3-Tertiary Homelessness Case Study

PROJECT.

An evaluation of industry and Government processes in relation to funding.

In June 2005 the Queensland Government announced funding $235.5 million over four years to deliver a coordinated response to homelessness and public intoxication. The responding to Homelessness Strategy initially involved the implementation of 32 projects across seven, but reducing to five government departments and was conducted in three phases. The Strategy aimed to achieve a number of improvements in the homelessness service system as follows. Initiatives were successful in increasing the quantum of accommodation and support services, but these gains have been overtaken by released latent and newly emerging demand.

People experiencing homelessness in the

identified location have access to new, improved service responses that are better coordinated and timely.

Services provided by Queensland Government department and community organisations in the identified locations are better coordinated.

People experiencing homelessness have increased opportunities to participate in community life and to address the issue that may keep the homelessness.

People experiencing homelessness have increased well-being, self-esteem and self-efficacy.

People experiencing homelessness and other community members experience an increase in community amenity.

The number of people in Queensland without access to shelter will reduce over time.

EVALUATION.
The evaluation aimed to assess the extent to which the Strategy has improved coordination and has enhanced response to homelessness, resulting in better service delivery, improvement in the lives of people experiencing homelessness, increased community amenity, and over time, reduction of the number of people in Queensland who do not have access to shelter.
Outcomes of strategic impact evaluation will inform planning and future direction for response to homelessness.

REPORT STRUCTURE.
The Report is structured as follows;
Section 2 Introduction.
Section 3 Methodology.
Section 4 Policy and Research context.
Section 5 Strategy Overview.
Section 6 Meta Data Review.
Section 7 Insights from Consultations.
Section 8 Comparative Case Study.
Section 9 Synthesis and Analysis.
Section 10 Conclusions and Future Directions.
REPORT LIMITATIONS.
The evaluation was conducted during a particularly live policy, funding and governance context. Lead responsibility transferred from Department of Housing to the Department of Communities .
The release of the Australian Government is White paper The Road Home . A National Approach to reducing homelessness in December 2008, established new national policy directions.
The Queensland Government is currently developing an Implementation Plan for nation partnership agreement on homelessness to respond to these new priorities, outputs and performance benchmarks. Following the state election in March 2008, significant machinery of government changes were implemented, reducing 23 departments down to 13. many of the participating agencies in this evaluation are now operating under new institutional arrangements, with department of communities now leading housing and homelessness policy.
DEFINING HOMELESSNESS.
Homelessness is commonly defined in three levels,
1-Primary homelessness refer to people without conventional accommodation, for example sleeping rough, squatting or using cars for temporary shelter.

2-Secondary homelessness refers to people who move frequently from one form of temporary shelter to another. For example staying with friends and relatives, accessing specialist services, emergency accommodation services.

3-Tertiary homelessness refers to people who living in medium to long term housing below the minimum community standards such as people living in boarding house or caravan parks. Some people experience homelessness only once, usually caused by a short term crisis or event. For others, homelessness is long-term and often experienced in repeated episodes. These people are more likely to sleeping rough and to cycle through the support system.

The causes of homelessness are varied and complex. A shortage of affordable housing, poverty and structural disadvantage, family breakdown and domestic violence, unemployment, mental illness.

The proposed response to homelessness will be implemented through three strategies: turning off the tap, better prevention of homelessness, improving and expanding services to assist a greater number of homelessness people and breaking the cycle of homelessness by proving long term housing and

support.
To track progress the White Paper propose that a number of interim target for 2013 be developed with States and Territories, relating to;
• Engaging with employment, education and training.
• People exiting care and custodial setting into homelessness.
• Families maintaining sustainable housing following domestic violence.
• People exiting social housing and private stability and engagement with family, school and work.
• Children being provided with additional support and engaged in education.
• Families receiving financial advice, counselling and case management.
• The provision of legal services.

Factors Contributing to success
The following factors were identified as contributing to the initiatives.
• The introduction of new, innovative service delivery models.
• The contribution of the non-government sector.
• Dedicated resources and positions established to support and coordinate initiatives.
• The experience, skills, expertise and commitment of staff.
• The establishment and maintenance of networks and partnerships.

