Rough Sleeping Estimates 2020 Verifiers Training Welcome! We will start just after 2pm Your microphones are muted and cameras off Please change your Chat panel to ‘All panelists and attendees’ Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Rough Sleeping Estimates 2020 Verifiers Training Bianca Claydon, Homeless Link Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
What is the annual snapshot estimate? …and why are Homeless Link involved? o Since 2010, Homeless Link has been funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) to support Local Authorities across England to collate data on the number and demographics of people sleeping rough on a ‘typical’ night. The single ‘typical’ night must be between the 1 st o Oct - 30 th Nov o Homeless Link produce guidance and verify that all Local Authorities across England carry out their approach in accordance with the guidance These are Government statistics so we can’t o publish/share them until MHCLG do – around Feb 2021 Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Rough sleeping in England https://www.homeless.org.uk/facts/homelessness-in-numbers/how-many-people-sleep-rough-in-england Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Choosing the approach There are three approaches to choose from: ➢ LAs choose the approach to fit the local geographical context ➢ The chosen process should most accurately reflect rough sleeping in their area ➢ All count-based estimates are verified, in person, by a Homeless Link verifier Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Involving independent partners In order to be verified by Homeless Link, at least one independent partner must be involved in the collection of rough sleeping figures. An independent partner would be someone who is not commissioned or funded by the local authority. Independent Not an independent partners: partner: Where the approach involves no independent ✓ Community Police partners , or only those groups Statutory organisations ✓ Faith groups that are part of / MHCLG ✓ Soup kitchens The Homeless Link commissioned by the local ✓ Volunteers from Verifier authority, Homeless Link the public Outreach team will not be able to verify (if commissioned by the process. the local authority) Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
What do we mean by rough sleeping? Definition since 2010 People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments). People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or “bashes”). Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Who isn’t included in the definition of rough sleeping? People who are: ➢ in hostels, shelters, squats, campsites, Traveller sites, organised protest sites ➢ sofa surfing ➢ sleeping on public transport ➢ sleeping in locations not visible during a count-based estimate ➢ known to sleep rough sometimes, but not seen/known to have bedded down on that night The purpose is to record a single night snapshot. Not all forms of homelessness are included. Not every individual seen by services during Oct-Nov will be included. Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
What is verification? …and who are the verifiers? o A verifier attends each street count on the chosen ‘typical’ night to observe and check that people counting have followed the published guidance o Observers only o Verifiers join a counting team o Verifiers will be back at the base before the other count teams arrive o Verifiers will attend some estimate meetings, with the remainder verified remotely by Homeless Link o Homeless Link uses its own staff, associates, and volunteers to verify o Verifiers must be independent of the Local Authority they are verifying Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Code of Conduct for Verifiers You must read and follow the Code of Conduct o Verifiers follow a code of conduct – see Resources for Verifiers o Ensure conduct reflects Homeless Link’s equal opportunities policy and you are in line with the aims and mission of Homeless Link o Please make every effort to attend the count or online estimate meeting. If unable to attend due to a serious unforeseen circumstance, inform the Local Authority and Homeless Link at the earliest possible opportunity o Please keep information about the time and date of the street count confidential. Publicity can lead people sleeping rough to change their sleeping sites, resulting in a less accurate final figure Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
COVID-19 ▪ The pandemic has affected the way we work ▪ Our guidance draws on the latest government advice at the time of writing. If this changes, new advice will take precedence ▪ Everyone must follow the general infection control principles to help prevent the spread of the virus ▪ Smaller teams during the count: 2-3 per team Reasons counts may be unable to go ahead: ➢ A number of volunteers have to self-isolate ➢ Lockdowns ➢ Staff sickness ➢ Staff isolation Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Emergency COVID-19 Accommodation ▪ People housed in COVID-19 emergency accommodation (Everyone In), will not be counted in the snapshot estimate ▪ This data is being captured elsewhere by local authorities and MHCLG Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Verifiers: Before the count Please make sure that you… 1. Know who the Count Coordinator is and contact them a few weeks in advance to confirm your attendance and contact details for the night 2. Remind the Coordinator that you need to be back at base ahead of the counting teams 3. Check in advance that they are involving at least one independent partner 4. Read the key documents in the Rough Sleeping Estimates Toolkit 2020 Double check details – date (night of into morning of), time, meeting 5. point, travel arrangements If verifying away from your local area – book accommodation/travel 6. 7. Ensure you are familiar with the social distancing and self isolation guidance prior to the count. You should not attend the count if you are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms. Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Verifiers: Just before the count By phone, ask: 1. Who did the LA approach for intelligence and information on rough sleeping hotspots and choosing the night of the count? 2. How has the Coordinator decided which areas to cover? 3. What has been done around intelligence and access relating to areas that are difficult or risky to access (e.g. parks, car parks, private property, derelict buildings)? 4. What has been put in place to respond to rough sleeping on the night (e.g. access to a hub, B&B, other accommodation)? If not available, what is the plan for support or if they find someone who wants help? 5. Have there been any incidents or any activity (on the part of the Police, voluntary sector or local authority) that might affect the final figure? Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Verifiers: Night of the count To discuss with the Count Coordinator: 1. Does the briefing to counters include a health & safety briefing and the definition of rough sleeping? Does the briefing discuss COVID-19 related adjustments and risk management actions 2. Does the briefing include clear messages about whether to wake people, if accommodation is available, how to count people in tents, what to do with under-18s? 3. What safety considerations are there? (e.g. use of mobile phones, clear instructions to counters, organisation of count teams, check-ins during the count, communication with the police) 4. Is the Coordinator clear that, if rough sleepers are supported with any intervention on the night of the count, they will still be counted as bedded down and recorded within the single figure? Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
Verifier role: Night of the count Please arrive promptly, they should not begin without you! Bring a suitable face covering and hand sanitiser o o Speak to the Coordinator and get an overview of their process o Check that your count team will be first to return or that you will be brought back to count base early Note if the Coordinator gives a clear briefing, especially on health & safety – you o might be asked to clarify points from the guidance e.g. tents, waking people o Be prepared to introduce yourself and explain your role to volunteers or other counters. o Be ready to explain Homeless Link's role in the process, and in general. Take a copy of the guidance with you – just in case. o Let’s end homelessness together www.homeless.org.uk
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