Presentation given by Joe Doherty, Iain Atherton and Maria Stuttaford, University of St Andrews, Scotland at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Rethinking Homelessness Policies", Lisbon, Portugal, 2007
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Implications of Housing Status and Informal Networks for Homeless Strategies
1. Centre for Housing Research
University of St Andrews
Housing status, social support
networks and substance misuse
Dr Iain Atherton
Dr Maria Stuttaford
Professor Joe Doherty
3. Housing ready vs Housing First
• Housing Ready
1.Substance misusing/mental health
2.Once stabilised, then house
• Housing First (Tsemberis et al, 2004)
1.Housing
2.Services available - no compulsion
4. Outcomes of Housing First
• Outcomes
– Higher service use
– Stability of accommodation
– Declining drug use for those with co-
morbidities
– Greater service engagement (though
proportions substance misusing largely
unchanged)
6. Social networks
• Positives
– Friendship
– Practical support
• Negatives
1. Initiation of substance misusing
2. Perpetration of substance misusing
3. Prevention of exit from substance misusing
7. Methods
• Small scale longitudinal qualitative study –
– 11 participants
– 22 in-depth interviews
– recruitment through service providers/drop in
centres
– Interviews attempted every 4-5 weeks
– Participatory observation of hostels/service
providers
10. Interviewee
• Alix
• Age – early 30s
• Housing status
– Currently in stable accommodation on
methadone
– Previously homeless and using heroin
11. [I started using heroin] cause I’d let one of my
friends stay with me… because they’d nowhere
else to stay …and I’d never seen it before in my
life…didn’t ever want…to…be anywhere near it,
but because, well I let my friend stay, they
brought it into my house and then it was like, just
try this, so I tried it and then… you end up with a
habit …so that’s how I ended up using.
12. [I started using heroin] cause I’d let one of my
friends stay with me… because they’d nowhere
else to stay …and I’d never seen it before in my
life…didn’t ever want…to…be anywhere near it,
but because, well I let my friend stay, they
brought it into my house and then it was like, just
try this, so I tried it and then… you end up with a
habit …so that’s how I ended up using.
14. Interviewee
• Matt
• Age – late 20s
• Housing status
– Homeless (living with friends)
• Substance misusing – regularly using
heroin
15. Right, well, I stay with a friend just noo… em…I
get up in the morning, well I get wakened up in
the morning with my friend, and he’s got a…
handing me a needle wi’ kit in it, ken, for ma’…
breakfast really…
16. Right, well, I stay with a friend just noo… em…I
get up in the morning, well I get wakened up in
the morning with my friend, and he’s got a…
handing me a needle wi’ kit in it, ken, for ma’…
breakfast really…
17. Interviewee
• David
• Age – mid-30s
• Housing status
– Hostel
• Substance misuse
– Currently not using heroin after years of use
18. [I share a flat] up the stair, with two other people.
And one, two in fact are drug users. With me
trying to come off drugs…it’s in my face all the
time, ken what I mean…basically. Ninety
percent of people in here use. They either do
drugs or drink, one of the two…don’t think there
is a straight person in here.
19. [I share a flat] up the stair, with two other people.
And one, two in fact are drug users. With me
trying to come off drugs…it’s in my face all the
time, ken what I mean…basically. Ninety
percent of people in here use. They either do
drugs or drink, one of the two…don’t think there
is a straight person in here.
20. Notes from an interview
• Elspeth
• Service Provider
21. Geography figures prominently at one point in
our conversation. Without any prompting, [The
service provider] suddenly claims that nobody
will cease substance misuse whilst continuing to
live in their home town, especially in the [ex
mining community] area.
“…its too hard remaining in the same community
[to stop drug using]”
22. Geography figures prominently at one point in
our conversation. Without any prompting, [The
service provider] suddenly claims that nobody
will cease substance misuse whilst continuing to
live in their home town, especially in the [ex
mining community] area.
“…its too hard remaining in the same community
[to stop drug using]”
24. Elspeth the service provider-
Such a strategy [relocating] is not always
successful; she quotes an example where the
individuals concerned linked into new local drug
networks. Similarly, relocating is difficult where
a person cannot access drugs, something that
would enforce immediate stopping; a step that
would be problematic and is often counseled
against.
25. Elspeth the service provider-
Such a strategy [relocating] is not always
successful; she quotes an example where the
individuals concerned linked into new local drug
networks. Similarly, relocating is difficult where
a person cannot access drugs, something that
would enforce immediate stopping; a step that
would be problematic and is often counseled
against.
26. David-
[my treatment officer] gives me a weekly bus
pass…to get me out of here, because I’ve told
them what its like here. To get me out so I’m not
in a position to get drugs, you know what I
mean.
27. David-
[my treatment officer] gives me a weekly bus
pass… to get me out of here, because I’ve told
them what its like here. To get me out so I’m not
in a position to get drugs, you know what I
mean.
