Care Shelter Annual Report 2019-2020

The quotes found throughout the report were said by people staying at the Care Shelter. All images are used with consent. Names in stories are changed to protect guest identities.

Bethany Christian Trust Registered Scottish Charity No. SC003783

65 Bonnington Road Edinburgh EH6 5JQ

0131 561 8930

Executive Summary 5

Operational Background 1. Introduction 10 2. Aim 10 3. Operational context 11 4. Church and volunteer overview 15 5. Staffing 18 6. Finance 21

Impact 7. Partnership working 24 8. Accommodation outcomes 29

Statistics 9. Attendance 32 10. Who needs the Care Shelter? 37

Conclusion 51

Luke

Luke arrived at the Care Shelter with the world on his shoulders. He had recently lost a very good friend to a drugs overdose and had also split up with his long-term partner. He had no-one else to turn to. He was directed to the Care Shelter where he found himself surrounded by strangers.

It took time for Luke to open up to Bethany staff and as he shared his story over a period of weeks, a trusting relationship was established. Luke also connected with the GP who visits the Care Shelter each week. His confidence grew and he began to think about his next step. He connected with the Link Workers at the Care Shelter who were able to support him into accommodation.

Luke wrote a message on a Christmas card for staff one night, expressing his gratitude for the Shelter, its staff and the services that it provides. Luke shared that when he arrived at the Care Shelter, he was in a very dark place with thoughts of doing something that he would regret, but the way he was always looked after and spoken to by Bethany staff helped him make a different decision.

Luke then reconnected with his ex-partner and found that she had moved away from the area that they use to live in and was making a concerted effort to beat her addiction. Luke moved back in with her and did not return to the Care Shelter again.

Executive Summary

The 2019-2020 Care Shelter season saw more people supported than ever before in a year impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The season was extended to nearly 10 months and part way through the Care Shelter moved into the Old Waverley Hotel so that guests could have somewhere to “stay home” and isolate in their own rooms with ensuite facilities.

Operational context See page 11 The Care Shelter was open every night of the week from 23 September 2019 to 16 July 2020; 42 ½ weeks in total. The Care Shelter had capacity for 60 people until 2 December when it increased to 75 with the return to Diadem. On 16 April the Shelter moved into the Old Waverley Hotel on Princes Street in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) and supported by the Scottish Government. The season was extended by 10 ½ weeks. Nearly 120,000 bed spaces have been provided at the Care Shelter across the 24 winters that it has been open. Five Bethany Banquets again took place in summer 2019, to bridge the gap between the Care Shelter closing in the spring and reopening in the autumn. The roast dinner and live music events saw 25 people attend on average and reached 97 individuals across the summer.

Church and volunteer overview See page 15 Over 1,000 volunteers were involved with the catering at the Care Shelter, grouped into 67 catering teams, mostly from churches across Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. We are grateful to Meadowbank and Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse churches, who offered venues for the Care Shelter while it was unable to be at Diadem at the start of the season, due to a delay with a planning application. The volunteers always provide a wonderful service; providing and preparing the meals, bringing along clothing donations and talking with the guests. The changes brought by the Covid pandemic made volunteering much more challenging but volunteers continued to come out to help; donated much needed items and funds; prayed for the service and took on extra roles such as cleaning rooms. St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church kitchen was used for catering while the Shelter was based at the Old Waverley Hotel, due to its proximity and the church’s willingness to help. A massive thank you to all who were involved in the many different ways.

Staffing See page 18 The staff team was strengthened with extra members with the move to the Old Waverley Hotel. The team did incredibly well adapting to provide a very different service at the same excellent standard. CEC staff worked at the Old Waverley alongside a Team Leader from Bethany. It was a very successful partnership and a privilege to work with the CEC staff. Two part-time Link Workers joined the staff team this winter, carrying out provisional homeless assessments and providing advice and support to guests. It was a huge benefit for guests to receive this support at the Care Shelter and we are grateful to CEC for funding and facilitating these roles.

Finance See page 21 The total expenditure for the 2019/2020 season was £475,928 and the total restricted income was £453,502 showing a difference of -£22,426.

Partnership working See page 24 Across the season, 23 different partners visited the Care Shelter, some regularly and some as one-off visits. Advice, support and signposting were provided around medical care, housing options, employment and homelessness. This partnership working has been an important feature of the Care Shelter for a number of years and it was great to see more recognition of the value of working this way during the pandemic. It is hoped to further build on this again next season.

Feedback and qualitative updates “I had the most peaceful night’s sleep in years here. You guys are great!” More comments passed on to staff across the course of the season can be found throughout the report, as well as the following case studies:  Luke, page 4  Brian, page 20  Davy, page 30  Harry, page 36  Shauna, page 43  Paul, page 50

Accommodation outcomes See page 29 Move-on outcomes were recorded for guests who stayed at the hotel. There were 598 stays from 486 guests. Of those for whom an outcome is known, 71% moved into new accommodation, 11% returned to friends or family and 12% were supported to return to existing accommodation.

Attendance See page 32 Attendance at the Care Shelter is analysed in section 9 in terms of the number of nightly presentations and additionally the number of unique individuals who stayed.  An average of 50 people attended each night which resulted in 14,786 bed spaces being needed.  1,112 individuals accessed the Care Shelter during the 2019-2020 season.  The average length of stay at the Care Shelter was 13.3 nights.  26% of people stayed only one night at the Care Shelter across the season, and 64% stayed for seven nights or less.  Only 2% of the total number of attendees across the last three seasons stayed at the Care Shelter in all three seasons. 78% of individuals who stayed this season had not attended the Care Shelter in the preceding two seasons.

Who needs the Care Shelter? See page 37  Gender: 21% female, 79% male. There was an increase in the percentage of women staying, gradually rising from only 16% in 2016-2017.  Age: The mean age was 38 with the youngest being 16 and the oldest 79.  Nationalities: 62% British, 32% rest of Europe, 6% rest of the world.  Reason for homelessness: Relationship breakdown was again the main reason identified for homelessness. Eviction, mental ill-health and not having a local connection were the next most common reasons.  Length of time homeless: 40% of those using the service had been homeless for less than a week when they first presented.  Most recent accommodation: 34% of people reported sleeping rough the previous night and 27% had stayed with friends or family.  Guests’ only alternative to Care Shelter that night: 96% said their only other option was sleeping out.  Length of time in Edinburgh: 42% of guests had been in Edinburgh for more than five years, 27% had been in the city less than a week.  Homeless presentations to the council: 49% had presented to the council but 38% said there was no suitable accommodation available for them that night. 48% of people attending the Care Shelter for the first time had not yet presented to the council as homeless.  No recourse to public funds (NRPF): 60% of non-UK nationals that answered the question said they did not have recourse to public funds. This is a complex issue and a term that many people do not understand.

Statistics from the hotel See pages 35-49  An average of 52 people attended the hotel each night, 486 different individuals stayed in the three months the Care Shelter was based there.  16% of people stayed only one night at the hotel and 62% stayed for seven nights or less.  Gender: 22% female, 78% male.  Age: The mean age was 36 with the youngest being 16 and the oldest 64.  Nationalities: 75% British, 19% rest of Europe, 6% rest of the world.  Reason for homelessness: Relationship breakdown was the main reason identified for homelessness.  Length of time homeless: 42% of guests at the hotel had been homeless for less than a week when they first presented.  Most recent accommodation: 32% of people had stayed with friends or family and 24% slept rough the previous night. This shows that during the pandemic rough sleeping was reduced and lockdown took a toll on relationships causing more people to become homeless.  Guests’ only alternative to Care Shelter that night: 95% said their only other option was sleeping out.  Length of time in Edinburgh: 52% of guests had been in Edinburgh for more than five years, 26% had been in the city less than a week.  Homeless presentations to the council: 58% had presented to the council but 49% said there was no suitable accommodation available for them that night.  No recourse to public funds (NRPF): 56% of non-UK nationals that answered the question said they did not have recourse to public funds.

Conclusions See page 52 1. The emergency response to Covid-19 has been extensive and has protected people who are homeless from the virus. This needs to be built on to ensure that people do not go back to the street, to prevent new people in such circumstances from needing to sleep rough, and to achieve an end to rough sleeping in Scotland. 2. Link Workers are vital to the Care Shelter in order to support guests into accommodation. The Link Workers remove barriers to people accessing accommodation, thereby reducing rough sleeping. 3. People with no recourse to public funds need to be accommodated, otherwise bed spaces in any emergency provision will always be the only alternative for them to rough sleeping. For the Overnight Welcome Centre to fulfil its aim of moving people on to accommodation there need to be beds available for people and options for them to move on to.

Recommendations for 2020-2021 1. While Covid-19 continues to be a threat it is important that emergency accommodation protects people who are rough sleeping from the virus. Because the threat of Covid-19 continues, the Care Shelter this coming season will seek single room, ensuite accommodation from which to operate. The capacity should be limited to 50, as far as possible, to support the safe running of the service. 2. The Care Shelter will modify its operation and become a Rapid Re-accommodation Welcome Centre, to recognise the breadth of the existing work and in line with the Everyone Home Collective route map. The Welcome Centre will seek to be open 24 hours a day and have a reinvigorated emphasis on moving people on to a variety of accommodation types. 3. Partnership working will continue to be a focus of the service and the additional relationships that were developed at the hotel will be built upon. The partnership with CEC was particularly successful and we shall seek to ensure this continues. New links will be developed with services and housing providers to enable guests to be moved on quickly from the Welcome Centre.

