help at timeswhen families face difficulties at home. Familiesare often extremely resourceful when faced with

a crisis, but they also say that they wouldwelcome some outside intervention.

For families unable to access the right supportat the right time, there is a real sense of isolation:

You hear about it [services for young people] ontelly and things but when it comes to the crunchthere never seems to be anything available.

AGENCY CASE STUDY: HOVE YMCA

Hove YMCA Family Solutions ProjectHove YMCA provides an established housingadvice service for young people aged 16-25 inBrighton and Hove. In 2006, the organisationconsulted with young people about theirexperiences to find out how best to tackle youthhomelessness. As a result of this process, itbecame evident that by communicating solelywith young people, the concerns of parents andextended families needed to taken into account.In 2007, Hove YMCA received Communities andLocal Government funding to explore these views.

The Family Solutions Project has been designedby applying the findings of this research to HoveYMCA practice. The Family Solutions Projectoffers a family-focused service which includes:

• Mediation services staffed by twopart-time mediators;

• A Family Liaison Worker to supportthe whole family;

• Respite accommodation and supportfor 3–4 weeks in Hove YMCA supportedaccommodation.

The project aims to enable young people to returnhome for an indefinite period with ongoing support;return home temporarily while alternativeaccommodation is arranged or to enable youngpeople to transfer to alternative accommodationwith family support.

Staffing for the above services is funded bythe Homelessness Directorate of Brighton andHove Council; respite beds are funded throughSupporting People. Successful outcomes includeenabling young people to return home for anindefinite period with ongoing support, returninghome temporarily while alternative accommodationis arranged and a transfer to alternative

accommodation with family support. Supportoffered is dependent on the whole family agreeingto a support contract. Respite beds are locatedwithin existing Hove YMCA supported housingprovision and additional services offer familysupport as part of a holistic package. The FamilySolutions Project uses a range of therapeutic,solutions-focused techniques and so extends whatis currently offered by the housing advice service.

A core aim of the project is to repair relationshipswithin the family. Usually this is through improvingcommunication between family members so that,if there is a future crisis, the family has the toolsto resolve it effectively. By working with families inthis way, YMCA staff aim to prevent similar crisesdeveloping with younger siblings. The familysupport work is based on a model which includessolutions-focused therapy and the developmentof communications methods and core skills.

It is recognised that a family in crisis “can feel likea time bomb, just waiting to explode”. Therefore,the respite element of the Family Solutions Projectis vital in offering people time apart and thesupport to reassess their concerns and exploresolutions. The families’ research showed thatthere was a need for this holistic and practicalapproach in order to prevent homelessness andto develop services for 16- and 17-year-oldsthat acknowledge that, at that age, youngpeople are valuable members of their families.

In the longer term, the Family Solutions Projectwould like to develop peer support groups forparents, alongside the youth-focused workof Hove YMCA.

Contact Pippa Green, Housing ServicesManager, Hove YMCA,[email protected].



FAMILY RESOURCES

The boys’ aunts help out wherever they can asthey live nearby, so they support us in takingcare of the boys. [My grandson] regularly seeshis family; he has a strong support networkaround him.

54% of parents receive help from relatives andfriends, advice, support and often a place for theyoung person to stay.

25% of parents find extended family to be thebest source of help.

I think it’s good for him as well to stay withfamily… it’s very important there’s someonethere to look after a child when he’s homeless,like an aunt or grandparents. It’s better thatway than going to total strangers… it’s notvery easy, but it is best.

Only three families have no external help and makean important distinction between finding informalsupport and being expected to manage alone.

If a mother appears to cope she is left to it untilshe can’t, then some help is offered when it’stoo late for all concerned.

46% of families do not have the support of familyor friends. Some simply did not have extendedfamilies; others find that family and friends lackthe money, space or knowledge of what isavailable and so are ill-equipped to help.

Parents recognise that help is most effectivewhen they and their child are ready to engagewith services. One mother says that her daughterreceived a lot of support from various peopleand places but that she did not (yet) wish tobe helped.

To a lesser extent, parents draw on the supportof friends and neighbours who are able to offeradvice, support and at times accommodation.This is viewed as helpful where adults areinvolved but parents think their children are notyet ready to be living solely with their peers.

Not with friends, if he was living with themall the time, they would just sit around doingnothing, or get into trouble.

SUPPORTING FAMILY COMMUNICATION

AGENCY CASE STUDY:ALONE IN LONDON

Alone in London Mediation ServiceAlone in London (ALS), set up a FamilyMediation Service in 1996 in response tothe large number of service users citingfamily breakdown as the primary reasonfor approaching the service. The serviceworks with young people and family membersbefore, during and after crisis periods toimprove family relationships and preventhomelessness.

Funded through the Parenting Fund, LocalAuthorities and Charitable Trusts, themediation service offers family mediationwhere young people are at risk of, or arecurrently, homeless. Each worker has a caseload of 40 per year and the aim is for youngpeople to be able to return home withrepaired family relationships.

Access to the service is either through ALSor through one of the services with whichALS has a contract, including Local AuthorityHousing Options Teams and the SouthwarkYouth Offending Team. Mediation sessionsare run in the area local to the family, usuallyin the office of the referring agency.

ALS offers support with some of the practicalissues facing families in crisis, such asbenefits and housing difficulties andovercrowding. The mediation work is client-ledand directed by the needs of each family.Successful outcomes are to preventhomelessness and also to achieve improvedcommunication and conflict resolution skills.

