Gatekeeping can have 'catastrophic effects on homelessness'

The impact of gatekeeping in contributing to homelessness was highlighted at a major conference in London yesterday.

Infact, Caroline Davey from homeless charity Shelter said gatekeeping can have a catastrophic effect on homelessness.

Shelter believes some authorities prevent homeless applicants from having their right to accommodation under the homelessness legislation assessed by 'gatekeeping' access too stringently. 

She pointed out Shelter’s concern over the issue and cited the example of a teenage girl who had been thrown out of her family home after becoming pregnant.

Davey said the girl presented herself to her local authority but was promptly sent away.

The girl returned to the local authority later in the week, she said, but was instructed to come back in a fortnight’s time.

Instead, the teenager went to Shelter who immediately placed her in a mother and baby unit.

Davey outlined the worrying case in addressing delegates at the Capita ‘Working together to deliver targeted services’ homelessness conference.

Davey, Shelter’s Deputy Director of Campaigns, Policy and Communications, spoke about prevention, the private rented sector and overcrowding in moving the homelessness agenda forward.

She said prevention was vital in combating homelessness – and it was important to speak to people at an early age about the issue.

Shelter, for instance, work with homeless people, she said, who visit schools to talk to young people about the problem of homelessness.

Davey said another important preventative measure was to work with families facing eviction from their homes for anti-social behaviour.

On the subject of the private rented sector, Davey said local authorities could play a key role in tenancy sustainment and support.

And on the local authority side, Shelter is seeking to prevent homelessness and one way of doing this is to encourage people to try and resolve problems at home before presenting as homeless. 

So Shelter is keen to provide mediation services and to have more stringent checks on whether home situations have indeed irretrievably broken down.  

Davey said: “We have got to a tipping point in housing and housing supply and significant investment in affordable housing.

“We have made some real progress in tackling homelessness in the last 10 years and we should be moving forward and ending it.

“We need to go further and faster in tackling homelessness and protect the rights of those most vulnerable.”

The conference was chaired by Jeremy Swain, Chief Executive, Thames Reach

Other presentations were given by:

Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive, Homeless Link

Mark Meehan, Specialist Adviser, Homelessness Action Team, Communities and Local Government

Lorna Essien, Operations Director, St Basils

Nicki Norman, Deputy Chief Executive, Women’s Aid

Paul Marriott, Chief Executive, Depaul Trust

Don't miss the 24dash.com audio bulletins for the latest news and information - http://www.24dash.com/podcasts