Rough sleeping has risen sharply across the UK over the last 5 years. While there are many examples of excellent work that has already been done, Cardiff fully recognises the need to do more.
The Cardiff Rough Sleeper Strategy 2017-21 set out a number of commitments to ensure:
- effective ways of working,
- improve the level of co-ordination and joint delivery of services, and
- the creation of innovative solutions.
As an immediate result of the strategy, a number of innovative schemes have been launched to widen the options available and reduce the barriers to accessing existing services.
Breaking the cycle
Many of Cardiff’s rough sleepers have complex needs resulting from negative life experiences or personal lifestyle choices. These can often contribute to a harmful cycle of exclusions from services and movement between rough sleeping, hostels, prison or hospital.
A strong multi-agency approach has been developed in Cardiff to help individuals who are vulnerable or who have chaotic lives. This includes the creation of the Multi-disciplinary Team to help address the “revolving door” of homelessness.
The Council’s Outreach Team are on the streets of Cardiff every day engaging with people who are rough sleeping or who are at risk of homelessness. They work throughout the city providing direct support to assist people to access appropriate services.
The Outreach team work in partnership with:
Together we hold weekly multi-agency meetings with all front line partners, South Wales Police and Health and Social Services to ensure we maintain the best intelligence on rough sleepers, so that we can identify and engage with people at the earliest opportunity.
Working with a range of partners, the Multi-disciplinary Team has been set up to target those people caught in the ‘revolving door’ of homelessness and prolonged periods of rough sleeping.
The Team includes
- dedicated substance misuse and mental health workers,
- a nurse,
- counselling service,
- homeless advocate, and
- peer mentors.
Based in the
Housing Options Service, the team provide immediate access to assessment, advice, support and harm reduction interventions to rough sleepers.
Linked in to the Multi-disciplinary Team, a weekly multi-agency welfare event has been introduced in partnership with the
WallichExternal link opens in a new window. A welfare vehicle is parked in the city centre every Friday offering advice and support primarily aimed at rough sleepers. In addition to the full range of services offered by the Huggard Centre, the Outreach Service also provides diversionary activities to maximise engagement with rough sleepers.
Clients are welcomed into an informal and relaxed setting to build positive relationships with staff from Outreach, the Multi-disciplinary Team and partner organisations.
Cardiff has implemented a Gateway access point for single homeless people into accommodation, health and support services through the Council’s
Housing Options Service.
We have an extensive range of support and accommodation for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
With our partner organisations we operate:
- 61 emergency bed spaces,
- 260 frontline hostel spaces, and
- 330 supported accommodation spaces.
The majority of the accommodation is used as temporary housing for homeless clients until a suitable permanent accommodation solution can be found. This may be in social or private housing. Some clients may remain in the Gateway for a longer time while their support needs are addressed.
Improving our accommodation is a key aim of the Rough Sleeper Strategy and a number of innovative accommodation schemes have been developed to identify gaps in provision.
Housing First
Housing First offers direct placement into Council, Housing Association and private rented sector tenancies with intensive wraparound support.
Where the authority does not have a statutory duty and a person does not have a local connection to access accommodation, they are referred to our Reconnection Service.
This is a partnership between the Council and the
Salvation ArmyExternal link opens in a new window.
The service is designed to support individuals to reconnect to their home borough, or to achieve another positive accommodation outcome through the service.