Homelessness agencies whose staff do nothave specialist mediation skills can benefitfrom buying in specialist mediation on asessional basis. It enables them to offer agreater range of services without having toinvest in this specific expertise themselves.

Contact Jenny Sharp, Alone in London,[email protected].


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AGENCY CASE STUDY:ST CHRISTOPHER’S

St Christopher’s Homeless Intervention ProjectThis intervention and mediation project inGreenwich has two full time posts, a mediatorand school outreach worker and a client list of30 cases per quarter.

Funded through the London Borough ofGreenwich, Voluntary Sector Grant, the projectaims to prevent homelessness by helping youngpeople and their families rebuild relationships.The service offers mediation, family support andpractical support to address a range of issuessuch as benefits and overcrowding.

Its primary objective is to stabilise the familycrisis so that young people can return homeif this is safe or reasonable, or else help themmake a planned move into stable accommodation.By enabling improvements in family relationshipseven if a young person cannot go back hometo live, they can still link in with the family toreceive support which makes alternativeaccommodation more sustainable.

St Christopher’s Homeless Intervention Projectuses a solutions-focused approach and isprimarily a housing service, seeking housing-based solutions. Using mediation techniquesit addresses a range of issues, such as familyhousing and overcrowding issues, incomemaximisation and benefits issues for familiesand young people and employment andtraining for young people.

Referrals are from the London Borough ofGreenwich Housing Options Team and meetingsusually take place at the project’s office as thisoffers a more neutral environment than thefamily home.

From these initial meetings, mediators andservice users consider the issues and devisea plan of action. Mediators will meet withyoung people and their families separately ortogether. A great deal of the work focuses oncommunication and ground rules in the family.Where necessary, they will employ “shuttlemediation” techniques, with the mediatormeeting each party individually and passingviews and opinions to the other.

The project staff have found that there is a realneed to support families and young people tounderstand the realities of homelessness andto have realistic expectations about what thatentails. For young people, this often meansunderstanding that they will not “just get a flat”;and for parents, that the next 6 months willbe tough for their young person. Without thishomelessness awareness, St Christopher’shas found that “both parties can be too willingto go their separate ways”.

If accommodation is needed, this is usuallyprovided through CAYSH supported lodgingsand other supported housing providers in theLondon Borough of Greenwich.

Contact Harry Wilkinson, St Christopher’s,[email protected], or visitwww.stchris.org.uk/hip.



INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY: PETE

When Pete was 13 his parents split up. From thenon he argued constantly with his older brother andwouldn’t listen to anything his mother told him.

They kept shouting and screaming – I couldn’tcope. They were fighting over everything.

Pete went to live with his father for a year butthis didn’t work out. His father was at workduring the evenings so Pete was frequentlyalone in the house. He moved back in with hismother but continued to argue with his brother.Finally, his mother asked Pete to leave thefamily home when, during one of the manyarguments, he hit his brother. Following this,Pete moved in with a friend.

Pete’s mother contacted the local authorityhousing advice service for longer termaccommodation. The housing advice serviceadvised them to try mediation first. Separatesessions were set up with a mediation workerfor each brother and their mother.

Pete’s mother explained that they were unsure ifit would work and it took some time for Pete’s olderbrother to overcome his suspicions and attend.

Later they met in group sessions – first Pete and his mother, and then including his older brotheras well. By this stage they were all able toremain calm while discussing the issues andmade progress in rebuilding their relationships.

Pete’s mother now describes how, as a resultof the mediation, Pete has moved out of hisfriend’s house and back to the family home:

[The mediation] got [the brothers] speakingto one another rather than always fightingand shouting. I feel better equipped to dealwith his behaviour. It is still not perfect butI can cope, we can talk to each other andhave learnt to see things from each other’spoint of view.

As with many parents we heard from, Pete’smother would have liked the mediation tohappen earlier.

We just wish we’d had support before theproblems became a crisis. We never knewabout the mediation; had no idea what thatwas all about, but just talking with someonethere who wasn’t involved in it all... it reallydid work.

Having the home visits... and [the mediator]being a good listener, that really helped.Because she’s an outsider that really helpswith the situation. I have her number, so I cancall her if I need more help at any point... Itwas more helpful than I thought it would be.


18 YMCA ENGLAND

Parents highlight the need for help to improvecommunication between family members. 24%have experience of mediation and 14% identify it asa service they would like to see in place in future.

Families access mediation through local housingauthorities and their partners and also throughhealth and social services.

By providing an outside view, mediation andfamily support helps parents and young peopletalk to each other and perhaps more importantly,to listen to each other:

[The mediator] encouraged a good level ofcommunication between us and paved the wayforward. She looked at things from bothperspectives; mine and [my son’s]. She has abalanced and broad view. When I had nowhereto turn, it was great to find her. I could justoffload my problems. She listened and washonest about it all. I don’t know what I’d havedone without someone like her to talk to.

Interviewees describe the benefits of mediationthrough its focus on the positive. Mediation usesa solutions-focused approach and works withboth parties to consider what they want tohappen and what is realistic. In itself, this helpsparents to think about what is reasonable, notabout what is wrong.

The mediator helped me to bring my solutions,not problems all the time and… stand back abit more.