Operational Background

1 Introduction

The Care Shelter began as a two-week pilot in 1996 and has grown over the years in length of season and in available capacity in line with the need. This season was unique because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the Care Shelter move into a hotel mid-April and the season extend from the planned 32 weeks to 42 ½ weeks; the longest Care Shelter season ever.

Despite all of the changes this season brought, the basics remained the same; people with nowhere else to stay were welcomed in to a loving environment and given somewhere safe to lay their heads. Food was provided in partnership with 64 churches and guests were able to access 23 different visiting services to link in with support appropriate to their needs.

Throughout the operation of the Care Shelter, an online monitoring form was used to collect data on guests; who they are and why they needed to access the Care Shelter. The purpose of this report is to give an account of the work carried out and by considering some of the findings from the data collected, recognise trends, patterns of use and need within the city. More important than ever this year are the lessons that can be learned from operating during a pandemic and their effect on the design of the Care Shelter for the forthcoming season.

“Just to say a massive thank you for giving me a safe and warm place to stay during these uncertain times. Also, for looking out for me when I wasn't very well.”

2 Aim

Through showing Christian love in action, the Care Shelter aims to provide a warm, safe and secure overnight place to sleep for those who would otherwise be rough sleeping; to offer hot nutritious meals and beverages; to provide high quality advice, guidance and signposting; and to treat each person with genuine care, respect and dignity. These four service aims are underpinned by an overall objective to provide opportunity of access to a wide range of partner agencies onsite, thereby assisting individuals to gain more appropriate accommodation and improved personal outcomes.

3 Operational context

People who access the Care Shelter have nowhere else to turn. Often they have exhausted other options—friends, family or hostels—or did not have these as alternatives to begin with. As a result, there is a high level of vulnerability and risk associated with many of our guests. This can be seen in the levels of addiction and mental health disorders.

People who use the service are asked to give their name and date of birth upon entry but even if a false name is offered, they will still be able to gain access. This low level of requirement can help give access to people who have been excluded or feel unable to access other homelessness services. However, there is no stereotype and people from all walks of life make use of the service at a point of crisis in their housing situation.

“Coming to the Shelter is like having Christmas every day.”

3.1 Historical provision of beds at the Care Shelter

This table shows the number of beds provided per season based on the average number of people staying per night. The impact of the Care Shelter has been massive over the 24 winters it has been running, with over 119,400 bed spaces provided.

Average stayed Winter beds Year Duration over per night provided 1996-1997 2 week pilot 15 210 1997-1998 12 weeks 25 2100 1998-1999 12 weeks 25 2100 1999-2000 12 weeks 25 2100 2000-2001 12 weeks 27 2268 2001-2002 12 weeks 24 2046 2002-2003 12 weeks 25 2150 2003-2004 12 weeks 23 1963 2004-2005 22 weeks 24 3669 2005-2006 22 weeks 23 3341 2006-2007 22 weeks 26 3975 2007-2008 22 weeks 25 3825 2008-2009 22 weeks 28 4312 2009-2010 22 weeks 36 5636 2010-2011 22 weeks 38 5915 2011-2012 20 weeks 28 3920 2012-2013 21 weeks 28 4112 2013-2014 22 weeks 37 5698 2014-2015 24 weeks 36 6048 2015-2016 27 weeks 45 8637 2016-2017 28 weeks 47 9251 2017-2018 28 weeks 42 8260 2018-2019 32 weeks 59 13118 2019-2020 42.5 weeks 50 14786 119440

NB numbers estimated for the first four years as no verifiable data available.

3.2 September 2019 to April 2020

Opening on 23 September 2019, the Care Shelter was based at Meadowbank Church for 3 ½ weeks and then at Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church for 6 ½ weeks before returning to its long-term home at Diadem on 2 December. Due to a delay with a planning application for Diadem, the Care Shelter was not able to be based there at the start of the season. Unfortunately, this meant operating at a capacity of 60 until the move back to Diadem, when the capacity increased to 75. During this time, someone was turned away on 57 occasions because the Shelter was full.

As usual, a hot, nutritious, two-course evening meal and a simple breakfast were provided throughout the season and a packed lunch from Social Bite was added for the three months based in the hotel. Support was provided by the trained, professional Bethany staff team and various partner services to meet people’s health needs and provide advice and support to them around housing, homelessness and employment. Thanks to this model of supporting people where they are, many guests were able to engage with support that they might not have come into contact with otherwise.

Dogs were able to be accommodated while the Care Shelter was at Diadem. Two guests stayed with dogs. The picture is of the Care Shelter’s first canine resident.

3.3 Covid-19 and the Old Waverley Hotel

As the threat of coronavirus grew ever larger and ever closer, plans were put in place to reduce the risk of it spreading amongst our guests, a group who often have poor health and multimorbidities. The use of PPE, regular handwashing and sanitising and additional cleaning routines were introduced, as well as social distancing measures. Public Health visited the Care Shelter to develop a pathway for those with symptoms to be isolated and tested, and they were supportive of the measures that had been put in place. On the morning of 24 March, a guest woke up with possible symptoms of Covid-19 and although they were immediately isolated, they had spent the night sleeping in the proximity of other guests. After discussions with Public Health, it was decided that all the guests who had been present that night should isolate. The Cairn Hotel, operated by Streetwork, opened a couple of days ahead of schedule to accommodate our guests. Thankfully, the individual with the symptoms tested negative for Covid-19.

This led to a period with a different focus at the Care Shelter. Guest numbers initially dropped but there were still many new people presenting with nowhere else to go. The minibus was used to locate people in the city-centre who were still rough sleeping and to assist them into accommodation. During this period, the Council Out of Hours service was contacted each night for every guest, with the hope of moving people directly into single room temporary accommodation in preference to them staying in the shared environment of the Care Shelter. Only 19% of these calls resulted in a guest being offered accommodation, such are the pressures on temporary accommodation and the reduced access to bed spaces overnight. During this period, there was an average of three new guests presenting to the service each night; people who had not previously stayed at the Care Shelter this season. Despite a city-wide effort to get everyone off the street and into accommodation, it was clear that the Care Shelter was still needed and so the search commenced for a venue with single rooms.

Bethany entered into partnership with City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) to take over the Old Waverley Hotel on Princes Street from 16 April. The Care Shelter moved from being an overnight service to being staffed 24 hours a day by Bethany, supported by CEC staff during the day. The original closing date of the Care Shelter was to be 3 May but it was extended till 16 July to allow homeless individuals to have their own ensuite rooms in which to self-isolate.

Looking after as many as 70 vulnerable people in private rooms was a huge challenge and one that the staff team ably rose to. Not having visibility over everyone in the Shelter meant that adaptions had to be made to the normal procedures to ensure everyone remained safe even when not in the presence of staff. Guests were checked on in their rooms every four hours with the exception of the middle of the night. More regular checks were put in place for guests who there was particular concern about due to physical illness, mental illness or

Old Waverley Hotel, Princes Street

intoxication. There was an emphasis on keeping people in the hotel, regardless of challenging behaviours, due to the risks of rough sleeping during the pandemic. A system of warnings was developed to help guide the staff in how to manage challenging behaviour.

The time spent in the hotel was very successful in terms of the support provided, the positive move-ons to accommodation and protecting people from a life-threatening virus. However, accommodating a large number of vulnerable individuals in one building should not be seen as a long-term solution to homelessness. It was successful in the context of the pandemic but was challenging at times in terms of behaviours and the increased risks of overdose or suicide behind closed doors. These risks were managed by increasing the size of the staff team and producing new procedures.

At the hotel, every effort was made to encourage people to social distance. A wide range of measures were put in place to help and support staff, guests, volunteers and visiting partners to keep good hygiene. Everyone was asked to wash their hands on entering the hotel and a bathroom was designated for this purpose. Hand sanitiser stations were set up in the entrance, the reception area, the staff room and the dining room. There was a deep clean of all hard surfaces throughout the hotel six times daily. Tape was put on the ground inside and outside the hotel to help encourage people to remain two metres apart. PPE was available for use when anyone had symptoms, for cleaning rooms and for anyone who felt more comfortable wearing it. Guests were also encouraged to stay in their rooms as much as possible to adhere to government guidance to only leave for exercise or essential trips. At times this was difficult to enforce, particularly as time progressed and a greater level of complacency grew amongst guests.

“Without this bed I would be dead, it is life saving.”

3.4 Bethany Banquets

The Bethany Banquets were held again in summer 2019, once a month to bridge the gap between Care Shelter seasons. These meals provide an opportunity for positive social interaction, not just between guests but also with volunteers and staff, thereby reducing isolation in the homeless community. The Banquets were organised and delivered by the Care Shelter staff team who brought the skills learned from working in the Care Shelter, as well as a knowledge of many of the individuals who attended. The meals were advertised via other homelessness services and through outreach to individuals on the street.

