Targeted upstream support for families in PRS

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The context

In a rapid rehousing system, homelessness - where it can’t be prevented - should be rare, brief and non-recurrent. An ideal approach to rapid rehousing transition includes identification of which groups of people the existing local system serves most poorly: those whose homelessness is least likely to be rare, brief or non-recurrent. Such analysis can inform improvements to homelessness, temporary accommodation and support services/processes. It should also guide prevention priorities.

A good example of this comes from Dundee. Analysis showed larger families spending inordinately long periods in temporary accommodation, with little or no control over location, due to a shortage of larger social homes. Working backwards, Dundee City Council and partners found a high number of larger homeless families had been evicted from the PRS, due to arrears. This prompted Action for Children to design a bespoke, early intervention project for families at risk in the PRS.

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The intervention

Action for Children launched its Family Sustainment Service (FSS) in April 2019, with one-year project funding from Safe Deposits Scotland. The team was composed of two support workers, aided by a student social worker. Their service mapping revealed a lack of dedicated advice and support for families living in the PRS in the city. The project’s initial focus was short, sharp interventions to check benefit entitlements, maximise income and offer help with budgeting.

FSS set up referral routes and established links with welfare/money advice, grants, food/clothing banks and energy advice. Families responded well (89% engagement rate), with some self-referring. But FSS soon found the nature of unmet need was wider than purely financial. Many families also had issues with property condition (tenant- or landlord-driven); health; digital exclusion; domestic abuse; and child protection. Over time, the service adapted to take a more relational, holistic and co ordinating role to meet these needs.

FSS also discovered private landlords were receptive to the service; they quickly became the main source of referrals. FSS have been able to work in partnership with landlords in ways which also benefit tenants, for example, facilitating access to funding to upgrade heating and insulation for landlords whose tenants are in receipt of certain welfare benefits. Where a landlord is operating illegally, however, FSS can quickly refer them onto the Council’s PRS team for enforcement.

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The outcome

In its first two years, FSS worked with just under 100 families and 279 children (41% with three or more children; 29% with four or more children). No family supported by FSS has gone on to become homeless. The Council’s updated RRTP (focused on the pre-pandemic year) highlights a “significant decrease in presentations from the PRS”, citing the work of FSS. The Council subsequently committed three years of RRTP funding to the service.

In year one (pre-pandemic), FSS recouped £40,000 towards arrears via benefit backdates, removal of benefit cap, new entitlements and payment plans. 116 children were referred to Leisure Active, enabling them to access the same chances as others. In 2020-21, the service broadened its linkages with health visitors, schools and social work, starting to attend Team Around the Child meetings.

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Key insights

• working backwards from a problem (large families in temporary accommodation) and designing a specific intervention can have a positive impact on both beneficiaries and the wider system
• it’s possible to engage private landlords as positive partners in homelessness prevention, whilst also upholding rights of tenants and families
• a PRS-specific service focused on sustainment can have wider child and family wellbeing benefits

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Find out more…

Liam McGinlay, Practice Team Leader, Action for Children
liam.mcginlay@actionforchildren.org.uk