Because of the mediation, [my son] could seeI was trying to help which made his behaviourimprove a bit. That helped us to get on better...things are still not perfect but I can cope andwe can talk to each other and we’ve learnt tosee things from each others’ point of view.

Talking and listening helps not only parentsand their teenagers, but also relationships withother members of the family and relationshipsbetween siblings.

They set up a mediation meeting between bothbrothers as well as me [mother]. It was veryhelpful, though at first we weren’t sure andwere suspicious it would work. It got them [thebrothers] speaking to one another rather thanalways fighting and shouting and this made itpossible for them to live under one roof again.

Parents who have not experienced mediation aremore hesitant about talking with strangers abouttheir family. In some cases, one or more of theparties simply refused to have anything to dowith mediation.

They suggested mediation to try and resolvethe issues between us [mother and daughter]but my daughter wasn’t keen on this. I wouldhave given it a go, as things how they were;I was tearing my hair out.

Parents are keen to be able to access mediationbefore the family reaches breaking point.

Before it reached two years of arguing, it wouldhave been good to have someone to talk toabout where it went wrong. It would be goodfor parents to have a counsellor to provideguidance regarding where they are going wrong and also for the parent to think andbe honest about where they are going wrong.But if I’d had that, I might be able to have myson living under the same roof as me.



SUPPORTING PARENTS AND PARENTING

educate and support other groups of parents. Inthis way, it develops skills within the communityand leaves them to grow in that environment. Itis an innovative model which offers support forparents, improves communication within familiesand so can enable families to avoid crisesincluding homelessness among their children.

Hyde Housing also became involved when itrecognised that there was a need for familysupport work on its estates: while there weredifferent youth work projects, there was nothingsuitable for parents. In 2008, Hyde Housingcommissioned In-Volve to run a 16-weekprogramme in Lambeth.

In October 2008, RISE Leadership continued toseek funding to continue its work on estates inLambeth, particularly the Metropolitan and Hydeestates, and to develop the project to runalongside other social housing providers.

Contacts: Sharon Sealey of the Hyde Group:[email protected] Anderson of RISE Leadership:[email protected] Viv Ahmun of In-Volve: [email protected]

AGENCY CASE STUDY: RISE LEADERSHIP

RISE Leadership Programme: Hyde HousingAssociation and Hyde Plus, Stockwell RISE Leadership is the first parent-led,community approach to parenting issues, runby parents for parents in Lambeth. Participantswho previously were engaged in a parentingprogramme devised by In-Volve and piloted bythe Metropolitan Housing Trust in Brixton, wenton to establish their own organisation, RISELeadership.

The RISE Leadership programme offerspersonal development opportunities for parentsand finds that those taking part become moreable to make a difference in their homes,communities and as residents. One of theimmediate benefits for participants is theimproved ability to ask their neighbours for help. The programme also impacts on parenting. Bycreating a local structure for support, parentshave felt better able to understand their roles asparents and so to support their children. Theprogramme helps parents to build theirconfidence in communicating and so helpsparents prevent the crisis of homelessness.

“If [a young person] is oldenough to act out anddemand independence,they are old enough tohear [their parent’s] sideof the story.” (MaureenAnderson, foundingmember, RISELeadership)

In turn, this helps parents to listen to theirteenagers and to let them know that “theiropinions count, that they are respected and inturn they learn to trust and respect others andare able to make considered decisions forthemselves”.

RISE Leadership first engages parents with theprogramme and then goes on to train them to


20 YMCA ENGLAND

AGENCY CASE STUDY:PARENTLINE PLUS

Parentline Plus provides parenting supportthrough a national telephone advice line,websites www.parentlineplus.org.uk andwww.gotateenager.org.uk and local projects.

In Bristol, Parentline Plus runs parentinggroups and workshops and offers one-to-oneassistance in response to the lack ofstructured, easily accessible support forparents of older children and teenagers.

Groups are run by parents who have receivedtraining and accreditation in FacilitatingParenting Education and so are well-placed tooffer peer support. Parents learn listeningskills to help them respond to young people’sconcerns, and assertiveness skills to helpthem set boundaries and feel more confidentin their parenting.

By supporting parents of adolescents to bemore confident and relaxed with theirteenagers and to communicate more openly,the service works to prevent family criseswhich can lead to homelessness. Where thereis a crisis and family breakdown, it redirectsparents to services that provide specialisthelp.

Commissioned through the parenting strategythe work is funded through the Department forChildren, Schools and Families (DCSF); theParenting Fund; Barclaycard; charitable trustsand Neighbourhood Renewal.

In 2007-08, 650 parents used the servicewhich has four staff and sessional workers.They offer a range of services, some of whichare based in the neighbourhood in which theservice is based. The work is promotedthrough a wide range of organisationscommonly used by parents, including GPs andsolicitors, as well as statutory agencies.Common Assessment Framework panels areused to build up a greater awareness of theirservices and engage multi-agency workingwhere possible.

Contact Safiyyah Cooper, Senior ParentSupport Coordinator, Parentline Plus,[email protected].

Just two parents have actually participatedin parenting programmes but overall, 34% ofparents would like to see parenting classesor groups available in future.

Then you could chat and get ideas off otherpeople – that’s worked for us, maybe thatwould work for you.

Interviewees who have not been to parentinggroups have concerns about whether suchgroups would help and may be reluctant todiscuss personal issues in a public forum.

