March 2023
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference examined latest developments in policy and priorities for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping.
It was an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to assess the Government’s End rough sleeping for good policy paper, and The Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping - Progress Report 2022.
Delegates discussed the Government’s approach and spending commitments, and the implications for delivery of support services, alongside key issues for implementing strategies to tackle homelessness, including coordinating partnerships and local support, and tackling housing insecurity.
The agenda included case studies on tailored initiatives for recovery from homelessness and delivering long-term support for health, education and employment, as well as priorities for refugees and asylum seekers experiencing homelessness.
We also expected discussion on options for policy to address the financial challenges and impact of the cost of living crisis on people experiencing homelessness.
Overall, the agenda brought out latest thinking on priorities for:
- coordination: improving the evidence base - access to transparent data - delivering joined-up services - improving cross-sector approaches and referrals
- local support: council strategies to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping - engagement with local partners and residents - access to temporary accommodation
- recovery: providing long-term health, employment and social care support - tackling causes of homelessness - sustaining accessible services
- cost of living crisis: options for responding to financial challenges - maintaining quality and duration of services - the role of early intervention - frontline responses to financial insecurity
- housing: priorities for tackling housing insecurity - taking forward the extended Housing First pilot - provision of temporary and supported accommodation
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Councillor Sharon Thomas, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Birmingham City Council; Jon Deakin, Area Manager, Community and Central Services, Evolve Housing Support; Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham; Emma Haddad, Chief Executive, St Mungo’s; Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region; and Bridget Young, Director, The No Accommodation Network.
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from DHSC; DLUHC; DWP; HMPPS; Home Office; MoJ; NAO; Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service; OHID; ONS; and the Welsh Government - as well as by parliamentary pass-holders from The House of Lords.