Residents from Bethany House and Bethany Christian Centre were involved in menu planning, preparing food, setting up the hall and serving the food. Guests were served a full roast dinner, or vegetarian option, with all the trimmings, and a choice of dessert. Tables were decorated with tablecloths, colourful napkins and snacks. Guests received table service.

All the services that partner through the Care Shelter season were invited to attend the Banquet events to maximise the opportunity for guests to link in with appropriate health, housing, debt and legal support interventions. Along with the amazing food and support, there was also live entertainment, usually consisting of a musician or singer. This created an amazing atmosphere for all participants. The feedback received by those involved, whether guest, performer or volunteer, was extremely positive.

A total of 97 individuals attended the Banquets with an average of 25 people at each one. The majority of individuals that attended were male, aged between 46 and 55, and were rough sleeping that night. Unfortunately, there will not be any Banquets held in summer 2020 due to the ongoing risk posed by Covid-19.

4 Church and volunteer overview

Throughout the Care Shelter’s history, many different denominations and churches have come together to serve, laying aside theological or traditional differences. They are united in the Care Shelter, showing God’s love to our guests through the food they cook and the time they invest in them.

4.1 Venues

The Care Shelter had previously operated on a rota basis; moving around different church venues. Last season, the Care Shelter moved to a fixed venue at Diadem, half-way through the season. The aim this season was to be permanently based there from the start, but due to delays with a planning application the move back to Diadem did not happen until December. We are incredibly thankful to Meadowbank Parish Church and Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church who offered use of their buildings until planning permission was granted.

Diadem is a great venue with purpose built shower facilities and beds that allow for 75 people to sleep each night. Being based in one location provides consistency for those staying there and the size meant that no one had to be turned away while based at that venue. . When the Care Shelter moved to the Old Waverley Hotel during the pandemic it was not possible to use the hotel’s kitchen to cater the evening meals. St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church in George Street offered the use of their kitchen which was greatly appreciated. The proximity to the hotel ensured that food was above the required temperature on arrival at the hotel.

“That food is better than my mum makes!”

4.2 Catering teams

Churches did not have to be used as venues in order to be involved and catering teams were formed, coming from as far as Cumbernauld and North Berwick. There were 67 different catering teams involved this season. Incredibly, over 1,000 volunteers are signed up to cater at the Care Shelter. They do a wonderful job; preparing and serving a hot, nutritious, two-course meal each night, providing all the food, chatting to guests as they eat and clearing everything up afterwards.

An induction evening is held in the autumn to brief volunteers on any changes and instruct new volunteers on important aspects of volunteering. Each evening, a briefing is held with the staff team to cover emergency procedures, the running order for the night and how to interact appropriately with guests. This is followed by devotions and prayer.

During the pandemic, many individual volunteers did extra catering or serving at the Care Shelter. This additional support was vital at a time when volunteer numbers were depleted due to the risks of Covid-19. A big thank you to all who helped in this way.

Social distancing measures were introduced and PPE provided to reduce the risks around the preparation and serving of meals for all involved.

“Thanks, that was delicious.”

The catering teams involved with the Care Shelter this season were:

Abbey Church ● All Nations Christian Fellowship ● Barclay Viewforth Church Bellevue Chapel ● Bethany Fundraising ● Canongate Kirk Capital City Church International ● Care Shelter Staff Team 2018-19 ● Care Van Composite Team Central ● Chalmers Church ● Charlotte Chapel ● Christ Church, Britwell Crescent Christ Church, Morningside ● Church of the Sacred Heart ● City Gates Baptist Church Craiglockhart Church ● Cumbernauld Free Church ● Currie Kirk Cyrenians Community Cook Club ● Dalkeith Full Gospel Church ● Dedridge Baptist Church Dentons ● Destiny Church ● Duke Street United Reformed Church ● Elcho Place Hall Found Church ● Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse ● Granton Parish Church ● Greenbank Parish Church Holyrood Evangelical ● Hope City Church ● Hope! Church ● Howgate Kirk Kings Church, Viewforth ● Kirk of Calder ● Kirkliston Community Church ● Liberton Kirk Liberton Northfield Parish Church ● Longniddry Parish Church ● Maddiston Evangelical Church Morningside Parish Church ● Musselburgh Congregational Church ● North Leith Parish Church Palmerston Place Church ● Portobello and Joppa Parish Church ● Prestongrange Parish Church South Edinburgh Cluster ● St Andrew's & George's West Church ● St Anne's Parish Church St Columba's by the Castle ● St Giles Neighbourhood Group ● St John the Baptist, Costorphine St John the Evangelist ● St John's & St Mary Magdalene ● St Margaret's Church St Mark's, Portobello ● St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral ● St Michael's Parish Church, Inveresk St Michaels, Linlithgow ● St Mungo's, Balerno ● St Ninian's Episcopal Church St Ninian's, Marionville ● St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church ● St Paul's & St George's Church St Peter's Lutton Place ● St Peter's, Musselburgh

4.3 Donations and extra volunteering

Catering teams often bring along donations of warm clothing and toiletries to the Care Shelter which are available for anyone who needs them. Members of the public and other Bethany supporters also faithfully donate these items which are always very welcome.

This season due to the extension of the season and moving into the Old Waverley Hotel, an appeal was made to volunteers for non-perishable snacks, fruit, breakfast items, other food items, clothes, foreign language books and other items to keep people entertained in their rooms such as jigsaws and musical instruments. Catering teams were also given the option to donate funds for others to cook if they were unable to volunteer themselves during the pandemic. The Care Shelter team was blown away by the amount of donations and support received and are incredibly thankful for the churches and volunteers who provided everything that was needed.

Volunteers were also asked to help clean hotel rooms after guests had moved on to more suitable accommodation. Again, the response was excellent and we are very grateful to the many volunteers who came to help with this, less than glamourous, role.

We would also like to thank Pizza Hut, Regis Catering and the Original Mosque Kitchen for providing food for free on a number of evenings whilst at the hotel.

“Thank you so much for the rucksack.”

4.4 Thank you

Usually, the summer is when a big thank you event is held for all the volunteers and supporters of the Care Shelter to celebrate its successes over the past season and sincerely thank everyone for all they have done to contribute. This year, more than ever, we are indebted to our volunteers and supporters for the effort they made, particularly during the Covid crisis. Church catering teams took on extra catering nights, sometimes with little notice, volunteers joined a list to do extra volunteering, people donated much needed items or funds, people cleaned hotel rooms and many other helpful things. Sadly, it is not possible to meet together to celebrate and say thank you in person. But we do want to say a massive thank you to everyone who contributed this season. You will read the stories and statistics in the coming pages which hopefully convey to you how worthwhile your contribution was.

5 Staffing

5.1 Bethany staff team

Project Workers Amara Ikwuagwu Bob Milne Elyse MacKinnon Emily Millar Harry Mulligan Joanne Friend Joe McCormack Kevin Chalmers Laura Walker Stewart Cruickshank Link Workers Team Leaders Lorna Herrera Danielle Walton Mairi Findlay David McGuire Eleanor McLachlan Ruth Longmuir Manager Kieran Campbell James Milligan Senior Team Leader Rachael Davie Naomi Miller Administrator

The staff have been a crucial element to the success of the Care Shelter this season, in particular the emergency response to Covid-19 at the Old Waverley Hotel. The existing Bethany staff team worked incredibly hard to adapt the service to a very different environment and to develop and implement new procedures to support the safe running of the service. It was a very challenging few months during which the staff really stepped up despite having already worked a long winter season.

“You are really good people, I really appreciate you looking after us.”

5.2 City of Edinburgh Council staff

It was excellent partnering with City of Edinburgh Council and a real privilege working with and getting to know the Council staff who worked at the hotel during the day. We would like to thank each and every one of them for their hard work, enthusiasm and making the collaboration between the two organisations so successful. The work at the hotel benefitted from your involvement and we would be delighted to work with you all again should the opportunity arise.

City of Edinburgh Council staff

Simon Porteous Manager Kaleigh Wood David Goodwin Brogan McLean Ian Heard Sam Williamson Julie Baker Gary Connelly Laura Thomson Andy Brydon Ashley Griffin Stephen Sanderson Callum Thomson Scott McKail Jeanette Smith Gary Hogg Mathew Bell Ian Young Morag Lang Bart Wuloch Carol Mitchell Lesley Jones David Watson Marlee Pearson David Robertson Nicky Maybury

5.3 Staff changes

There were many adjustments to the Bethany staff team with the move to the hotel. Danielle Walton and David McGuire stepped up as Team Leaders and worked the 12-hour dayshifts. A new 4pm to midnight shift was created to provide more support in the evenings and bridge the shift changeover from day to nightshift. Additional staff were brought in to strengthen the team, including existing pool staff Rachael Davie and Joanne Friend. Elyse MacKinnon, Manager of the Glasgow City Mission Winter Night Shelter, joined the team as a project worker, bringing with her a wealth of experience.

City of Edinburgh Council employed a door steward at the hotel which was a great support to the staff team. Many thanks to all who did this role from Atalian Servest.