I think you’d all just moan about your ownkids and then just go away thinking the sameanyway… I think it’d just become acomplaining group…

You don’t like to think that you’ve not doneright by your children, nobody does.

For some, a more individual solution is moreappropriate; in Gloucester for example,Parentline Plus is piloting a parenting supportprogramme by telephone. Other parents findsupport through their GP services.

I see my GP every three weeks to get mymedicine [for depression], so I can chat throughthe other issues about my daughter then.

Agencies consulted also recognise the need toovercome the perception that such programmesare critical of parents and suggest that we needto look at ways parents are already succeeding:

Rather than point at their weaknesses lookat parents’ potential.



INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY LISA

Lisa has had mental health issues andbehavioural problems since the age of four.Her mother and younger sister have oftenbeen subject to Lisa’s mood swings and violentoutbursts and have been struggling to cope.Lisa recently decided to go and live with herboyfriend in a very unstable relationship.

Lisa was referred to the local Child andAdolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)by her primary school. Since then Lisa and hermother have worked with psychologists, SocialServices, her GP and Lisa’s school.

Following a particularly violent outburst as ateenager, Lisa was referred to CAMHS for asecond time. The CAMHS worker suggestedthat Lisa’s mother might be interested in takingpart in a ten-week parenting programme.The programme offered opportunities to meetother parents for mutual support and providedinformation on parenting skills including settingboundaries, maintaining discipline, respectingparent and child’s emotional needs andbecoming a more confident and understandingparent. Lisa’s mother was keen to try anythingshe could to help Lisa, so agreed to give theprogramme a go.

At first you all sit there and nobody speaksand then by the end of the ten weeks peoplebecame used to sharing with the group asthey got to know each other and found itextremely beneficial. You had a break halfwaythrough, so in that break you could actuallychat and then you got back to what you’dcome to do.

I liked being able to talk to other mums anddads and find out what they were goingthrough. That was useful actually; becauseeverybody was in… well, some were even insituations worse than us. It was nice to talkto other parents, because you don’t reallytalk to your work friends about how badthings are, or your family, as you don’t reallywant them to know… but at least thereyou can talk.

It’s liberating because it makes you realisethat you are important too, you’re not justmum, you have your own dreams and ambitions.

Lisa’s mother felt that she benefited more thanparents for whom attendance was compulsory.She found though that the techniques shewas taught were most appropriate for youngerchildren and as Lisa got older their effectivenessseemed to decrease. However, she would doit again if she had the opportunity.

The most useful thing about [the parentingprogramme] was meeting other parents andknowing others were going through the sameas you – or worse. I’d do it again if had thechance. Just having somewhere you couldgo for a cuppa and a chat.


22 YMCA ENGLAND

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE

with high needs, enabling a cross-departmentapproach to delivering structured support.

Staff will seek to involve the whole family infinding solutions to the presenting crisis. Thismight involve asking the family for a periodof time in which the young person can stay athome “while we all work out a planned move”or finding a temporary placement with otherfamily members while the SRT arranges aplanned move. Staff members find that simply“giving families breathing space” is veryeffective. Team Manager Seema Chotedescribed how “just getting help and seeingthat there is a way out” sometimes makes allthe difference. Where it is needed, parentingsupport and advice about a range of issuesis offered and families are directed to otherservices as appropriate.

Contact Seema Chote, Team Manager,Support and Resettlement Team,[email protected].

AGENCY CASE STUDY: BROMLEYSUPPORT AND RESETTLEMENT TEAM

London Borough of BromleyBromley’s Support and Resettlement Team(SRT) is part of the council’s Housing OptionsTeam. Funded through Homelessness Servicesand Supporting People, Bromley’s specialistYoung People’s Team works with 16- and 17-year-olds with housing needs as well as carryingout homelessness assessments for this group.

The team comprises six staff: an assessmentofficer; a homelessness officer; a clerical officer;two support and resettlement officers anda team leader.

The benefit of a multi-agency team is that itcan offer both expertise in working with youngpeople and an integrated approach within abroader framework. Accommodation is usuallyprovided in supported lodgings.

The team aims to work with all 16- and 17-year-olds approaching the London Borough BromleyHomelessness service. The staff are skilled atworking holistically with 16- and 17-year-oldsand address a range of immediate needs whilehaving easy referral routes to specialist agencieswhere needed.

The aim is to prevent homelessness by reconcilingparents and young people where possible,providing opportunities for education, training oremployment and, where appropriate, providingaccess to housing and with planned support.

This includes an independent local mediationprovider, Children’s Services and the YouthOffending Team (YOT) and the SRT refers allyoung people to Connexions. In addition, housingsurgeries are held at Connexions on a weeklybasis and bi-weekly at the YOT, enabling earlyintervention to prevent homelessness.

From October 2008, a new Adolescents Teamhas Social Workers to conduct interviews andinitial assessments for all 16- and 17-year-oldswho approach Bromley Council for housing.Staff members work closely with Children’sServices where parents and young people present



Parents highlight a number of areas wheresupport specifically for their children is needed:

Education, Employment and TrainingSpeaking about issues relating to young people’slifestyles, parents recognise how important it isthat their children engage in learning oremployment. One mother describes how herdaughter lost her job when she was movingaround from place to place.

You have to think about the relationshipbetween having a place to live and a job – onedoesn’t go without the other. She [daughter]had a job on a trial period but sometimes shehad to stay quite some distance from the job.Then because she didn’t turn up every day shedidn’t pass the trial.

