Purpose -This paper aims to describe the origins of the concept of a psychologically informed environment (PIE), as now adopted and applied in homelessness resettlement, placing this in the context of work recently carried out under the aegis of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Centre for Quality Improvement to recognise and promote ''enabling environments'' in all areas of social practice. Design/methodology/approach -This paper gives an historical account of the contemporary development of new thinking and practical applications for enhancing community mental health and well-being. Findings -The concept of an enabling environment (EE) arose out of efforts to up-date for the twenty-first century the post-war concept of a therapeutic community, for all services working with the same basic core values and psycho-social awareness. The EE approach now applies this framework more flexibly, yet with a clear operational focus in each sector, to a wider range of organisational contexts, social practice and agencies outside the therapy and care services world. From the outset, homelessness resettlement and social housing practice was seen as a key part of the overall ambition. Practical implications -Understanding the values base behind social-psychological approaches in social practice environments helps to translate these ideas into service-led improvements in actual frontline services practice. In particular, the enabling environments approach offers a handy tool for self-assessment and service improvement, which is fully compatible with the PIE's philosophy. Originality/value -The concept of a PIE is currently acquiring momentum within homelessness resettlement work in the UK. In helping to establish the underlying values framework for psychologically-informed services; and also provide tools for such services to use, this paper makes a contribution to help inform developing practice.

Although the idea of a therapeutic community (TC) has lost none of its dynamism, there are many modern‐day environments in which the original TC model has been unable to make headway. In recent years, new ideas have been emerging for the development of institutions and services that can be adapted to a wide range of psychological needs and settings, such as homelessness hostels and refuges. The psychologically‐informed environment (PIE) arises from the scope for reflective practice, leading to changes in day‐to‐day working ‐ including a more planned variant for high secure services. The PIE approach seems to offer greater flexibility in scope than the TC model. Nevertheless, such new approaches may yet need a clear values base; and the next article in this series will explore new ideas for the creation of ‘enabling environments’ in a still wider range of settings.

SOCIAL POLICY and to encourage new practice. Either way, the recognition of the significance of related-ness (Putnam, 2000; Christakis & Fowler, 2009; Norman, 2010), is central to any efforts to enhance mental health and to improve the health of the nation. This is the foundation of 'the new social psychiatry'. The first article in this series (Johnson & Haigh, 2010) described one such concept: the 'psychologically-informed environment', or 'PIE'. The PIE originally arose out of the need to recognise and to work with the levels of emotional trauma that accompany, and in many cases precede, an individual becoming homeless. It is a new approach or framework whose original aim was to recognise 'Health is created and lived by people within the settings of their everyday life; where they learn, work, play and love.' (World Health Organization, 1986

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