5.4 Link Workers

Two part-time Link Workers joined the Care Shelter team in November 2019, funded by City of Edinburgh Council. Lorna Herrera and Mairi Findlay took on these new roles and acted as a link between City of Edinburgh Council and the Care Shelter, giving housing advice, signposting to appropriate services and carrying out provisional homeless assessments. During their time employed, they carried out 63 assessments and gave advice to at least 208 people. These figures underestimate the true extent of the work they did, having many conversations that did not warrant recording, advising their colleagues on housing issues and referring people into accommodation.

Being able to do a provisional homeless assessment with someone at the Care Shelter was a huge benefit to them. There are many barriers to people attending a council office such as mental ill-health, bad past experiences in waiting rooms, misinformation and a lack of knowledge of their rights to homelessness assistance and housing. With the move to the hotel and the accompanying opportunity to work during the day, the Link Workers became an even more vital part of the operation; able to interact with CEC housing officers and staff in various housing teams and other support services. They took a lead in formulating move- on plans for guests, while the rest of the team managed the day to day running of the Care Shelter.

This new service was much appreciated by guests. The following comments were recorded on feedback forms:

“I felt like I really had an advocate.”

“Didn’t need to travel to any council office and felt more at home talking in my own environment.”

“The Link Worker changed my whole outlook on assistance (I was helped with everything possible). I was helped to get a social worker, my GP, Housing Officer, access accommodation, moral support and kindness shown throughout.”

Brian

Brian was dropped off by the police at the Care Shelter. He presented as paranoid with stories of threats to him that were extreme and may have seemed implausible. There was a lack of evidence to support his claims that it was too dangerous for him to stay in his flat but Brian was adamant that he would rather be dead than return to his accommodation. He described a life of fear and terror in his flat; he said he was too scared to move around and sat in silence, in the dark. His mental health was poor but his stories were consistent. Brian needed considerable time, space, support and reassurance. The Link Workers liaised with the council and his CPN. With time, he was able to relax and his confidence grew. He explained that he had been too fearful to report the harassment.

The council supported his decision to leave his tenancy and he was able to move into supported accommodation. Brian stayed for over two months at the Care Shelter and the change in him in that time was huge. He was settled and he felt safe. It is doubtful that this outcome would have been achieved without the intense support and stable environment of the Care Shelter.

6 Finance

The Care Shelter benefits from a huge amount of “gift in kind”. The volunteers give their time for free, church venues are provided free of charge along with the use of the kitchen, heating and lighting and a number of places donated meals during the pandemic. Catering teams also provide the food supplies for the project each night as part of their voluntary church giving and bring along donated items of clothing and toiletries. We estimate that the in-kind giving provided to support the project is as follows:

Per Night1 Full Season

Food £200 £55,700

Cost of volunteers if paid living wage £270 £80,190 Venue hire £100 £20,600 Caretaker £30 £6,180

Utilities £25 £3,750

Other donated goods £100 £29,700 Total £196,120

It would not be possible to operate the Care Shelter without these high levels of gift in kind. The level of donated goods and the voluntary service offered is exceptional.

We budgeted and received restricted income as follows:

Restricted Income Overview

Budget Actual Individual Gifts £35,500 £91,127 Gift Aid £4,000 £14,378

Grants £10,000 £136,062 Received Church Gifts £42,000 £50,416

Trust Income £75,000 £102,856 Company Gifts £35,000 £38,728

Other Income £19,600 £19,935 Totals £221,100 £453,502

The budgeted figures were for a 32 week season under normal operation. The actual figures reflect the extension of the Care Shelter season to 42 ½ weeks and the additional fundraising carried out to cover unanticipated costs due to the coronavirus pandemic. This explains why the actual restricted income was up £232,402 against budget.

The total expenditure with direct and central costs was £475,928 and the total restricted income was £453,502 showing a difference of -£22,426.

The very high level of financial support from churches, in addition to the volunteering and meals provided, reflects the care and concern shown by the local churches in partnering with Bethany in this project.

1 Costs per night are a typical Care Shelter night. The many changes this season meant that some costs were not applicable on certain nights and these adjustments are reflected in the Full Season figures.

The Scottish Government supported the Care Shelter again this winter. A grant of £35,000 contributed to a core budget deficit allowing the Care Shelter to operate.

When Covid-19 hit and the Care Shelter moved to the Old Waverley Hotel, additional funding was required. The Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council supplied the funding for the beds. This partnership support for ensuring that ensuite rooms were made available for everyone that accessed the Care Shelter was tremendously welcome. The Scottish Government provided a grant that paid for 35 bedrooms each night at the hotel and the City of Edinburgh Council paid for all bookings in addition to this up to each night’s total number of bedrooms required. We are extremely grateful to both local and national government in paying for the hotel bedroom provision.

We are hugely indebted to our donors and supporters, without whom the Care Shelter could not operate. Whether giving goods, time or contributing financially, the supporters of the Care Shelter not only provide a safe place of shelter for people but they also facilitate one- off conversations and relationships with staff that help people feel valued and explore their move-on options. In addition to the generous donations of many churches, individuals and sponsored events towards the work of the Care Shelter, we are also very grateful to the various trusts, organisations and funds that responded generously to Bethany’s Fundraising Team in enabling us to fulfil this work:

Alfred Haines Charitable Trust City of Edinburgh Council CRH Trust Cruden Foundation Edinburgh Bar Association Fair Food Transformation Fund, Scottish Government Hinshelwood Gibson Trust Hobson Charity Inchcape Foundation JK Young Endowment John Wilson Robert Christie Leith Benevolent Fund Martin Connell Charitable Trust Pret Foundation Scottish Government The Challenge Trust The Graham Trust The Netherdale Trust Tulip Charitable Trust Wellbeing Fund, Scottish Government Wilson Family Trust

“You guys do an amazing job and the support you are giving me is life saving. I feel like am going to cry cause of what yous are doing to help me.”

Impact

7 Partnership working

The partner services that visit the Care Shelter have been an important part of the service for many years. Ranging from housing support and assistance to medical and life-saving care, our partners are able to meet with guests at the Care Shelter and link them in to services they might not have accessed otherwise. The staff team get to know guests and then can link them up with appropriate services when they are in. The Care Shelter is very low barrier to access and some people feel able to come there, but would find going to an office for a meeting or clinical appointment too intimidating. Informal chats with services can lead to relationships that mean the person is then able to engage with the services, attending meetings or appointments at their offices.

Twenty-three services visited the Care Shelter across the season, some very regularly and others less so. When Covid-19 hit, some services stopped doing face to face support but were available for video or phone consultations. It was wonderful to have such an array of medical services coming to the hotel on a weekly basis and there is talk of these interventions continuing past Covid which is very welcome. The benefits to this model of working have been widely recognised during the pandemic.

There were much closer links with City of Edinburgh Council this season, not least the partnership with the move to the Old Waverley Hotel. Staffed 24/7 by Bethany and with great support during the day from CEC staff, this partnership proved to be extraordinarily good. In addition, the new Link Worker roles were a partnership, with the council funding the roles and training the workers and Bethany employing them and supervising them. Being based at the Old Waverley and having a greater emphasis on moving people on to temporary accommodation saw greater links with many different council teams. Special thanks to all the staff at Out of Hours who were always incredibly helpful, to Mark Healy, the Sex and Violent Offender Liaison Officer (SAVOLO) who helped us manage risk, to the temporary accommodation staff and those in TAP who helped find accommodation for our guests. The closer working with CEC benefitted our guests and is something that we hope will continue in the future.

“This place is amazing, you get to speak to a doctor.”

7.1 Visiting partners

Thank you to all the services and partners who visited the Care Shelter this season, either making the extra effort to come to Diadem at unsociable hours or visiting during a pandemic when there were a great many time pressures. As can be seen in the following reports, these interactions make a difference to people.

Contained below is a brief summary of the involvement of each service that visited the Care Shelter this season.

 City of Edinburgh Council. Our key delivery partner when based at the hotel, providing staff during the day and alternative accommodation for guests.

 Bethany Link Workers. Completing provisional homeless assessments, supporting guests into accommodation, evidence gathering and advocacy. See section 5.4 for more detail on their involvement.

 Streetwork. Providing an assertive targeted approach in engaging with guests and supporting them on to accommodation and other services.

“The street outreach team attended at Diadem each weekday morning and on three mornings a week at the Old Waverley Hotel to accompany guests to the Holyrood Hub for amenities, Rapid Access Accommodation, support to access benefits, street pharmacy and support to attend medical or housing appointments. We were also able to accommodate anyone with suspected Covid-19 symptoms and offer an isolation apartment at the Cairn Hotel. This was essential in keeping everyone safe. The street outreach team worked with 709 people across the season, with 281 of these being people we had not worked with before.” Fiona Williamson

 Crisis. Providing housing and employment advice, life coaches and financial grants to help people into accommodation, as well as engaging guests into group work and training.