Others describe the stresses placed on the familywhen a young person is living at home, but notmaking any contribution:

He needs to move on and make a life forhimself as an adult. I know life has not beeneasy for him but he must now shoulder theburden of adulthood and get a job and get onwith life. Doing nothing all day can only lead totrouble.

Mental health and wellbeing If you called [CAMHS], they would phoneyou back or come and see you straight away.They were approachable, easy to talk to andwilling to help.

Several parents highlighted concerns over theirteenager’s mental health. While most describe thedifficulties of coping alone, some have receivedcounselling and a few have received support fromChild and Adolescent Mental Health Services(CAMHS) and describe some of the positivecontributions from and concerns about, thisservice.

The [CAMHS] Counsellor was good becauseshe put her foot down... she stood up to [mydaughter] more than others have done. But thenshe went on maternity leave and [my daughter]was passed to various other members of staffbut didn’t benefit as much... and then when sheturned 16, it was hard to get help

The role of schools[My daughter’s] school provided her with helpwhen she became homeless. She got quite a lotof help from them about where to go.

Parents have experience of working with schoolsregarding attendance, bullying or support needs.As a result, schools are seen by parents as beingin a good position to take on an early diagnosticrole, to notice changes in children and to workwith parents to identify and resolve problems.

My granddaughter was offered counsellingthrough her school... when her mum washeavily dependent on drug usage.

[My son] struggled to attend school over a longperiod of time... We worked closely with theschool about this.

Parents and agencies recognise the pressuresschools are under but both see schools as aspringboard to stimulate the development offamily support services.

It would have been better to have had moreunderstanding from the school but they get somuch pressure to get good statistics. It putsschools off having disruptive children in the class.

Youth activitiesParents are also clear about the importance ofprovision for all young people and particularlythose facing difficulties. Several intervieweestalked about young people needing activitiesand the consequences of not having suchopportunities:

They should bring back youth clubs – evengoing to the cinema costs a fortune.

When I was young… you always knew youcould go somewhere and you would bewelcome and there’d be friends… and I thinkreally and truly that’s what the kids have lostnow – I think that’s why they get in these gangsand everything, because they’re roaming aboutthe streets and there is just nothing other thanmischief to get up to.

[My son] needed to be out more, mixing withhis peer group. He needed to be active anddevelop skills, not just be sitting at thecomputer... He seemed to spend more andmore time on the computer at the same timeas his behaviour was deteriorating.


24 YMCA ENGLAND

Providing SuitableAccomodation

Young people have to be helped to getknowledge and life experience for themselves –in a sheltered environment, ideally at home – orfind a safe way for them to do this outside ofthe home.

74% of respondents consider supportedaccommodation to be the most suitable for 16-and 17-year-olds who cannot live with their family.

Parents are clear that the decision no longer toaccommodate their teenager is one not takenlightly. When it is offered, parents express howhelpful access to alternative accommodation canbe, both in relation to the immediate crisis and inhelping them to sustain their relationships withtheir children.

I think if we’d have had to, sort of like, liveunder the same roof for any more length of timeI think it just would have got worse and worse.

While many parents see supportedaccommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds as a lastresort, it is certainly the case that for some youngpeople it is essential for their safety. 10% of theparents interviewed say that their child leftbecause they had been subjected to violencewithin the home; this figure is likely to beunderestimated as some interviewees will nothave disclosed details of violence or abuse withinthe family. For these young people, supportedaccommodation offers a lifeline, in terms of boththe accommodation – having somewhere safe tolive – and the support tailored to their specific andoften higher, level of need. Parents also discusssituations in which young people are at risk fromothers and suggest that accommodation awayfrom their home area is needed.

Parents are clear that 16- and 17-year-olds livingseparately from their parents need somewherewith structured support and adult involvementand agree that bed & breakfast accommodationis not suitable.

When they are that age, they are just kidsunderneath, for all their wantingto be treated like adults.

SHORT-STAY ACCOMMODATION

AGENCY CASE STUDY: TIME OUTACCOMODATION SERVICE

London Borough of LambethTime Out AccommodationLambeth’s Time Out Accommodation Serviceopened in March 2008. The core aim of theservice is to improve relationships between youngpeople and their families, so that they can eitherreturn home or rebuild the family relationshipand continue to receive support if they move onto alternative accommodation. It has a dedicatedmediation suite, 20 bedrooms and offers youngpeople aged 16 and 17 in conflict with familiesa short break of 6 to 8 weeks away from home.During this time, each young person and theirparent is offered mediation and young peopleare offered housing-related and life skills support.At the end of the stay, it is hoped that the youngperson will return home, with the offer of ongoingmediation provided for up to 6 months.

Jointly funded by the Lambeth CouncilSupporting People Team and the HousingDepartment, the Time Out AccommodationService is managed by Lookahead Housingand Care who provide housing-related supportwith 24-hour staffing cover on site. Deliveredin partnership with the Alone in Londonmediation service, a full-time mediation officeris based at the Time Out service. All referralsare from Lambeth Housing in-house FamilySupport Service and the Housing Serviceholds the housing management responsibilityfor the building.

Time Out provides a model of interventionwhich works holistically with the whole family.When a young person moves into the service,both the new resident and their parent signsan “Enabling Change Contract”. This sets outthe main issues that have been identified andneed addressing, the structure of support thatwill be delivered and the house rules.

