CARE SHELTER ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019 Registered Scottish Charity No. SC003783 Bethany Christian Trust Registered Scottish Charity No. SC003783 65 Bonnington Road Edinburgh EH6 5JQ 0131 561 8930 The quotes found throughout the report were said by people staying at the Care Shelter. All images are used with consent. 2 “You are the only ones who have ever looked out for me.” CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 OPERATIONAL BACKGROUND 1. Introduction 8 2. Aim 8 3. Operational context 9 4. Church and volunteer overview 12 5. Staffing 15 6. Nightly timetable 16 7. Finance 17 IMPACT 8. Partnership working 20 9. Feedback and qualitative updates 24 STATISTICS 10. Attendance 28 11. Monitoring forms and analysis 33 CONCLUSION 45 APPENDIX Care Shelter posters 1-4 48 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2018-2019 winter season was the busiest ever in the Care Shelter’s 23 year history. A move to a fixed venue, instead of rotating around church halls, allowed for many improvements to the service such as beds and shower facilities. We are grateful to Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church for their inspired decision to provide a home for the Care Shelter, so that we can continue to show love and care to people who are roofless in Edinburgh. Operational context See page 9 The Care Shelter was open every night of the week from 23 September 2018 to 5 May 2019; 32 weeks in total. The Care Shelter had capacity for 60 people until 1 January when this was increased to 75 people per night. The season started in the usual manner, rotating around different church halls and then the Care Shelter moved to Diadem on 21 December. Over 104,000 bed spaces have been provided at the Care Shelter across the 23 winters it has been open. The Bethany Banquets were a new venture last summer to bridge the gap between the Care Shelter closing in the spring and reopening in the autumn. The five roast dinner and live music events saw on average 27 people attend and reached 99 individuals across the summer. Church and volunteer overview See page 12 Involved this season were 13 church venues and over 1,000 volunteers from 69 different catering teams. Diadem was a wonderful venue for 19 weeks of the season, providing consistency for the guests and a larger capacity as well as beds and shower facilities. Catering teams faithfully provided the meals each night, sometimes being required to cook for 80+ guests. The Care Shelter relies heavily on volunteers and church support and couldn’t function without their dedication, commitment, financial contributions and prayers. Thank you! Staffing See page 15 The staff team consisted of three Team Leaders, six Nightshift Project Workers and three Twilight Shift Project Workers. Changes in management meant that a Team Leader was promoted to a Senior Team Leader role and an Administrator post was created part-way through the season. Finance See page 17 The total expenditure up until financial year end in March 2019 was £261,433 and the total restricted income was £257,836 showing a difference of -£3,597. Partnership working See page 20 This winter, 12 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, volunteering and homelessness. Visiting partner organisations are keen to work more closely together to better support individuals at the Care Shelter. It is hoped that City of Edinburgh Council may find the resources to provide Housing Officers at the Care Shelter next season. Feedback and qualitative updates “Thanks so much for taking the time to care for me. No one has ever cared for me this much. You guys make me feel so welcome.” For more comments passed on to staff across the course of the season and for some snapshot stories from the Care Shelter, see pages 24-25. Tam’s story, page 26 Rowena’s story, page 32 Louisa’s story, page 44 4 “I’m glad the Shelter is open as I would be sleeping on the streets.” Attendance See page 28 Attendance at the Care Shelter is analysed in section 10 in terms of number of nightly presentations and additionally the number of unique individuals who stayed at the Care Shelter over the winter. This was the busiest season the Care Shelter had seen since it began in 1996. An average of 59 people attended each night which resulted in 13,267 presentations (up from an average of 43 and total presentations of 8,330 in the 2017-2018 season). 746 individuals accessed the Care Shelter during the 2018-2019 season. The average length of stay at the Care Shelter was 17.5 nights, up from 11.3 in 2017- 2018. Unfortunately people are staying longer at the Care Shelter which reflects that it is harder to move on to more suitable accommodation. 34% of people stayed only one night at the Care Shelter across the winter, and 65% 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. 77% of individuals who stayed this winter had not attended the Care Shelter in the preceding two seasons. Monitoring forms and analysis See page 33 Gender: 18% female, 81% male. Women on average stayed nine nights longer this season than they did in 2017-2018. Age: The mean age was 39 with the youngest being 17 and the oldest 83. Nationalities: 69% British, 28% rest of Europe, 3% rest of the world. Reason for homelessness: Relationship breakdown was again the main reason identified for homelessness, often coupled with another expressed reason. Eviction, not having a local connection and mental health were the next most common reasons. Length of time homeless: The largest proportion of those using the service had been homeless for less than a week when they first presented. Most recent accommodation: 36% of people reported sleeping rough the previous night. 47 people this winter said they had most recently been in prison. Guests’ only alternative to Care Shelter that night: 94% said their only other option was sleeping out. Length of time in Edinburgh: 46% of guests had been in Edinburgh for more than five years, 24% had been in the city less than a week. Homeless presentations to the council: 43% of attendees had been directed to the Care Shelter by the council because no suitable accommodation was available for them. This is an increase on the previous season and shows the pressures of a housing shortage. 43% of people attending the Care Shelter for the first time had not yet presented to the council as homeless. How did you hear about the Care Shelter: 25% of respondents said they had heard about the Care Shelter for the first time from City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). No recourse to public funds (NRPF): 47% 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. Conclusions See page 46 1. This was the busiest season ever for the Care Shelter with presentations 159% higher than the previous season. 746 individuals were welcomed in, with an average of 59 people attending per night. It is evident that rough sleeping is becoming more prevalent in Edinburgh and that the system to help people who are homeless is not able to cope with the demand on its services. 2. The Care Shelter should not be a first response to homelessness: The Care Shelter exists as a safety net—it is the last option for people when all other avenues have failed. It should not be seen as a first response to homelessness or be a means to satisfy a legal duty of care. The number of people that CEC signposts to the Care Shelter is very high and much as we have been able to shelter people in these circumstances, it is an indication that the system is not working. “I had the best sleep I’ve had in weeks, talking to staff has been more 5 helpful than talking to psychiatrists, this is better than a hotel.” 3. There is a gap in service provision for people with NRPF: Eastern Europeans stayed for an average of 42 nights at the Care Shelter this winter, compared to UK nationals who averaged 9 nights. A large part of the Care Shelter service is helping people to move on to more suitable accommodation but this is much more difficult with people with NRPF as they have very limited options. The Care Shelter should not be regarded as a long-term housing solution for people with NRPF. Recommendations for 2019-2020 1. The Care Shelter should be located at Diadem for the full 32 weeks of operation. This is a great venue for the Care Shelter, now with beds and purpose built shower facilities. A planning application is currently lodged with City of Edinburgh Council requesting permanent change of use of the building. It is hoped that this will be granted and that the Care Shelter will be able to return to Diadem for as many winters to come as it is needed. 2. Closer working with visiting partner organisations. Build on the current strong links between the agencies that visit the Care Shelter regularly and have a more joined up approach to supporting individuals out of homelessness. This will include increased sharing of information, in line with data sharing legislation, and may include using the new registration system and more regular meetings.