“Crisis engaged with 77 individuals between October and July, and we directly supported 13 people out of the Shelter and into accommodation. We continue to work with many of the guests, helping them to achieve their future plans and move permanently away from homelessness. We provide 1-2-1 employability support, alongside our “Get into Work” sessions for EEA nationals, and many of the guests took part in our other classes and activities. During the pandemic we were able to provide basic items including mobile phones and food. We also organised safe onward travel for people who were stranded in Edinburgh during lockdown. It has been great to work alongside the Bethany staff team, and support the amazing work that they do. During the Coronavirus we have seen how much we can achieve when we all work together. Ending homelessness is within our reach.” Martin Barnes

 Big Issue. Offer guests the opportunity to become a vendor of the Big Issue.

 Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPN). Face to face consultations and also video calls to support guests with their mental health and wellbeing and how to help with the next steps.

· “Staff at Edinburgh Access Practice identified the use of NHS Near Me video consulting facilities as a potential way to provide services that had not been possible to deliver during the pandemic. However, many people experiencing homelessness do not have access to a device which would enable them to use Near Me to access the service. The practice recognised the need for kit and support and successfully sought funding to buy laptops for people experiencing homelessness to use which were distributed across homelessness accommodation sites in the city. Where other services are required during individual consultations such as pharmacy or addictions services, staff are able to invite clinicians to join the call via text message. These virtual calls took place each weekday afternoon at the Old Waverley Hotel and many people benefited from being able to speak to a CPN. As a Visiting Partner at the Care Shelter, I came to appreciate that it is actually something about the structure and nature of Bethany’s culture, that was the glue that enabled my interventions to be helpful.” Doneil Macleod

 Harm Reduction Team. Engage with guests who are trapped in addiction, giving support and advice and testing for blood borne viruses.

“In the nine weeks we attended the Old Waverley Hotel, we engaged with 17 people. We tested 12 people for BBVs and four of them were confirmed Hep-C antigen positive. We also provided wound care to two people and got one person who was not in ORT treatment on to methadone. I think this shows how important our joint work is. “ Con Lafferty

 Bridge to Freedom. An onsite recovery group for anyone wishing to seek advice, support and encouragement to move-on from addictive lifestyle.

“12 males and one female were supported at the Old Waverley Hotel. This has led to ongoing support for three of these people who have moved into Bethany House.” Joe McCormack

 Bethany Christian Centre. Providing guests a route into an abstinence based residential recovery programme.

 Podiatrists. Assess and treat issues that the guests have with their feet.

 Practice Nurses. Attend the Care Shelter to give advice, treat and support guests with primary health care.

 Bethany House. Move-on support into supported accommodation where needed.

 Shelter Scotland. Attend to support guests who had legal issues with their accommodation or unable to access accommodation.

 CLAO. Support guests who have NRPF or legal issues surrounding accommodation.

“We trialled a telephone “drop-in” surgery where we dedicated a mobile phone number to the use of Care Shelter guests for the day. This was in the final week of the hotel being open and we achieved a positive outcome by clarifying issues around local connection which facilitated someone getting a place in Bethany Christian Centre. We found that there were a lot of benefits to offering a service that could be immediately reactive and are hoping to trial similar sessions again as we think these will help make it easier for people to access and engage with our service.” Lindsay Paterson

 Streetreads. Provide a tailored library of books to the Care Shelter for the guests to read, including foreign language books.

 EU Settlement Scheme project worker. Supporting guests from the EU, helping them with right to reside issues, repatriation and applications for Pre and Settled Status.

“While the Care Shelter was located at Diadem, we visited once a week during breakfast to engage with EEA nationals around the EU Settlement Scheme. We supported 29 EEA national guests to submit applications to the scheme. 21 of these guests have been awarded status while nine are still waiting for responses from the Home Office. We were also able to refer nine guests on for further immigration advice from solicitors and support eight guests to start gathering the evidence and replacing the ID documents needed to make applications.

“At the Old Waverley we were able to spend half a day per week working from the hotel and expanded the support we offered. This additional support saw nine EEA national guests submit Universal Credit claims and one guest access specialist welfare rights advice. Eight guests were supported to access emergency funding while three were supported to open bank accounts. Two were supported to contact their Embassies or Consulates to organise replacement ID while three were supported to register with a GP practice. Four guests who had become stranded in the UK during lockdown were supported to return to their home countries. Four non-EEA national guests were supported to access appropriate immigration advice.” Kay Paterson

 Careers advisor from Skills Development Scotland. Supporting guests to look for employment and/or training.

 The Advice Shop. Supporting guests with benefits and debt issues.

 Onsite vaccination. Engaging with guests and giving vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, MMR, Polio, Diphtheria and Tetanus.

 GPs. Attending the Shelter to engage with guests, to support with all manner of health issues. GPs attended from Edinburgh Access Practice on a regular basis throughout the season. At the hotel, there was a weekly surgery for any guest with health concerns.

 Dental staff. Signposting, giving advice about oral hygiene and providing toothpaste and brushes.

 Anne Hope House. Attend to support female guests, providing them with advice and supporting them into supported accommodation.

“Anne Hope House took 14 referrals, carried out 13 assessments and provided accommodation and support for six clients from the Care Shelter. All six women have accessed 1-2-1 support sessions, engaged in group work and accessed further support for physical and mental health needs. Those who are still in the accommodation continue to engage in support at Anne Hope House, take part in weekly recovery groups and have personalised support plans. They have been engaging in creative activities including baking, sewing face masks and crafts and enjoying a weekly fitness session.” Sheila Gregson

 Bethany Housing First. Supporting guests within the Housing First framework into accommodation.

 Churches from across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Cooking evening meals and cleaning rooms as people within the hotel successfully moved on. See section 4 for more details.

 Police Scotland. Attending to support people along to the Care Shelter and bring support and advice.

Month Total September 2 October 18

November 15 December 12

January 17 February 9

March 20

April 17 May 19

June 13 July 8 Total 150

The table shows the number of people dropped off by the police across each month of the season. The police brought someone to the Care Shelter on 150 occasions. The community police were very supportive both at Diadem and at the Old Waverley Hotel. We really appreciated the good relationship we had with them and their willingness to help with emergency situations and discuss issues that arose.

8 Accommodation outcomes

While the Care Shelter was based at the Old Waverley Hotel a record was kept of where guests moved on to, as far as possible. 486 different individuals stayed at the hotel in 598 stays. An accommodation outcome was recorded for each time someone stayed and moved on from the hotel. Some guests moved on from the hotel without informing staff and so sometimes it was not possible to know where they had gone to. Accommodation outcomes are known for 76% of stays.

Accommodation outcome Number of people Temporary accommodation 255

Supported accommodation 34 Rapid Access Accommodation 24

Secured job with accommodation 6 New tenancy 6 Friends/family 49

Returned to existing accommodation 54 Advised to return to another area 11

Hospital 4 Police 13

Unknown 142 Total 598

Of those that an outcome is known for, 71% moved into new accommodation, 11% returned to friends or family and 12% were supported to return to existing accommodation.

The most common place for people to move on to was temporary accommodation, meaning here a Guest House or Shared House. Of the 49 different temporary accommodations that were recorded as destinations for people to go to, the most common one by far was Almond Guest House with 21% of temporary accommodation move-ons to there. People who had stayed there before were sometimes reluctant to go there again due to its location on the outskirts of the city.

Supported accommodation such as a hostel with 24-hour support, was more difficult for people to access. Bethany has three supported accommodation units in Edinburgh (Bethany House, Bethany Christian Centre and Anne Hope House). Of the 34 people who moved into supported accommodation, 70% of them moved into one of the Bethany units. As the end of the season approached, there were a number of people who had longer stays in the hotel who were needing accommodation with support. It was felt that they would not do well going into a Guest House. Thankfully supported accommodation was found for them all before the Care Shelter closed.

Rapid Access Accommodation was able to be accessed by the Link Workers after 9pm at night and 24 guests were accommodated via this route.

“I can't wait to get into the Shelter, it's freezing out here.”

Davy

Davy came to the Care Shelter in February because he could not stay in his flat as there was a leak. He was supported to contact his landlord to report the leak and request that it be repaired. Davy was only at the Care Shelter a few nights and wasn’t seen again there until June.

When he came back to the Shelter, it transpired that the leak had not been fixed and that Davy had been sleeping in Princes Street Gardens because he was too scared and anxious to stay in his flat. Not only was there a leak but the door to his flat was not secure and he was feeling intimidated by his neighbour. Davy had first raised the issue of the leak two years previous and the landlord stated they had been unable to gain access to the flat to carry out the repair. This highlights how important it is for people to have support to liaise with landlords and also the need for flexibility in services when dealing with someone who is vulnerable and has support needs. People may miss appointments because of other things going on in their lives. This repair caused Davy significant distress for a long period of time, eventually leading to him sleeping rough.

Davy was supported to liaise with the landlord until the leak was repaired and a replacement door fitted. A referral was made from the Care Shelter to YPeople for ongoing tenancy support and Davy was then able to return to his flat.

In the eyes of homeless legislation, Davy was not homeless; he had a permanent home. However, it was not a safe place for him to be and had he been refused entry to the Care Shelter he would have gone back to Princes Street Gardens, not his tenancy. The support and intervention at the Care Shelter enabled Davy to return to his home. The Care Shelter is there for people in a crisis, whatever that may be.

Statistics

9 Attendance

Attendance at the Care Shelter is analysed in the following section in terms of number of nightly presentations and number of unique individuals who stayed at the Care Shelter. Statistics are given for the whole season and also for the three-month period at the Old Waverley Hotel.