Mediation is compulsory; time-bound and hasthe intended outcome of family reconciliationand a return home. The delivery of mediation onsite, in a building in which young people feelcomfortable and by a person they know, is seenas one of the key success factors of this service.

Contact Mike Bansback, Time Out,[email protected].



INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY CHRIS

Chris had a difficult childhood – his parents’marriage broke down when he was a baby,partly due to his father’s drug addiction. Chrisand his mother moved frequently and Chrisfound it difficult to settle in a new home andnew school.

When Chris was 11, his mother started a newrelationship and subsequently got married.Chris struggled with this and his relationshipwith his mother deteriorated. He began gettinginto minor trouble with the police, kept badcompany and became involved in a gang whothreatened him repeatedly.

As things at home continued to be difficult,Chris’ aunt called the local authority andasked for help with housing him.

When we spoke with his mother Tom hadbeen in emergency accommodation for twoweeks, while the local authority assessed hisneeds. Mediation sessions had started andhis mother feels that Chris has already begunto change.

Now he is beginning to realise – funnilyenough, since he has been away fromhome… It’s not so much his behaviour, it’shis attitude. He seems to be more positive.He’s been to Connexions and is talkingabout a plastering course in Septemberwith college. But it is early days yet sowe are breathing very gently!

If someone had listened to me, as a single mumfinding it difficult to cope with a boy withspecial needs, if I’d had someone to talk to…Just a bit of respite care, someone to have himovernight every now and then would have helped.

Some parents arrange such respiteaccommodation themselves. Several childrenhave experience of living with extended familyand many parents think this is the best optionfor children living away from home:

If they can’t live with their parents, ideally itwould be best with that they stayed with closefamily such as grandparents or aunties, uncles.

Three parents have experience of schemesoffering short-stay accommodation. At thetime of the interviews one young person hadreturned home, one had moved on to suitableaccommodation and the third was still livingtemporarily away from home.

These parents stress the importance for clarityregarding the scope of these arrangements sothat families understand that the accommodationis short term and that the young person mightreturn home after a brief period away.

Anecdotally, agencies report that a significantproportion of young people (particularly thoseunder 18) do return to the family home afterstaying in supported accommodation.

SUPPORTED LODGINGS

If there is no extended family, there shouldbe somewhere, someone that is checked…sensible people who have a lot of patienceand who have got a big heart – lots ofpatience and lots of common sense.

Supported lodgings offer accommodation foryoung people within a family home. The youngperson has their own room and shares thekitchen and bathroom facilities with the familyor householder for as little as one day, upto two years.

If support was given earlier and included abreak here and there, families would not breakdown beyond repair.

36% of parents want short-term accommodationfor their teenage children. Those who make use ofsome kind of respite, either formally or informallyarranged, report that their relationships with theirchildren improve when they live apart for a periodof time. Parents discuss how having ‘breathingspace’ enables parents and children to reassesstheir situations and relationships while a returnhome or elsewhere is negotiated. Parents talkabout how frustrations can build up, leading tofamily breakdowns and homelessness for theyoung person.


26 YMCA ENGLAND

Supported lodgings schemes offering short-termaccommodation are often used as a form ofassessment and respite provision. This is becomingan increasingly common practice for local authorityteams working with 16- and 17-year-olds.

42% of parents think that supported lodgings area good option for 16- and 17-year-olds. None ofthe respondents have formal experience ofsupported lodgings, though, as one parentreflected, this option appeared to be similar to theway other family members had provided a placefor her son to live.

Parents anticipate that, away from immediatefamily, their child would find it easier to followboundaries set by lodgings providers. Many arerealistic about the strengths of supported lodgingsschemes and about their timeliness.

Supported lodgings might have made adifference... I think if she’d gone in one when shewas 16… she wouldn’t have left, got chuckedout... it would be hard now though because [mydaughter] is used to coming and going as shepleases, so it would be hard to get back intothat family structure of rules and regulations.

SUPPORTED (HOSTEL) ACCOMMODATION

INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY: TOM

Following the break-up of his parents’ marriagewhen he was 15, Tom became increasinglywithdrawn and aggressive.

At 16, Tom left college. He stayed at home a lot,playing on the computer and sleeping in late. Hehad little motivation and no routine in his life.Tom expected his mother to provide him withmoney to go out with his friends.

The crisis happened when Tom’s mother wentaway for a weekend leaving Tom staying withfriends. While she was away, Tom had a key tothe house cut, let himself in and lied to herabout it when she came home. He thenthreatened to damage the apartment when sheconfronted him about it.

He was growing apart from me, and wasbecoming someone I didn’t recognise.

Tom, she felt, had become too much for her andshe told him he had to leave. She found this tobe a very difficult decision to make and saysthat had there been another alternative shewould have taken it.

In an ideal world I would’ve like to have seenTom… still being at home and me not havingto make that decision to force him out of thefamily home. I would’ve liked to have him goof his own accord when he was ready to gorather than have this situation where I havehad to make him go.

Initially Tom went to the Citizens Advice Bureau(CAB) for help. The CAB gave him the telephonenumber for Social Services who in turn referredhim on to the Housing Department and finally tothe YMCA’s Step-In project.

