Barbara Illsley (University of Dundee UK) Volker Busch-Geertsema (GISS, Germany) European Commission MPHASIS Mutual Progress on Homelessness through Advancing and Strengthening Information Systems National Seminar Poland Warsaw, December 5 th 2008

European Commission Purpose of Mphasis Measuring Homelessness Report  ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_inclusion/docs/2007 Improve Capacity  National Authorities in data collection on homelessness MPHASIS Approach  Mutual Learning / Practice Strand  Research Strand

European Commission Seminar Purpose PROGRESS - Social Inclusion Strategy  Mutual Learning  Mobilising all actors Commission Expectations  Concrete Outputs and Outcomes National Seminars  Agreed outcome statement on actions required to improve data collection on homelessness

European Commission Purpose of Data Collection Strategy Aims toData needed for Prevent homelessnessPeople vulnerable to eviction People who leave an institution with no home Tackle the causes of homelessnessData reflecting different pathways Reduce the level of homelessnessScale and prevalence of homelessness Reduce the negative effects on homeless people Longitudinal analysis / repeat homelessness Ensure that formerly homeless people can sustain permanent independent housing Number who gain access to permanent or supported accommodation and remain there

European Commission Homeless Pathways and Data Sources CAUSES STRUCTURAL INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP PERSONAL FACTORS Poverty Unemployment Housing Institutional Living Foster / State Care Prison Experience Armed Forces Abusive relationship (childhood) Abusive relationship (with a partner) Family Breakdown (death or separation) Mental Illness Learning Difficulty Drug Dependency Alcohol Dependency TRIGGERS Eviction Discharge Leaving family home Fleeing violent relationship Coping with living alone Illness episode Support breakdown Substance Misuse DATA SOURCES Housing Judiciary Social Welfare Surveys Health Services Penal System Service Providers

European Commission Data Collection Overview Homeless Homeless persons surveys France, Spain, Italy Service Providers / Client Registers Netherlands, Ireland Social Welfare / Support Official Registers of Services Czech, Hungary, Latvia Regulation Denmark Funding UK Housing Allocation UK Needs Assessment Finland, Ireland, Scotland

European Commission Graph Slide Typology of Living Situations Housing Units Types of housing Collective Living Quarters Other Living Situations Conventional dwelling Non- conventional dwelling Institutional Building Non- institutional Building Public Spaces external spaces

European Commission Operational Definition Operational CategoryLiving Situation 1People Living Rough1Public space / external space 2People in emergency accommodation 2Overnight Shelters 3People living in accommodation for the homeless Homeless Hostels Temporary Accommodation Transitional Supported Accommodation Women’s shelter or refuge accommodation 4People living in institutions7878 Health care institutions Penal institutions 5People living in non- conventional dwellings due to lack of housing Mobile homes Non-conventional building Temporary structure 6People living temporarily with family and friends 12Conventional housing, but not the person’s usual place of residence

European Commission Homelessness Information Strategy Driven by Strategy Definition of homelessness and housing exclusion Review of information sources Service Provider Database Core Variables Definition Client Register information Administrative Data / Survey Data

European Commission Homelessness System Indicators Input Indicators  Threatened with eviction  Leaving institutions  Children leaving care System Indicators  Number of people receiving services  Time spent in the system  Flow of people through the system Output Indicators  People re-housed (with/without support)

European Commission Homelessness Accommodation System

European Commission Supply and User Statistics Directory of Services  Bed-spaces  Prevalence occupancy rate Client Registers  Occupancy level  Turnover  Duration Profile and Trends  Profile demography  Pathways profile  Administrative geographies

European Commission Core Variables Test usability of Core Variables in all MPHASIS countries  Demographic characteristic (age and gender),  Nationality and migration background (country of birth),  Composition of homeless households,  Accommodation situation (immediately before service period and at time of data collection),  Duration of (current) homelessness,  Reasons for (last) homelessness. Common understanding? Data available? Harmonisation possible? Amendments necessary? Obstacles for implementation of missing variables and possible solutions

European Commission Outcome Statement Homelessness Strategy  Is there any such strategy?  What are the data needs of strategy / policies?  Are there any plans for regular monitoring?  How can an operational definition of homelessness be developed and used? Existing Systems  National/regional databases of services set up?  Client register systems installed and used for providing more continuous information?  What gaps exist / Reliability of data?  Is definition of core variables agreed by actors?

European Commission Outcome Statement Barriers  How can data protection issues be addressed?  Is funding adequate / sustainable?  How can barriers be overcome? Information Strategy  Is responsibility / governance clear?  Is there a mechanism for review?  What is the action plan for implementation? National Action  Agreement of outcome statement and action to progress data collection  Sharing progress and information from national meetings and MPHASIS website  Report back to final MPHASIS conference in September 2009