Search

Being homeless is broadly understood to be traumagenic. Thus, support services for individuals experiencing homelessness (such as youth refuge) are encouraged to use trauma-informed models of care. However, there is a dearth of research that (1) focuses on youth refuge specifically, despite refuges being the most common response for youth homelessness worldwide, and (2) explains trauma-informed care models in detail so that they may be evaluated in practice. This paper outlines a trauma-aware framework used for nearly a decade within a youth refuge located in Melbourne, Australia: a psychologically informed environment (PIE). The paper provides: (1) an overview of trauma-informed care before describing what a PIE entails; (2) the how of a PIE, including core principles, their theoretical underpinnings, and how these principles are practically applied; and (3) the why of a PIE, focusing on implications for practice. A PIE is underpinned by key theoretical approaches such as attachment theory, the core emotional needs model, psychodynamic theory and formulation, social cognitive theory, and the transtheoretical model of change. A PIE encompasses five core principles of (1) relationships, rules, responsiveness, and roles; (2) physical and social spaces; (3) learning and enquiry; (4) staff support and training; and (5) psychological awareness. Overall, PIEs have been found to increase consumer engagement and decrease evictions, instill confidence and improve empathy within the staff, and decrease the risk for organizations, as seen by low incident rates. It is hoped that by providing this detailed outline of a PIE, more research can be undertaken into youth refuge care models, and more psychologically informed frameworks that address the multi-directional relationship between trauma and homelessness can be employed.

Built for Zero (BFZ) is a new data-driven approach to allocating housing assistance to homeless households. BFZ implementation includes the production/maintenance of a “by-name list” (BNL). The BNL is a regularly updated spreadsheet with personalised data about everyone who enters and exits a local homeless system (i.e., flow). Local administrators use the BNL to produce “by-name data” (BND). BND lets administrators monitor and manipulate system flow in “real time.” Scholars have not analysed how administrators manage their BNL and produce BND. This paper starts that conservation by answering three questions with interview data that was collected from administrators at 28 “BFZ communities” (i.e., homeless systems implementing BFZ): How do administrators manage their BNL? What factors influence BNL management? How does BNL management affect BND accuracy? Using thematic analysis, the author provides evidence that administrators manage the length of their BNL by removing “inactive” clients who have disengaged from service providers. Administrators try to verify housing status before deeming someone inactive. The verification process is shaped by social policies, network ties, virtual interactions, and administrative discretion. Because those things vary across homeless systems, administrators face different constraints and enablers whilst verifying someone’s housing status. The intersection of contextual factors and subjective processes biases the BND administrators produce from their BNL.

Background: Homelessness is a global challenge affecting both high-income and lower-income countries. While survival is a priority, when assessing rehousing programs, thriving should be a goal. There is, however, a lack of clarity around the concept of thriving in existing literature, as for example it is used interchangeably across a number of professions. Aim: This paper provides an in-depth concept analysis of thriving, with a specific focus on thriving post-homelessness. Method: Walker and Avant’s (2011) concept analysis method was utilized. Results: As a result of this concept analysis, eight defining attributes were identified, including bio-psycho-social-spiritual improvement, adaptive coping styles, a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction across multiple life domains, functional well-being, improving or achieving a high level of performance, finding meaning in life or life activities, and having the necessities of daily living. It was found that thriving is a multidimensional process with subjective and objective components as well as an outcome, which all contribute to an individual's well-being and satisfaction. As a consequence of thriving, one feels more secure and confident and an enhanced sense of belonging. Conclusion: This concept analysis includes an updated definition of an individual's thriving post-homelessness in order to allow for comprehensive measurement in the context of housing research, including a positive assessment of one's life situation across multiple domains, as well as access to basic necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing. Future research can utilize the results of this concept analysis to explore thriving within the context of housing, especially to establish a well-structured housing program for persons exiting homelessness.

This paper presents outcomes for a Housing First (HF) cohort in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Using integrated governmental administrative data, we analysed outcomes for a cohort of 357 people, comparing health, justice, income, and social welfare indicators the year prior to HF and five years after being housed. In the fifth year after being housed, improved outcomes across each of these sectors were noted, with particularly impressive improvements found in income levels (+38%) and mental health. These results demonstrate the efficacy of this HF programme in improving well-being. Despite such notable improvements, there is room for HF to have a greater impact in the context of wider system changes that support overall well-being, as well as the goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Using administrative data linkage, this paper sought to quantify the impacts of family homelessness on pupil absence from school. It addresses a gap in United Kingdom (UK) homelessness research, which draws predominantly on qualitative methods and where there is a greater focus on people who fall outside of the statutory system, i.e., single people living on the streets, rather than families. Education records for the academic years 2012/13 to 2015/16 relating to pupils aged 5 to 15 years old living in a coastal city in Wales, UK, were linked to data on households assessed by the statutory housing service operating across the same region. Analysis of mean half-day sessions absent from school, and Poisson panel regression were used to explore associations between absenteeism (authorised, unauthorised, and total), and whether pupils were living in a household making a statutory homelessness application, i.e., experiencing family homelessness. On average, in any given academic year, pupils experiencing family homelessness (PEFH) missed 5 days more of school than pupils not experiencing family homelessness (PnEFH). Adjusted regression analysis found that the rate of total absence was 7% higher amongst PEFH compared to PnEFH, whilst for unauthorised absence it was 13% higher. When a student experienced family homelessness, this led to an increase in their rate of total absences by 5%—adjusting for other factors—compared to when they were not homeless. Findings have implications for statutory education and housing provision, specifically the need for greater cross-disciplinary working to prevent and alleviate the harms caused when families experience homelessness.