The YMCA worker helped Tom and his motherdiscuss their options and together they decidedTom and his mother should live apart. Tom wassupported in applying for a place in a localsupported housing project.

It was a safer option for me because I knewthat Tom would be in a secure… place whereit was manned… I wanted the best for Tomand I didn’t want to just chuck him out on thestreets and forget about him and disown him.I think he needed that to stand on his owntwo feet.

Since Tom moved out of home, everything haschanged. His relationship with his mother hasimproved. They are talking again and once aweek, they meet for dinner.

He’s a totally different boy now that he’sindependent. He has realised now that livingon your own and having to budget yourmoney isn’t easy. He didn’t know the valueof what it cost to run a property and I thinkthe reality of having his own place has madehim understand.



Supported accommodation gives young peoplethe chance to see what it would be like to liveon their own and to learn to do things forthemselves.

When they are no longer able to live with theirchildren, 62% of parents say they value theopportunities provided by semi-independentaccommodation such as YMCAs and other foyersand hostels. In these settings, their child has thesupport of adults while living alongside their peersand learning how to live independently.

For some, the benefit of supported accommodationis that it provides an environment for learninglife skills:

In [my daughters] case, being pregnant andhaving a baby, she needs to have a place wherethere is good support and training on how tolook after a baby, as she doesn’t have a clue yetabout cooking or being independent, let alonelooking after someone else.

Parents believe that learning to manage peerrelationships is a key aspect of growing up andsay that accommodation for 16- and 17-year-oldsneeds to have staff on-site and overnight, toassist young people with managing visitors. Thiswould help young people to feel secure and tolearn how to manage boundaries. One parentthought this would offer:

Somewhere where she feels safe.


28 YMCA ENGLAND

ConclusionsHousing is often only one of many issues youngpeople and their families have to deal with. By thetime their child reaches 16 years old, families mayhave been managing their difficulties for severalyears and have usually tried a number of ways toresolve them. A decision to live apart is often alast resort, and the contributing problems thenbecome hidden behind the crisis ofhomelessness.

Parents hope that living apart will prove to be abetter option than continuing to cope with thedifficulties of living together. However, all toooften, while leaving home has the potential tosolve some of the issues, homelessness itselfleads to additional struggles.

In response to the needs of families andcommunities, the structure of available servicesneeds to be readdressed using a multi-facetedapproach, making better use of availableresources. Many of the ideas which have beencontributed to this report offer realistic solutionsto the problems faced by parents and youngpeople. Parents want a change in the process ofservice delivery as much as its outcomes andoften their concerns focus on how services aredelivered.

Parents and agencies agree that earlier and easieraccess to services is imperative to preventhomelessness among 16- and 17-year-olds. Fromthe parents’ perspective, schools and youthservices have a key role to play. For local housingauthorities this raises the need to work inpartnership with Children’s Services.

Early access to services is hampered by a lack ofinformation and a perceived stigma attached torequesting help. Information and advice needs tobe available to parents in places that families visitas part of their daily routines if parents are tomake best use of homelessness prevention andother advice services.

Parenting programmes have not yet had asignificant impact on the families consulted andagencies report that the emphasis on parentingskills has tended to be on parents of youngerchildren. Such programmes have the potential toprovide significant support for parents, and thisissues needs to be explored further. In order to betruly effective, parent support needs to becomeas universal as antenatal support.

The relationship that young people have with theirparents is critical and needs to be taken intoaccount in order for young people to avoidpotential crises. Extended families play aparticular role in providing support andaccommodation. There may be significant gainsto be made for young people and families if theirrole is better recognised and information andresources provided.

Family support (including mediation andcounselling) has a role to play in supporting familycommunication and providing an outsideperspective. Homelessness mediation has ahigher success rate in keeping communicationopen, than in preventing homelessness directly:by the time they reach this point, families areoften in real crisis. Earlier intervention would bemore preventative. There is potential for jointcommissioning family support and mediationservices with Children’s Services.

Parents of 16- and 17-year-olds retain a strongrelationship with their child’s school, whether ornot that relationship is positive. Schools often playa leading role in working with parents to managetheir child’s problems and behaviour and are seenas a valuable arena for support and preventionwork.

Local authorities and their partners haveresponded to an increased demand foraccommodation to meet the particular needs of16- and 17-year-olds by developing a range ofaccommodation options for young people whocannot live with their parents.

There is scope for developing accommodationwith the capacity for planned short-term staysfurther. By building in breaks for families, suchrespite has the potential to sustain families in thelong term. In order to make such flexibleaccommodation available, financial barriers mustbe removed.

Integrated accommodation and mediationservices provide separation for both adults andyoung people while building bridges betweenthem.



Young people at risk from others need support tostay safe and may need secure accommodationaway from their home area, as has beendeveloped for women escaping domesticviolence. For this to be workable, boroughs wouldneed to develop joint protocols and joint workingpractices to manage such referrals and housingproviders would have to be included to ensure theprovision of appropriate accommodation.

Overall, parents remain positive concerning theavailable options that would enable their youngpeople to make transitions from the family hometo independence at the appropriate time. They arerealistic about their young people’s support needsand see supported accommodation as a lastresort, when it becomes impossible for youngpeople to stay at home. Further research mayhelp to better understand the protective factorsinvolved in families who successfully manageteenagers’ transitions to independence.

