EFFECTIVE ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS RESPONDING TO THE CUTS A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR FRONTLINE SERVICES

Transcription

1 EFFECTIVE ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS RESPONDING TO THE CUTS A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR FRONTLINE SERVICES

2 EFFECTIVE ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS... PRODUCED BY THE INNOVATION & GOOD PRACTICE TEAM WITH SUPPORT FROM GOOD PRACTICE SOUNDING BOARD DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED OCTOBER

3 RESPONDING TO THE CUTS: A GUIDE FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES INTRODUCTION In 2010 the Government announced to local councils that their budgets would be cut from 2011/12, but urged them to protect services for the most vulnerable. Homelessness Grant (the national budget for tackling homelessness) was not cut, and overall Supporting People (SP) funding was kept mostly in tact with a 12% reduction over four years, starting with 2.7% for 2011/12. However, these are not ring-fenced, which means that despite the relatively low cut, homelessness and other essential services are at risk of reduced funds that may impact clients we work with significantly. This political and economic climate means tough times are ahead for homelessness organisations so they must be informed and ready to adapt. The aim of this good practice note is to share real responses and suggest solutions for homelessness services in how to respond to reduced statutory and charity funding. It is focused solely on responses for services facing SP and Homelessness Grant cuts. It does not refer to other areas of reform such as changes to welfare and housing benefit. For more information on the extent of cuts and local information see: REAL RESPONSE: ST HELEN S YMCA Originally a 37% cut was announced by the local authority of Supporting People money in St Helens; this would have been devastating for local homelessness services. While the local authority still plans to implement this reduction, through continued talks and discussions via the local providers forum the cut has been pushed back from 2011/12 to 2012/13. The blanket cut across all services has also been reversed to establish a more flexible approach. While this still means that large scale change and significant bed losses on the horizon, providers have been given time to propose realistic solutions by working in partnership. Agencies know that fewer units will be commissioned next year, but by working together rather than competing for contracts, solutions are being found. The local authority has recognised the collaborative efforts and while cuts will have an impact, the open, constructive dialogue will ensure they are distributed with minimal impact and services will be sustained where possible. RESPONSES The success of the homelessness sector in tackling and preventing homelessness is a credit to its resilience, innovation and ability to adapt. Many services have already had funding cuts, and some face difficult times ahead. Reduced funding can provide an opportunity to reflect on what works and where the service is heading. The steps and suggestions in this guide provide a framework to begin this planning and developing process. PRIORITISE WHAT TO PROTECT What is your service there to achieve who are your clients and what services are essential to meet their needs? When cuts are inevitable, undertaking this exercise can enable you to prioritise which services you need to protect to allow you to continue with your core business. Tools to help you clarify your aims can be found here: You can also use the engage to change programme for boards a series of resources aimed at trustees to assist with developing and adapting services: 1

4 Working in partnership with other agencies will also allow you to focus on prioritising your aims and objectives, meeting need locally together. You may also find our core/flexi guide available in the personalisation toolkit useful to establish what your core business is and how it can be adapted: Other resources include Collaborate 2 which looks at ways in which small and medium-sized voluntary and community organisations can increase their resilience and get better value from their limited budgets by sharing resources. MAKE YOUR CORE BUSINESS INDISPENSIBLE AND PROVE IT You need to be able to demonstrate that there is a need, and that you are best placed to meet that need. Use statistics, individual stories and evidence of the outcomes that you are able to achieve with your clients. For further information on how to use data and other information to influence funders see: COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS Focus on homelessness as a broad issue in terms of cost benefit analysis, for example look at the impacts your service has on health, police and neighbourhoods. This may be particularly relevant if you are in a two-tier local authority. Homeless Link has a dedicated page to outlining the cost of homelessness, which includes cost benefit case studies put together by St Mungo s. For more information visit: Using tools such as Homeless Link s Health Needs Audit can help map the need for services in your area, as well as identifying ways to work in partnership effectively. Exeter City Council used the tool to negotiate reduced funding cuts that affected homelessness services in their area. To find out more: REVIEW METHODS OF DELIVERY In the tables below we outline ways to be more efficient. They also include risks to be aware of, ways to mitigate these and possible benefits that may emerge too. The two tables outline ways to adapt staffing, and operational changes to the service that you may want to explore. Possible response Benefits Risks Mitigating actions Section one: staffing Reduce number Removal of less effective Low morale Staff consultation of staff, staff Longer working hours for throughout including Interventions are more remaining staff Planning with staff sharing focussed Fewer support hours Measuring impact of managers New creative ways of leading to more incidents changes across services working can inspire staff and worse outcomes Work with external and achieve better Clients with high support partners outcomes needs receive all attention Employ lower grade staff Reduce staffing at night Supervisory opportunities for existing staff Provide placements for social work students Better rota for full-time project workers, increasing morale Inexperience leads to more incidents Lack of confidence among team Fewer professional staff at critical times Increased risk of incidents Review JDs and PSs to ensure that the skills required are right Ensure training and supervision is in place Arrange external supervision from agencies e.g. MIND Staff consultation On-going review of incidents and impact Training for night staff Review risk and incident policies Implement a risk 2