9.1 Nightly attendance

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

The graph shows the nightly attendance at the Care Shelter. For the whole season, the average nightly attendance was 50 and at the hotel it was 52.

A big dip in attendance can be seen in April due to 55 guests having to self-isolate in single room accommodation after another guest awoke with possible Covid-19 symptoms one morning (see section 3.3). This led to a period of 23 nights where numbers were very low at the Care Shelter – on average only 10 people stayed each night. Numbers can also be seen to decrease from the end of June till the Shelter closed mid-July. This was due to a planned reduction in capacity to enable all guests in the hotel to move-on to accommodation before the Shelter closed on 16 July.

The busiest night was 22 May when 79 guests were registered that day at the hotel. Numbers at the hotel were capped at 70 but the higher number allows for people to have moved on before the new people arrived that day.

Sadly, someone was turned away from the Care Shelter because of capacity on 63 occasions this season. The Care Shelter began the season in smaller venues than planned due to a hold-up with planning permission which delayed the re-entry to the larger Diadem.

“I feel safe here.”

9.2 Average nightly attendance by month

0 September October November December January February March April May June July

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20

The graph above shows the average nightly attendance by month compared with the previous four seasons. In total, 14,786 bed spaces were provided this season. This is the most for any Care Shelter season but it is also the longest ever season at 297 nights.

“It's really peaceful.”

9.3 Average nightly attendance by year

0 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20

This graph shows the average nightly attendance for the last seven seasons. The season average this year was 50 people per night compared with 59 in the 2018-2019 season. This seems to suggest that the number of homeless people in Edinburgh is reducing. However, as mentioned in section 9.1, numbers were artificially low for 23 nights in March/April due to 55 guests moving into accommodation where they could self-isolate. The average nightly attendance in March up till that date was 63 people per night. Had this continued through to the 15 April, an additional 1,214 bed spaces would have been provided, resulting in a total of 16,000 bed spaces across the season and a new nightly average of 54.

9.4 How many individuals stayed at the Care Shelter?

Average Number of New Attendees Per Week

0 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20

Across the whole season, 1,112 different people stayed at the Care Shelter. This chart shows the average number of new attendees per week in comparison to the previous five seasons. Someone is classed as a new attendee if they have not stayed at the Care Shelter already that season. On average, 26 new people presented per week across the season, which is up on last season’s average of 23. For the time at the hotel, this was 32. This shows that people were continuing to become homeless despite lockdown and the reduction in the number of evictions that were permitted. In fact, these figures suggest that more people were becoming homeless during this period, perhaps due to increased tensions on relationships with people being at home so much. On average, four new people presented per night across the whole season.

9.5 How many nights did people stay?

The average number of nights each person stayed at the Care Shelter was 13.3. This is a reduction from the previous season when it was 17.5.

Number of Nights Stayed by Percentage of Individuals

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% 1 7 or less 14 or less 31 or less More than half the season

2019/20 Hotel

The chart shows the percentage of individuals who stayed for different ranges of nights; one night, a week or less, a fortnight or less, a month or less and more than half the season (more than 148 nights). The statistics for the full season are shown beside those for the hotel. 26% of guests for the whole season stayed for only one night. At the hotel this was 16% which is understandable given that the period at the hotel was during a pandemic when people were encouraged to stay in accommodation. The hotel also had a longer term feel, with people booking into rooms rather than taking an available bed for the night. There was a strong emphasis at the hotel on it not being temporary accommodation and on people moving on as quickly as possible. 96% of guests at the hotel stayed for 31 nights or less, slightly higher than the full season at 92%.

“You guys have made an uncomfortable situation comfortable.”

9.6 Who came back to the Care Shelter?

There is a common perception surrounding people who are sleeping rough which suggests that they are an entrenched, static population. This is not the case. Over the last three seasons, a total of 2,230 individuals have used the Care Shelter, with between 500 and 900 new people each year.

The chart on the following page shows the percentage of those who returned to the Care Shelter in another season, based on data from the last three seasons. Of the total population across those three seasons (2,230 people), 12% accessed the service in two different seasons including 2% (the centre section) staying in all three. This is almost exactly the same overlap in attendance as last season when looking at the preceding two winters.

78% of individuals who attended the Care Shelter this winter had not stayed at the Shelter in the preceding two seasons.

 Population: 2,230 individuals over the last three winter seasons.  The percentages shown represent the percentage of this total, in each segment.  2% in the centre equates to 50 people who have attended all three seasons.  39% in 2019/20 means that 866 individuals were new to the Care Shelter this season.

Harry

Harry arrived at the Care Shelter one night. He was known to some of the Bethany staff as he had needed the Care Shelter in a previous season. Staff could see that Harry was not in a good place. Thankfully, Harry was able to share his story with staff and he knew what the Shelter was and that the staff are there to support him. He shared that he had just been released from hospital, only to head back to his accommodation and find that it had been closed. He now found himself homeless with no one to turn to. Harry was welcomed in, shown to a clean comfy bed and then settled down to eat a hot meal.

Staff continued to engage with Harry and he shared his heart -breaking story of why he was in hospital. Recently, he had leaned that a close relative had died in an accident. He had found it very difficult to cope with that devastating news and got so low that he had tried to take his own life. Staff continued to chat and engage with Harry throughout the night, sharing their own experience of recovery.

Staff were then able to support Harry in to stable accommodation where he could further explore the option of recovery to deal with his addictions.

10 Who needs the Care Shelter?

On entry to the Care Shelter, names were taken electronically on a tablet. If the person was presenting for the first time this season, they were asked a few further questions. There was no obligation to answer any of the questions but the majority of people did. The details provided in this section are based on those who did respond. The information allows us to have a more comprehensive understanding of those who are accessing the service which helps to inform future developments.

Statistics are given for the whole season and for the hotel separately where applicable. It should be noted that the whole season statistics also include the statistics from the hotel.

10.1 Gender

Gender Percentage by Year

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Male Female Other

2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

This season, 79% of guests at the Care Shelter were male and 21% female. There was an increase in the number of females attending the Care Shelter this season, up by 3% on the previous season. The graph shows the rising trend in number of females attending over recent season from 16% in 2016/17 to 21% this season. At the hotel, shown on the graph in red, this was even higher; 22%.

This rise is concerning given how vulnerable women are when rough sleeping. Women are known to experience more violence than men when rough sleeping and also be more at risk of sexual assault. Crisis state on their website that nearly one in four women have been sexually assaulted while rough sleeping.1 According to a report commissioned by St Mungo’s, a London based homelessness charity, women who sleep rough also tend to be younger than men in the same position.2 See section 10.2 for further discussion on this.

Because of the rising number of women at the Care Shelter, next season there will be a greater emphasis on supporting female guests, with stronger referral links to women’s refuges and Anne Hope House and two female project workers with a specific focus on supporting women.

1 Crisis website: https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/rough-sleeping/rough-sleepers-and-complex- needs/ 2 St Mungo’s report, Women and rough sleeping: a critical review of current research and methodology (2018)

10.2 Age

20% 18% 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Under 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-70 71+ 20

2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

The average age of a Care Shelter guest was 38 which is very similar to previous years. The youngest person was 16 years old and the oldest was 79.

The graph above shows the percentage of guests in each age bracket across the last four seasons and the hotel. It shows that this season, there were more younger guests and fewer older guests. This is more pronounced for the period at the hotel, with 7% of guests being under 20 and no guests over the age of 65.

Age by Gender

0 Under 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 20

Female Male

The graph on the previous page shows the age of guests at the hotel, broken down by gender. Despite there being far more men than women at the hotel (377 compared to 109), more people in the under 20 age bracket were female (17 compared to 15). The average age for a female at the hotel was 34 and for a male was 36.

10.3 Nationalities

0.4% 1%

Asia

Eastern European

28% Other European

Africa

62% North and South 4% America 4% British

Australia 1%

The graph shows the breakdown of nationality groupings of people staying in the Care Shelter. British people make up the largest group at 62% of all guests. The percentage of Eastern Europeans staying at the Care Shelter increased this season to 28%, up from 23% last season. This increase can largely be attributed to a group of Romany people who came to Edinburgh over the winter. There are difficulties in supporting this group due to a language barrier but they are also often not looking to settle in Edinburgh and so decline help to access accommodation and other services. There were 59 different nationalities represented at the Care Shelter this season.

Nationalities at the Old Waverley Hotel

1% 1% 3% 4%

16% Africa North and South America Asia British Eastern European 75% Other European

The breakdown of nationalities from the period at the hotel is quite different with 75% British and only 16% Eastern European (3% other European and 6% from the rest of the world). The main reason for this difference is that a lot of Eastern Europeans who were often staying at the Care Shelter were accommodated in the Cairn Hotel when it first opened to allow them to self-isolate after a suspected case of Covid-19 in the Care Shelter (see section 3.3 for more details). Therefore, the percentage of Eastern Europeans at the hotel was greatly reduced from what it was under normal operation.