28. Interviewee
• Paul
• Age – mid-30s
• Housing status
– Recently made homeless – now in hostel
• Substance misusing
– Drug free for two months
29. Iain- …would you have been able to get away from
drugs without making that move?
Paul- Nuh. [said without any hesitation and quite
assertively]…
Iain- What would have happened if you hadn’t been
evicted but you still got all this support?
Paul- …I reckon I would have still been the same,
because I don’t think I’ve got the strength to say to my
mates, beat it, your no coming back here, ken sort of
like… I don’t know why because they are my mates but
at the end of the day they’re, they’re no ma mates if you
know what I mean, ken because basically they’re using
ma house as somewhere to have a jag…I don’t think I’d
be able to do it maself…but with the support that I’ve
got…been able to move, get a change of life, you know.
30. Iain- …would you have been able to get away from
drugs without making that move?
Paul- Nuh. [said without any hesitation and quite
assertively]…
Iain- What would have happened if you hadn’t been
evicted but you still got all this support?
Paul- …I reckon I would have still been the same,
because I don’t think I’ve got the strength to say to my
mates, beat it, your no coming back here, ken sort of
like… I don’t know why because they are my mates but
at the end of the day they’re, they’re no ma mates if you
know what I mean, ken because basically they’re using
ma house as somewhere to have a jag… I don’t think I’d
be able to do it maself…but with the support that I’ve
got…been able to move, get a change of life, you know.
31. Policy
• Prevent homelessness
• Assisting with daily geographic mobility
• Geographically sensitive housing
programmes
– Caution with hostel use (Wright et al. 2005)
– Location of re-housing
• Relocation?
Key points- Aim of the paper to create discussion Based on small scale qualitative study-limited generalisability BUT important theoretical ideas developing
Social networks are very important to our daily lives Negative dimensions to social networks previously noted (ie Putnam notes that Timothy McVeigh was assisted by bowling with others. Putnam distinguishes between bonding and bridging Bonding brings people in similar geographical areas/with similar identities closer together. Bridging helps people link into different groups/cross divides Possibly useful for understanding the interactions between social networks, housing and substance misuse.
The study location- Fife a diverse area- Amongst most expensive housing in Scotland (St Andrews) And the least expensive in the UK (Lochgelly) Very rural areas, areas restructuring after industrial decline, new town. Affluent and deprived areas Homelessness and substance misuse found across the ‘Kingdom’
Homelessness is a vector by which substance misuse can spread. In this quote a female respond describes how providing a homeless acquaintance to stay under her roof led to her developing a drug habit.
Homelessness is a vector by which substance misuse can spread. In this quote a female respond describes how providing a homeless acquaintance to stay under her roof led to her developing a drug habit.
Strategies used to find shelter include using the houses of friends. If friends are substance misusing, perhaps even pushing drugs, then the person’s own use will be perpetuated.
Strategies used to find shelter include using the houses of friends. If friends are substance misusing, perhaps even pushing drugs, then the person’s own use will be perpetuated.
Accommodation provided to the homeless brings them into contact with others who are substance misusing, make ceasing drug using very difficult.
Accommodation provided to the homeless brings them into contact with others who are substance misusing, make ceasing drug using very difficult.
Service providers also perceive social networks to be important dimensions to the contexts that support and perpetuate drug use. Notes taken during an interview with a service provider give some insight into the idea that relocating is a strategy that can work.
Service providers also perceive social networks to be important dimensions to the contexts that support and perpetuate drug use. Notes taken during an interview with a service provider give some insight into the idea that relocating is a strategy that can work.
But such a policy has limitations given that social networks have crucial functions. Also, if a person remains homeless, they are likely to find themselves in similar situations as previously, and so develop social networks in which drug use figures.
But such a policy has limitations given that social networks have crucial functions. Also, if a person remains homeless, they are likely to find themselves in similar situations as previously, and so develop social networks in which drug use figures.
Mobility is seen by some as being ways in which they can stay away from the hostels/areas where substance misusing is rife. Two respondents tell of the importance of bus tickets.
Mobility is seen by some as being ways in which they can stay away from the hostels/areas where substance misusing is rife. Two respondents tell of the importance of bus tickets.
Even becoming homeless can lead to damaging social networks being broken.
Even becoming homeless can lead to damaging social networks being broken.
Links between homelessness and substance misuse are potentially a very powerful message with which to mobilise resources and opinion. In the shorter term (and more realistically?) there are policy lessons-the importance of bus tickets for example Hostels should be viewed with some caution. Wright et al point out that for those not trying to stop substance misusing there are safety dimensions to being with others should an overdose occur. However, they should not be seen as long term solutions to people’s housing problems especially for those wanting to stop using. Provision of scatter flats that assists people to move away from others who are substance misusing may be important. Provision of housing in itself may not be enough. Relocating people to different areas might provide a means by which social networks can be influenced by policy makers…