Parents and extended family members play a keyrole in supporting and accommodating vulnerableyoung people. The significance of theircontribution and their views on what works mustbe recognised when planning and deliveringservices if we are to prevent homelessness andpave the way for better outcomes for youngpeople.


30 YMCA ENGLAND

RecommendationsIn the light of the findings of this report, YMCAEngland recommends that the following beadopted by relevant policy makers, commissionersand service providers:

1 Increased financial investment in familysupport schemes (including mediation andcounselling) which serve to intervene at allrelevant stages of upbringing and not onlyat crisis points.

2 The introduction of support programmesfor families with teenagers at risk ofhomelessness, to be incorporated intoestablished services such as health,youth services and schools.

3 The adaptation of existing parenting strategiesand programmes to better respond to familieswith teenagers, including the potentialinitiation of peer support.

4 Increased availability of information andservice access-points in community,educational and health settings, to enableparents to find help earlier.

5 The provision of clear, accurate and timelyinformation about what services are availableto young people and families, along withdetails of how to access them.

6 The development and implementationof holistic assessments and integratedservices, which recognise that teenagehomelessness is often symptomatic of awider collection of issues causing familiesto break down. The Common AssessmentFramework and Targeted Youth Supportreforms that are currently underwayrepresent an opportunity for this.

7 The adoption of service models which buildon families’ desire to explore problems, identifyrelevant competencies and skills areas andwork proactively towards effective solutions.

8 Increased information-sharing and the removalof financial barriers to strengthen and sustainthe role played by immediate and extendedfamilies in providing support, care andaccommodation for teenagers at risk.

9 Increased flexibility in the approach ofsupported accommodation, which recognisesthe specific needs of 16- and 17-year-oldswho need accommodation for short periodsof time, with repeated use expected as partof growing up.

10 Increased access to suitable accommodationfor 16- and 17-year-olds with accompanyingadult support to provide guidance and toensure young people remain safe.

11 An ongoing family focus for young peoplewhile in supported accommodation.

12 The increased involvement of young peopleand families in decision-making processes,ensuring that services are tailored towardstheir specific needs.



Appendix: Parenting Questionnaire

1. How old was your child when s/he first left home?

2. What was the main reason s/he left?

❑ Old enough to manage on their own ❑ Parents moving ❑ Problems with neighbours

❑ Not enough space ❑ To find a job, go to college, ❑ Drug/alcohol use

❑ Behaviour issues school or training

❑ Money issues ❑ Becoming a parent or pregnant

❑ Other (please state)

3. Who has helped you with your child’s housing needs? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ Family ❑ GP ❑ Housing advice (council)

❑ Other parents ❑ School ❑ Housing advice (other)

❑ The YMCA ❑ Youth services ❑ Mediation

❑ Parenting class ❑ I have not had any help


4. Who was the most helpful to you?

5. What was it that made it particularly helpful to you? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ Flexible opening times ❑ Easy to get to ❑ Welcoming staff

❑ Quick appointments ❑ Home visits ❑ Good advice

❑ Clear information ❑ Helped us to live together ❑ Helped us find accommodation


6. What happened as a result? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ My child remained in the family home ❑ My child found a suitable ❑ Our family was able

❑ Our family knew more about place to live to get other help

housing options ❑ Things got better in our family ❑ Nothing changed


7. What would improve these services? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ Longer opening hours ❑ Earlier help ❑ Short-term accommodation

❑ Quicker to get an appointment (before a crisis happens) in a crisis

❑ Better information about housing options ❑ Home visits ❑ Good advice

❑ Easier access to other services ❑ More welcoming staff


8. Do you think extra help could prevent families breaking down and a young person from leaving home?❑ Yes ❑ No


32 YMCA ENGLAND

9. In future, what would you like to see in place to help families whose childrenmight be at risk of becoming homeless? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ Support to help families live together ❑ School ❑ Short-term accommodation

❑ Housing advice ❑ Youth Services in times of crisis (respite)

❑ Parenting groups ❑ Help from other parents

❑ Help from family ❑ Mediation


10. What type of accommodation do you think is most suitable for 16/17-year-oldswho cannot live with their family? (Please tick all that apply)

❑ B&B ❑ Private flat ❑ Other supported

❑ Friends ❑ Housing Association flat accommodation

❑ Room in shared house ❑ The YMCA

❑ Council flat ❑ Supported lodgings


11. What one thing do you think would really make a difference?

12. Is there anything else you would like to add?



ReferencesCommunities and Local Government (2008a),Table 632: Homeless households accepted by local authorities, by Priority Need category

Communities and Local Government (2008b),Statutory Homelessness in England: TheExperience of Families and 16-17-year-olds -Homelessness Research Summary Number 7

Quilgars, D., Johnsen S. and Pleace N.(2008), Youth Homelessness in the UK,Joseph Rowntree Foundation

YMCA England, 2007, On the Right Track,Consulting young people about the NationalYouth Homelessness Scheme

Hove YMCA, 2008, Breaking it down, aconsultation with Parents about the Causesof Homelessness in Brighton and Hove.


34 YMCA ENGLAND

National Council of Young Men’s Christian Associations (Incorporated).A company limited by guarantee, registered in London. Company number 73749.Registered office: 640 Forest Road, London E17 3DZ.

Charity number 212810Housing Corporation number LH2204

www.ymca.org.uk

breaking it down: developing whole-family approaches to youth homelessness · 2014-10-30 ·...

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