The average length of stay for a UK national was eight nights, compared to 24 for someone from Eastern Europe, 15 for the rest of Europe and 12 for the rest of the world. This indicates that UK nationals are far more likely to have access to routes out of rough sleeping and illustrates the difficulties other nationalities face in obtaining help. Whether that be due to a less extensive network of friends and family to support them in times of crisis or less entitlement to support from the government, other nationalities are having to stay longer at the Care Shelter than those from the UK.

“I have God’s roof over my head, I will be safe.”

10.4 Reason for homelessness

On their first night at the Care Shelter guests were asked about their reason for being homeless. Individuals could choose more than one option so the chart reflects the total number60% of times each of the answers were given.

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Alcohol Drugs Eviction Labelled Lost Benefits Lost Job Mental No Local Relationship Rent Arrears "Intentionally Health Connection Breakdown Homeless"

2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

Relationship issues were again the main reason given for people becoming homeless. For the full season, this accounted for 41% of people and 49% for the period at the hotel. This rise is not unexpected because when the Care Shelter was based in the hotel, the country was in a period of lockdown which placed extra stresses on relationships at home. Due to these broken relationships, individuals who stay at the Care Shelter have often suffered rejection, painful breakups and have burned bridges with loved ones prior to coming to the service. This can have a devastating effect on self-worth and outlook. It was the staff’s privilege to show love and kindness as we served in that context.

Eviction was the second most frequent reason given, with 22% of guests across the season and 25% at the hotel giving it as a reason for their homelessness. The moratorium on evictions during Covid-19 has helped a lot of individuals but these figures show that it does not protect everyone. The Scottish Government has agreed an extension to this ban on new evictions until March 2021, instead of it ending as originally planned in September. This will help delay the likely wave of evictions that will occur once the ban is lifted and hopefully allow some tenants longer to sort out their rent arrears to prevent evictions happening.

Mental health and having no local connection were the next most prevalent answers across the whole season (10% and 17% respectively) and at the hotel (12% and 9% respectively).

“Thank you for giving me respite! I had nothing and you gave me everything.”

Reasons for Homelessness by Nationality

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Alcohol Drugs Rent Arrears Eviction Mental Lost Job Lost Benefits No local Relationship Health connection Issues

British EEA Rest of the World

Again this season, relationship breakdown is not the most prevalent reason for homelessness for EEA nationals as can be seen in the chart above. This may be because some people will have travelled to the UK alone to find work, leaving family at home, thereby making a relationship breakdown less likely. Having no local connection, loss of job and eviction feature much more often. People from the EEA or further afield do not have the same rights to benefits or housing support as those from the UK and so are much more at risk of losing accommodation if they suffer the loss of a job.

Shauna

Shauna came to the Care Shelter distressed because she had just lost her partner; he had sadly passed away in her flat. She was unable to access the flat and did not have any belongings with her but she was able to get clothing and toiletries at the Shelter. Shauna was dealing with her grief and did not want to return to live in the flat. She received emotional support at the Care Shelter and help to liaise with her housing provider about what her options were. She was motivated to make changes in her life at this time and opted to go to Anne Hope House, a new women only therapeutic centre run by Bethany Christian Trust. She was assisted to sort out her tenancy and then move to Anne Hope House for a new start.

10.5 What would you like help with?

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

2019/20 Hotel

First time guests were asked what issues they needed support with and 81% of people identified housing as something they needed help with. Mental health was the next most prevalent answer with 24% of respondents identifying that they needed help with this.

10.6 Length of time homeless

45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% <1 wk 1wk - 1m 1m -6m 6m - 1yr 1- 2 yr 2-5 yr 5-10 yr >10 yr

2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

The graph shows that the largest proportion of those staying at the Care Shelter had been homeless for less than a week at the point of first staying at the Care Shelter. The proportions are similar to the previous two seasons. The statistics for the hotel show a

slightly higher proportion of guests were homeless for less than a week when they presented at the Care Shelter (42% instead of 40% for the whole season) and a slightly lower proportion were homeless for between a week and a month, and between one and six months (12% instead of 14% and 16% instead of 17% respectively).

The advantage of being in contact with people who are very recently homeless is that they can be put in touch with services and can have a homeless assessment straight away, hopefully resulting in them moving into temporary accommodation. The presence of the Link Workers (section 5.4) and the visiting partners (section 7) at the Care Shelter is therefore vital.

10.7 Most recent accommodation

40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Rough Family/Friends Tenancy Hostel B&B Prison Sleeping

2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

On their first visit to the Care Shelter, guests are asked where they had stayed the previous night. 34% reported having slept rough and 27% said they had stayed with friends or family. This is in keeping with previous seasons. Interestingly, the responses from first time guests at the hotel are quite different, with the most prevalent answer being friends and family (32%) and only 24% having rough slept the night before. This is likely to be due to the pandemic. A city-wide effort was made to enable anyone rough sleeping to move into accommodation and very few people slept out during the period of lockdown. Also, lockdown put additional strains on family relationships and friendships which may suggest why more people had left family and friends.

The number of people saying that their last accommodation was a tenancy has also increased this season. People have to leave their tenancies for a variety of reasons such as threats to their safety, issues with neighbours, repairs needing carried out or their own mental health. Although the Care Shelter is very much only for people who do not have accommodation, if someone is not able to access their tenancy for a legitimate reason, they are allowed to stay and are supported to resolve the issue. With lockdown, loneliness, isolation and fear took a toll on people’s mental health, perhaps making them less able to cope with issues in their tenancy. It’s not good that people in these situations choose to leave their homes and potentially sleep rough. It would be better if support was in place for them, but when they present at the Care Shelter we are able to help them get that support in place. 39 people from the hotel had a move-on outcome recorded as “returned to tenancy”.

It is welcome to see the percentage of guests reducing who have just been released from prison. This is despite the early release of some prisoners during the pandemic. 45 people this season said they had just been released from prison, or one person per week, compared to 47 during the 2018-2019 season, or 1.5 people per week.

10.8 Where would you be staying tonight?

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Rough Sleeping Friends/Family Hostel B&B

2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Hotel

When asked where people would be staying that night if not at the Care Shelter, 96% said that they would be sleeping rough (95% at the hotel). The Care Shelter exists to prevent people having to sleep rough and this graph shows how important that is. Although not everyone who comes to the Care Shelter slept rough the night before (see section 10.7), they have arrived at that absolute point of crisis where they have exhausted all other options. Rough sleeping is the only remaining option and so the Care Shelter exists as a safety net so that sleeping outside can be prevented.

Due to the emergency response to Coronavirus and the real effort across the country to accommodate everyone who was rough sleeping, a renewed hope has emerged that homelessness in Scotland can end. Part of this new energy is the desire to see an end to traditional night shelters, an ideal that Bethany Christian Trust has always supported. But these statistics show the need for some sort of safety net until everyone is able to be accommodated in temporary accommodation as soon as they become homeless. See the conclusion for more on the future plans for the Care Shelter.

“It means so much with the help you have been giving me through this difficult time.”

10.8 Length of time in Edinburgh

Season Hotel

27% 26% 42% 52% 4% 7% 26% 7% 52% 10% 4% 7% 7% 5% 3% 5% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3%

< 1 Week 1 Week - 1 Month 1 - 6 Months 6 Months - 1 Year

1 - 2 Years 2 - 5 Years > 5 Years

“I'm so happy to see you guys, I had nowhere to go.”

New guests were asked how long they had been in Edinburgh. Results indicate that 55% had been in the city for more than six months with 42% in Edinburgh for more than five years. 44% of people had been in Edinburgh for less than six months which means a large proportion of this group would likely be deemed not to have a local connection by City of Edinburgh Council and therefore would not be entitled to temporary accommodation. Given that 1,112 different people stayed at the Care Shelter this winter, 44% is 489 people.

There are a number of determining factors for local connection, other than having been in the city for the past six months. Working in Edinburgh, having close family members in the city or having lived here for three of the last five years can also mean the council will see you as having a local connection. There are many reasons why people move to a city; better employment opportunities; a fresh start; escaping problems where they were before; a job offer or following a partner. When something goes wrong, the job falls through or the relationship breaks down, that person is then homeless and without access to temporary accommodation in the area they have chosen to settle in.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on local connection and it is hoped that this will bring a change to how connection is viewed in Edinburgh. We support people’s right to choose to move to different places and we support universal access to homelessness assistance. It is recognised that this is not a simple matter; Edinburgh is a capital city which can attract people and there is a already a strain with a limited housing stock.

The statistics from the hotel show a shift to guests having been in Edinburgh longer, specifically more than five years (52%).

10.9 Have you presented as homeless to the council?

Season Hotel

9% 11%

39% 48%

38% 11% 49%

48% 38%

3% 3%

Other

Yes, entitled to accommodation but nothing suitable available Yes, not entitled

Across the whole season, we see that 49% of first time guests had gone to the council already and 48% had not. With almost half of all guests not yet having been to the council, it is clear to see how valuable it is having representatives of the council at the Care Shelter in the form of Link Workers. Some of these people were homeless for the first time and may not have known that they should present to the council to secure temporary accommodation. Another section of that group will have known that this is the process to follow but chose not to for some reason. Anecdotally, we often hear that the reason may be that they had bad experiences previously, they heard how pressured the system is and did not hold much hope of being offered accommodation, or they wrongly believed they are not entitled to any help.

