night shelter briefing structure · night shelter advice there is no formal advice published by...
TRANSCRIPT
Night Shelter Briefing Structure
Where we are today and rough sleeping moving forward
Outline of current public health position on night shelters
Practical advice for what night shelters can be doing now to prepare
COVID 19 – Night Shelter response time line
21
Main Decent begins21st March 2020
20
Virus Peak
23
Lockdown
begins
PM Statement
23rd March 2020
Main Decant complete All WNS projects
now empty
1st April 2020
01
07
12 week
hotel
bookings end
07
Furlough scheme over, PRS evictions begin / uptick Short Description
Q3 2020
Shelter season
begins
Shelter
season ends
11
20
Virus Peak 15
Official
recession
begins
01
Winter flu season beginsHistorically week 40
Shelter bed
peak
01
Winter flu peakHistorically week 03-04
Likely second wave
range
Christmas bed dip
March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
20202021
Phased “unlock measures begin”11 May 2020
COVID-19 Transmission rates night shelters (USA examples)
Where we are today and rough sleeping moving
forward
Up to 15,000 people were provided emergency accommodation in England,
around 6,000 with recent history of rough sleeping.
HJ estimates at least 1,000 winter night shelter guests were moved into hotels
during March.
With the overwhelming majority of people in winter night shelters now in
statutory provided accommodation, many of the issues night shelters have
grappled with for some time are the same issues being tackled in hotels and
emergency accommodation, particularly around immigration status and NRPF.
Nationality among night shelter guests (London)
Rough Sleeping in the months ahead Current numbers of people on the street are lower than this time last year, but
anecdotal evidence indicates that people are coming on to the street in recent
weeks as the lockdown eases
As the economic impacts of COVID hit the real economy, and state support such
as furlough and PRS evictions ban are withdrawn, presentations at LA homeless
departments will increase (see timeline), with the obvious potential for there to
be an increase in rough sleeping.
There is no consensus among policy makers about what rough sleeping
numbers will be in the autumn / winter 2020/21. Need and response could look
very different in different areas.
Night Shelter Advice
There is no formal advice published by government, but LAs have been advised
that “dormitory style” night shelters are not safe at the current time.
HJ / Homeless Link have been working with PHE and others on an action plan
for shelters to get projects ready for re-opening where this is possible.
Clinical input is now being received to the action plan, but we have no firm date
on when or if this will be published.
What are the health concerns about re-opening shelters?
1. Ventilation: Communal indoor airspace presents the main transmission risk -
social distancing doesn’t overcome this.
2. Bathroom ratios: Infection risk increases considerably the more people who
share a bathroom.
3. Guest contacts: Keeping information on guests to enable contact tracing (there
being implications for referrals etc).
4. Social distancing (SD): SD inside shelters will be necessary as in other walks of
life (shops, public transport etc). This will significantly impact bed numbers.
5. Use of multiple buildings: This has a big impact on the number of contacts,
particularly over the course of a week, between shelter users, staff, volunteers.
Known Knowns
Seven night roaming / rotating night shelters seem impossible from a public
health perspective at this stage.
Concerns over social distancing will mean we will all have to make revisions to
how these projects operate, meaning less beds.
Even in the best case scenario it will not be possible to completely eliminate the
risk of infection in a night shelter and it may be possible that even where
projects are able to run in different settings, there may still be issues.
What can night shelter projects do now?
1. Engage with your LA now - speak to the local authority rough sleeper lead to
find out local authority plans and have a discussion about your project.
2. Plan for different scenarios - e.g. not being able to run the night shelter,
having to run it in an alternative building, having a reduced number of beds.
3. Explore locally other alternatives - e.g. shared houses, static venues,
appropriate buildings, hosting, mentoring and befriending.
4. Think about time and money required for the changes - e.g. planning lead in
times, fundraising asks etc.
5. Have strategic discussions now about what your response - e.g. trustee
meetings.
How can HJ help?
We will facilitate discussions with LAs, just ask.
Publish best practice examples of new models of supporting people
experiencing homelessness.
Host a series of local events and thematic workshops on alternatives, emerging
best practice (e.g. shared houses, alternative venues, mentoring and
befriending, hosting etc).
Feedback your concerns / issues to influence decision making / advice.
Use this form on our website.
List of recent central government announcementsDate Topic Link
23rd June 2020 Announcement of additional £85m for emergency accommodation and re-allocation of existing £20m
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/105-million-to-keep-rough-sleepers-safe-and-off-the-streets-during-coronavirus-pandemic
7th June 2020 List of successful grants to the Homeless Link administered central government grant for Homeless Charities
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charities-to-benefit-from-support-for-rough-sleepers-during-pandemic
26th May 2020 Dame Louise Casey call for faith and community partners to be part of the Everybody In solution
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dame-louise-casey-calls-on-community-partners-to-help-with-covid-19-rough-sleeping-crisis
23rd May 2020 Funding for homes for rough sleepers https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-000-new-supported-homes-as-part-of-landmark-commitment-to-end-rough-sleeping
Other useful info
Topic Description Link
Local Public Health Teams
Your local Public Health team is part of the council, if you can't find their details via the council website then contact the regional Public Heath team:
www.gov.uk/guidance/contacts-phe-regions-and-local-centres
Heatwaveadvice for supporting people sleeping rough
Blog from Homeless Link about support for people experiencing homelessness during the summer heatwave
https://www.homeless.org.uk/connect/blogs/2020/jun/23/hot-weather-and-homelessness-%E2%80%93-preventing-deaths-in-summer
Area Link
Boston, USA https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.6887
Chicago, USA https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/5/21/21266311/covid-19-outbreak-homeless-shelter-raises-concerns-some-staying-there
Seattle, USA https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6917e2.htm
Toronto, Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ-HjC_aHyQ https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/covid-19-spreads-in-homeless-shelter-who-seeks-funds-in-the-news-for-april-25
San Francisco, USA
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/04/19/coronavirus-update-san-francisco-homeless-shelter-outbreak-grows-to-over-100-confirmed-cases/
Background info: Infection rates among rough sleepers in North America
Area Link
Philadelphia , USA
https://www.inquirer.com/news/covid-outbreak-death-philadelphia-homeless-shelter-after-city-broke-up-encampment-convention-center-20200501.html
New York, USA https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/socialpolicy/2020/06/01/new-yorks-homeless-population-should-not-be-pushed-into-the-shadows-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
LA, USA https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/coronavirus-spreads-to-most-skid-row-homeless-shelters-despite-efforts-to-stop-it/2360838/
USA, 5 State night shelter study
https://jamanetwork.com/channels/health-forum/fullarticle/2765745
Background info: Infection rates among rough sleepers in North America