Taking a Housing First Approach

Brenda Parker is a Housing Advice Development Worker for Housing Rights Service and works at HMP Maghaberry.  She recently attended the European Housing First Conference held in Berlin in October. There are Housing First projects operating throughout the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA. 

Below, Brenda explains how learning about Housing First has inspired a change in her perspective on homelessness solutions for prisoners.

Prisoners, ex-offenders and homelessness

With very few exceptions, our clients within the prisons who are homeless identify the solution to their housing problem as securing a permanent home. The aspiration is to have “a key to their own front door”… sleep in their own bed, cook meals of their choice in their own kitchen and to have a base from where healthy community and personal relationships can be nurtured.

This is, of course, what all of us fundamentally needs and deserves in order to live a dignified life.   The aspiration of our client group is the commonsense approach which any one of us would adopt if faced with the problem of homelessness in our personal lives.

On top of the worries of being without a home, our clients are too often faced with additional complex difficulties such as

• mental ill health,
• chronic addiction,
• negative peer group influence and
• a host of associated behavioural problems which are likely to be linked to the offence for which they have been imprisoned in the first place.

In other words; they are trapped within a cycle of homelessness, addiction and associated offending behaviour which causes harm to our communities. The huge social and financial cost of this cycle is well documented.

The “Housing Options” model

Within Housing Rights Service’s prison project, we use a ‘Housing Options’ approach to finding our homeless clients somewhere to live. We consider accommodation solutions from NIHE, housing associations, private landlords as well as hostel applications if there’s likely to be a delay between release from prison and securing a tenancy.

Clients with complex needs who are deemed as not yet ‘housing ready’ are referred for hostel placement where support can be provided towards eventual resettlement into independent accommodation. However, as prison recidivism statistics document, that particular group will more often than not return to prison repeatedly.

Put housing first and the rest will follow

Emerging evidence from the evaluation of Housing First projects suggests that the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness, addiction and offending behaviour is the provision of a suitable, affordable, safe, independent home from where a person with complex needs can begin to make choices, engage in support on their own terms and develop hope for the future.

In other words, we should not ask that every person with complex needs is “housing ready” before they have a key to their own front door. Instead, we should ensure that the key is available to those who desire a home and that this is viewed as the first necessary step on the journey.

Pioneering a Housing First solution in Northern Ireland

De Paul Ireland provides accommodation and key support services to people with complex needs. De Paul is currently piloting a Housing First programme in the Belfast area and it has been agreed that prisoners at HMP Maghaberry will be included in that pilot.

The ethos of this work is an evidence-based, harm-reduction approach to the provision of support and accommodation which has been agreed by the client and promotes independence and choice.

There are a number of barriers to overcome; not least social housing waiting lists and the impact of Welfare Reform on the affordability of private rented accommodation. Research indicates peer support and support services which tolerate disengagement and re-engagement can lead to positive outcomes.  This approach to service provision is essential for clients with complex needs and any problems in accessing this type of service can make things more difficult for this client group. 

Of course, not every person with complex needs is suitable for Housing First. Depending on the extent of vulnerability and risk some people will require a stage of supported accommodation before independence and a small number may always require supported accommodation. Nevertheless, international evidence strongly indicates that moving directly into permanent housing and supporting the client’s choice is the most efficient and effective way to end homelessness for the greatest number of homeless people.

We need to be mindful of this evidence in our work to achieve solutions for our clients.