The graph showing the statistics at the hotel shows interesting variations from the full season statistics. 58% of people presenting for the first time had been to the council already and 49% reported that they were entitled to accommodation but that there was not anything suitable available. When the Care Shelter was based at the hotel it was a partnership with CEC and so it is reasonable to assume that the council referred more people to the Care Shelter. However, it is of note that almost half of all new guests had not been able to be accommodated outwith the Care Shelter. The Care Shelter has never been temporary accommodation, it is an emergency provision to prevent people having to sleep rough. During the pandemic, everyone pulled together and accommodated people wherever possible in order to keep people safe. The statistics may be a reflection of that and we are grateful that the Care Shelter was able to be part of that emergency response. The distinction between the Care Shelter being emergency provision and not temporary accommodation is something to bear in mind as restrictions ease and a new normal is established.

10.11 Do you have recourse to public funds?

Season Hotel

Other 2% Yes Yes 10% 17% Don't know Don't know 28% 27%

No No 60% 56%

This question was asked in an effort to determine how many non-UK nationals that used the Care Shelter were homeless without access to any public funds. It was not asked to anyone from the UK. One problem with the question is that people do not understand the terminology of “recourse to public funds”. The question of whether someone is classified as having no recourse to public funds is very complex and dependent on a range of factors. Many of those asked did not know themselves, or did not understand the question due to language barriers. Despite this, 60% of those who answered the question responded that they did not have access to public funds, up from 47% the previous season.

No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) is an immigration status which limits benefit entitlement and can affect people with a right to reside in the UK, such as European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, as well as those from other places who may be here on specific visas. This group is not entitled to a full range of benefits or to homelessness support when things go wrong. Therefore, they are at risk of losing accommodation when they lose a job, for example, meaning that a higher proportion end up staying at the Care Shelter.

346 of the 429 non-UK nationals responded to this question: 36 (10%) confirmed that they did have access to public funds, 209 (60%) said they did not and 95 (28%) didn’t know. Had all 429 non-UK nationals responded, it could be assumed that 257 of them would have said that they had NRPF (this is 23% of the total Care Shelter attendees).

Although there is a degree of confusion around this question, it is clear that a significant number of people that stay at the Care Shelter have NRPF. The 209 individuals that said that they had NRPF stayed on average 23 nights at the Care Shelter, with five people staying more than half the season.

The statistics for the hotel show a similar picture but with more people saying that they did have recourse to public funds.

“I'm so very, very, very grateful for being able to stay tonight and for all your help.”

Paul

Paul arrived at the Care Shelter one night, he was very anxious and reluctant to open up to the Bethany staff. Paul would only share his first name. As there are very few requirements on individuals entering the Shelter, Paul was able to enter just with that information. He was shown to a clean warm bed, offered warm clothing and access to shower facilities. Paul was also given hot food prepared onsite by our amazing volunteers.

Staff gave Paul the space and time he needed to settle and feel comfortable in his new surroundings. Gradually, Paul relaxed and would share little pieces of his journey with the staff. With the wraparound support that the Shelter offers, including GPs and nurses, Paul’s wellbeing greatly improved.

One night when talking to a Link Worker, Paul shared he was fleeing violence at his old accommodation and was too scared to return. With this information and Paul’s trust, the Link Worker was able to gather the necessary evidence about Paul’s housing situation to allow City of Edinburgh Council to accommodate him.

Before Paul moved on, he shared how thankful he was towards the Care Shelter and its staff, repeatedly thanking staff for their support. Paul has now settled into accommodation in Edinburgh.

Conclusion

12 Conclusion

The 2019-2020 Care Shelter season was defined by the global Covid-19 pandemic, with a move to individual room accommodation at the Old Waverley Hotel and the season extending into July. 1,112 people were supported across the 297 nights of operation. It was a privilege to be an essential part of a national emergency response to accommodate everyone who was rough sleeping and give them a safe place to self-isolate. Incredibly, the virus did not spread amongst the homeless population and we pray that this continues to be the case. The response of the Care Shelter to the pandemic would not have been possible without the willingness of staff, volunteers, supporters, funders and visiting partners to make it a success. We want to offer a huge thank you to everyone who contributed under difficult circumstances. As a Christian organisation we have leant on God during these trying times, trusted him for guidance and recognise his provision.

We are grateful to all those at the Old Waverley Hotel who made it available for our use for three months from April to July and to City of Edinburgh Council who we partnered with to deliver the service there. The hotel bedroom funding from the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council enabled the safe accommodation of almost 500 people over 13 weeks. Relationships with many different teams in the council were cultivated, their staff who worked at the hotel were excellent and the new Link Worker roles that the council facilitated and funded have become fundamental to the service.

The emergency response to Covid-19 has been effective with almost all people who were sleeping rough in Edinburgh being accommodated. It has not been a once and for all solution to end all homelessness, but it is encouraging to see the necessary conversations taking place as to how to build on the success of recent months with more permanent solutions. The housing shortage in Edinburgh continues to be a problem that complicates any other solutions. The statistics in this report demonstrate the need that still exists and, sadly, necessitates there being emergency beds available each night. This is an important safety net for the housing system when people have not been able to access temporary accommodation or a settled flat. The most recent recommendations from the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) emphasise the importance of choice in accommodation for people.1 This is especially challenging in Edinburgh but is important in giving people control over their lives and treating them with dignity and respect.

As restrictions in Scotland are gradually lifted, it is easy to believe that the path of recovery from Covid-19 is linear, however, as has already been seen in some places, there are likely to be resurgences of the disease. We would hope that any future emergency response was as comprehensive as this one has been, so that anyone who is homeless can be protected from the risk.

Irrespective of Covid-19, rough sleeping needs to be considered under Public Health and not merely seen as a housing issue, due to the health risks posed to individuals involved.

12.1 Future of the Care Shelter

The threat of the virus continues and so planning for the coming season has had to take this into consideration. We love the venue at Diadem but bringing people into it’s shared environment is too risky. Therefore, for this coming season, a venue is being sought with individual, ensuite rooms. Operating at the Old Waverley Hotel had many benefits and looking after as many as 70 vulnerable people, many of whom had complex needs, is something we want to learn from. People’s mental health, addictions and behaviour all posed greater risks because people had their own rooms and were more often out of the eye line of staff. This coming winter the plan would therefore be to operate with a maximum capacity of 50.

1 Recommendation 94 in Tackling homelessness in Scotland following the coronavirus pandemic- Recommendations from Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group.

Some of the benefits of being based at the hotel can be continued into next season and built upon. Being a 24 hour service improved communications with other services and CEC and is something that is being considered for the coming season. Being able to interact with guests during the day was more productive and gave people greater choice as to when to link in with support options. The level of visiting support services to the Care Shelter was the greatest it had ever been this season and it is hoped that this can continue. Plans are progressing to improve communications between support services in order to better support individual guests. The statistics suggest that more women are staying at the Care Shelter, particularly young women, and so a greater focus on supporting female guests will be developed, including referral links to women’s refuges and Anne Hope House.

Bethany Christian Trust is part of the Everyone Home Collective, a group of 29 organisations united to “end rough sleeping, prevent homelessness and get everyone home” in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In June, a route map for shelters and hotels was published which sees the evolution and modification of the night shelters in Glasgow and Edinburgh into Overnight Welcome Centres. The excellence of social environment and interventions offered at the Care Shelter, which has been growing in depth and strength for many years, is far more than the traditional model that people imagine a night shelter being. Taking the best of what we have learned from that service, with further modifications around daytime intervention and single space occupancy, we are taking a significant step of moving forward as a Rapid Re-accommodation Welcome Centre. The service will continue to welcome people in from the cold, provide them with a hot meal cooked by teams of volunteers and give them somewhere safe and warm to stay overnight. With a reinvigorated emphasis on moving people into a variety of accommodation types, the Welcome Centre will only accommodate those who can not get anywhere else to stay that night. The Link Workers will continue to be an important part of the operation and will build on all they have learned so far to better support our guests.

With the UK entering a recession and lots of redundancies expected, it is reasonable to assume that the number of people becoming homeless will increase over the coming months. The Welcome Centre will therefore form an important part of the city’s response; linking people into temporary accommodation and also acting as a safety net for those who do not get somewhere to stay that night. The Welcome Centre will remain an emergency provision and should not be seen in the same category as other temporary accommodation. The success of the Welcome Centre will depend on the ability of people to move-on from there and into other accommodation. The statistics in this report have shown the large numbers of people becoming homeless all the time and the need for somewhere for them to stay in their immediate crisis when they have nowhere else to go. In order to continue having available beds, people who come to the Welcome Centre need to have routes available to them into accommodation and this includes people with NRPF and people with no local connection. There are complex issues around accommodating people with NRPF but we would hope these can be overcome as they have been within the Covid-19 response.

It has been a challenging time for everyone over recent months. Some verses from the Bible that have strengthened us during the pandemic are as follows:

Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Saviour God. Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!

Habakkuk 3, 17-19 (The Message)

Report prepared by James Milligan, Naomi Hanlon and Ruth Longmuir