The Threshold Housing First Pilot for Women with an Offending History: The First Two Years Report of the University of York Evaluation Deborah Quilgars and Nicholas Pleace 2017 Copyright © University of York, 2018 All rights reserved. Reproduction of this report by photocopying or electronic means for non- commercial purposes is permitted. Otherwise, no part of this report may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York. ISBN: 978-0-9929500-7-1 Further copies of this report or any other Centre for Housing Policy publication can be freely obtained by visiting our website: https://www.york.ac.uk/chp/ Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ i Disclaimer .............................................................................................................................................. ii Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... iii Referrals to the service ........................................................................................................................... iii Profile of the women using the service .................................................................................................. iii Delivering the Threshold Housing First service ...................................................................................... iv Service outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... v Housing outcomes ......................................................................................................................... v Impact on health and well-being .................................................................................................. vi Offending behaviour ..................................................................................................................... vi Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... vi 1. Threshold Housing First ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 The Housing First Concept ....................................................................................................................... 1 Threshold Housing First ........................................................................................................................... 4 Homeless women with complex needs ......................................................................................... 4 Homelessness and offending ......................................................................................................... 4 The development of Threshold Housing First ............................................................................... 5 2. The Women Using Threshold Housing First .................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 7 Referrals ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Perspectives on referral and assessment procedures ................................................................... 7 The Women using Threshold Housing First ............................................................................................. 8 Characteristics ............................................................................................................................... 8 Housing situation at referral and experience of homelessness .................................................... 8 Support needs at referral ............................................................................................................ 10 Contact with the criminal justice system .................................................................................... 12 Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 13 3. Using and Delivering Threshold Housing First ............................................................................... 14 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Use of the Threshold Housing First ........................................................................................................ 14 Duration of support ..................................................................................................................... 14 The support provided .................................................................................................................. 15 Staff and Agency Views on Service Delivery .......................................................................................... 16 Joint working ............................................................................................................................... 17 Using the Threshold Housing First Project: The Views of Women ........................................................ 18 A comprehensive service ............................................................................................................. 18 Frequent/available service .......................................................................................................... 18 A reliable service.......................................................................................................................... 19 A ‘positive’ advocate approach ................................................................................................... 20 Choice and control ....................................................................................................................... 20 Fidelity with the Housing First Model .................................................................................................... 21 Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 23 4. Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 24 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 24 Housing Outcomes ................................................................................................................................. 24 Housing sustainment ................................................................................................................... 24 Other housing outcomes ............................................................................................................. 25 Housing quality ............................................................................................................................ 25 Securing housing.......................................................................................................................... 26 Impact and meaning of successful rehousing ............................................................................. 27 Health and Well-being ........................................................................................................................... 28 Mental health .............................................................................................................................. 28 Addiction...................................................................................................................................... 29 Physical health ............................................................................................................................. 29 Social Integration ................................................................................................................................... 30 Education, training and employment .......................................................................................... 30 Crime and anti-social behaviour .................................................................................................. 30 Social Networks ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Relationships with (ex-)partners ................................................................................................. 32 Relationships with children ......................................................................................................... 32 Relationships with wider family and friends ............................................................................... 33 Relationships with neighbours/