Barriers to success
The following barriers were identified:
• High levels of demand and service capacity issues.
• The challenge of responding to the changing demographic of client.
• The challenge of dealing with the high and complex needs of the target demographic.
• Rapid population growth in Queensland driving housing demand and affordability stress.
• Overall shortage of affordable housing high rents, low vacancy rates and the decline in public housing stock.
CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS.
Recommendation 1.
• Queensland Government implementation plan for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness assess opportunities to extent the objectives and principles of state-wide.

Recommendation 2.
• emerging evidence regarding the current incidence of homelessness and areas of potential need are tested in further consultations with government agencies, the non-government and private sectors, at central and regional levels. This should be led by the Department of Communities at central and regional levels.
Recommendation 3.
• that the homelessness reform group identify priority needs and locations for future focus, consistent with Council of Australian Government and Queensland Government targets.
Recommendation 4.
• That the needs analysis is further assessed by the according to identified pre-conditions for success
• identified local needs and agreed priorities
• shared outcomes identified by the regional sector
• mature service network with the capacity to work together towards shared outcomes, and develop structured mechanisms for vertical and horizontal integration
• a network that can foster engagement across levels of government, non-government and private sectors.
Recommendation 5.
• that central and regional mechanisms for coordination broaden their engagement and membership. In particular this should including engagement with;
• Mainstream agencies such as Queensland Health, Child Safety, Disability, Employment, Education and Corrective services.
• Sector peak bodies such as Queensland Shelter and Queensland Council of Social Services Inc QCOSS
• Local government including local government association of Queensland and local council.
• The private sector including the Real Estate institute of Queensland, supported accommodation providers association, and the boarding house owners and managers association.
Recommendation 6
• that as part of reviewing its terms of reference, membership and supporting relationships, the Homelessness joint Reform working Group consider how it may engage more specifically with key mainstream agencies, local government, private sector and non-government sector peak organisations.
Recommendation 7
that the homelessness reform group further consider expanding the membership of the homelessness joint reform working group to include representatives from local government association of Queensland and the private sector peak organisations such as the real estate institute of Queensland, supported Accommodation providers association, and the boarding house owners and managers association.
Recommendation 8.
• that local area planning processes are funded by Department of Communities to undertake needs assessment and prioritisation according to Australian and Queensland Government targets.
Recommendation 9.
• that local area planning processes aim to initiate or enhance local stakeholder engagement.
Recommendation 10
• that Department of Communities fund dedicated roles at regional levels to support network engagement and activities.
Recommendation 11
• that strategic program logic and performance measurement framework is developed by homelessness reform group to deliver Australian Government targets.
Recommendation 12
• that homelessness reform group and Department of Communities dedicate resources to developing data collection tools in consultations with regional stakeholder.
Recommendation 13
• that additional funding is provided via service agreements to allocate a defined percentage of funding 2% so that services may undertake action research and evaluation to demonstrate achievements, progress and outcomes.
Recommendation 14
• that education and training are funded across central and regional sectors, specifically to encourage action research skills development.
Recommendation 15
• that Department of Communities is responsible for promoting leading practice case studies to profile skills development, shared learning and support future practice.
That future funding prioritises proposals that are identified as emerging models for success , for example,
1. assertive outreach models that offer opportunistic engagement, flexibility and engagement with mainstream services.
2. Accommodation services providing integrated on-site support services
3. integrated accommodation and support focused around key transition points such as release from custody, institutions, hospitals and care.
4. Tenancy and life skills support on continuing long-term basis.
5. Supports that link across the continuum of prevention, early intervention, crisis, emergency, transitional and tenancy support stages.
6. Brokerage funding and financial assistance across a continuum of need.
Recommendation 16
• refines their model further in consultations with regional stakeholder and services.
Recommendation 17
• that the Queensland Government maximises the provision of long term social housing stock.
Recommendation 18
• that the Queensland Government Implementation Plan for the National Partnership Agreements on Homelessness includes strategies to invest in workforce development and capacity building to strengthen strategic and sustainable responses to homelessness.

References www.rti.cabinet.qld.gov.au