Intensive support for families engaged in antisocial behaviour

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The context

Whilst the number of evictions from social housing due to antisocial behaviour (ASB) are low each year in Scotland (71 in 2019-20), we know ASB and harassment-type issues play a much larger role in homelessness than simply the number of households evicted for this reason. Recent research highlights that more than twice as many households become homeless from social housing due to violence or harassment than as a result of landlord action – demonstrating the negative ripple effect of ASB, including violence and substance-related issues, on tenants and wider communities.

Where families with children are involved in ASB, the ripple effect is arguably much wider, more damaging and at times, inter-generational. Families engaged in ASB may face not only housing, community and criminal justice issues, but also child protection concerns and family break-up. This places significant value on the services able to engage such families and reduce these risks – including that of homelessness.

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The intervention

Breaking the Cycle (BtC) was initially set up in 2006 as one of three Scottish Government-funded pilots seeking to test the effectiveness of intensive family support delivered entirely on an outreach model. The Dundee Families Project, established in 1996 to support families engaged in ASB, was successful - but it relied on a residential element. This was not only costly, but could be considered stigmatising, artificial and disruptive for families. South Lanarkshire’s BtC pilot was the only one delivered in-house by the local authority, and the only one subsequently mainstreamed when funding ended.

BtC comprise a small team of four support officers with low caseloads; on average the team supports 16-20 families at a time (which can include up to 50 children). Workers provide intensive support to families who are involved in ASB, have multiple and inter-related support needs and have generally not ‘engaged’ with other agencies. Many are either at risk of eviction from social tenancies or are homeless with complex needs that contribute to ASB issues. Officers therefore support both housed and homeless families, and support continues if tenure changes. The service was set up to ensure all relevant partner agencies take an appropriate role in support planning and delivery.

Support is family-centric, with each household planning and setting the goals they want to achieve. This can include working on family routines and dynamics, engaging in new activities/interests or linking in with specialist services, such as counselling, detox or domestic abuse support. Support officers coordinate regular reviews and multi-agency meetings with professionals, especially social work. BtC tends to work with families for between one and two years. Cases are only closed with both the family’s and relevant partner agencies’ agreement. The team contact families whose cases were closed six weeks later to check this has been a successful step; if not, support can be reopened to address any concerns raised.

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The outcome

In the last reporting year pre-pandemic (2019-20), BtC worked with 34 families. Homelessness was prevented for 100% of those - with no household facing legal action for ASB. Of cases closed, ASB decreased for every family, with each one also demonstrating improved wellbeing outcomes. Children supported improved their educational progress and prospects in 78% of cases. Of previously closed cases reviewed at three, six and nine months, none needed further intervention, suggesting sustained improvement.

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Key insights

• offering the same support to housed and homeless families creates continuity and parity of service, removing disruptions in support when families are housed, and giving workers first-hand insights into the realities of the homelessness and temporary accommodation systems
• some families feel a stigma in working with social work due to concerns over their children being accommodated; BtC are often perceived differently, enabling better engagement
• in-house intensive support can be a successful model - given a local authority has duties to accommodate and support both homeless families and children requiring protection

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Find out more…

Lorna Mair, Team Leader, South Lanarkshire Council
lorna.mair@southlanarkshire.gov.uk