5 Use of more volunteers Increased engagement with the community Increased client involvement Volunteers bring new skills and expertise (possibly experience of homelessness) Frees up staff to do more in depth case work Inexperience Reduced client satisfaction As above register Training and support from volunteer agencies Social work students Use skilled volunteers to fill gaps Be clear about what you are asking volunteers to do Section two: services Stop delivering Become more efficient less crucial or Only support those with ineffective areas the highest need of your service for example serving lunch. Engage the community and work in partnership with other agencies Share office space with other agencies Outsource central services e.g. IT and HR Deliver support to groups rather than one-to-one Increased community engagement New opportunities and creative approaches Reduced costs Enhanced partnerships Better local intelligence New expertise brought in More staff time to work with clients Improved outcomes for clients Job losses Increased pressure and demand on other services Risk to clients if vital service is removed Fragmented service delivery Redeploy staff to other services Consult and measure impact of change throughout Joint working protocols Service level agreements Review policies and impact. Less space Consult staff Review working agreement Review shared policies Financial cost Less control Reduced client engagement Research and market test solutions Ensure group work fun, safe and engaging Consult staff and clients Local influencing One of the government s key policies is a move towards local decision making. You need to: Know what local priorities are not just homelessness, but also where you can contribute to outcomes such as health, employment, substance misuse, offending Think strategically attend forums, be in the know and work with your local authority Prioritise influencing your local authorities with ideas you know work Influence the public data, human interest, cost benefit analysis Work with local councillors invite them to visit you and share the importance of your work Understand the bigger picture: what are the costs of your service not existing? We have produced a local influencing toolkit to support you with this, covering the following: Making your approach/contacting your local MP and councillors Client involvement in the local influencing process Campaigning guidance Telling the story through the media To access the local influencing toolkit visit: REAL RESPONSE: STATHAM HOUSE DEPAUL UK, ROCHDALE DePaul UK s young person s hostel received a 30% cut in April and had to make quick and effective decisions about how to run the service while minimising impact on staff and clients. Redundancies have been avoided by freezing recruitment and offering part-time contracts to interested members of staff. The rota has been changed from having two support staff working waking nights to one support worker and one concierge to cover the shift; this has enabled them to provide double cover at a reduced cost. This change has in fact had a positive impact 3

6 on the team as they can engage in more effective multi-agency work due to working fewer night shifts. Since the rota change staff have engaged in effective multi-agency work during the day, especially with the Youth Offending Team resulting in better client outcomes. Despite having fewer resources Statham House has also changed a former staff room into an emergency assessment bed (formalising work being undertaken previously offering ad hoc emergency provision). This offers value for money to the local authority and provides a vital assessment service for young people. So far the bed has allowed workers to carry out rapid assessments, transitional and mediation work and prevent homelessness by reconnecting young people with their families. The hostel continues to provide additional informal support, and tenancy sustainment work with ex-clients, making the service invaluable. DIVERSIFY YOUR FUNDING Being overly dependent on source of income is risky for any business. Good businesses aim to have funding streams from a number of sources that experience different pressures at different times. Potential ways of looking at your funding portfolio might include developing a social enterprise, looking for funders such as corporate sponsors, trusts and foundations. These activities not only assist with funding, but can broaden the support base of an organisation more widely. Fundraising is an important skill that organisations should harness, it can help refocus your aims and think about what you want to achieve. For further information on developing social enterprises see: The National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has a Sustainable Funding Project, which providers a wealth of advice and tools to help achieve sustainable funding. See: They have also produced a coping with the cuts document: Grant finder may help you to source suitable grants; REAL RESPONSE: 24-BED HIGH SUPPORT HOSTEL, LONDON A high needs hostel received a 30% cut to its Supporting People budget. Yet it is still operating the same number of bed spaces and support hours despite significant losses in staff time, human resources and IT. The project remains positive and able to provide quality support to complex needs clients, by having the right approach and implementing change constructively. The manager of the hostel is working closely with the local authority to try to prevent any further cuts and ensure the clients needs are included in local strategy. This partnership may be the crucial relationship which saves the project and prevents homelessness in future. In April 2012 the project predicts more cuts to the service. It is currently identifying complementary outcomes from supporting people targets and Work and Learning targets, which can then be captured and demonstrated to potential joint funders and grant givers. This method of diversifying and understanding where outcomes can be beneficial for joint partners may give the project an advantage when joint tendering in the future. PLANNING AHEAD It can be hard to deal with change, loss of staff, new priorities and planning for the unknown. Be prepared and ahead of the game by thinking creatively and trying new approaches; consult with clients and staff and review the impact of changes throughout. Risk management is one way to cope with uncertainty. For more information on managing risk, and tools to prioritise effectively and plan for possible scenarios, see NEW FUNDING AVAILABLE In July it was announced that DCLG had commissioned Homeless Link to deliver the transition fund, 20million to protect services to end homelessness. See 4