Abstract:This article explores gender as a variable in multiple exclusion homelessness in England. Much past research has taken insufficient account of the gender of homeless people, especially the predominance of men in the single homeless population and of women heading homeless households with dependent children. Drawing on qualitative data generated in a study of multiple exclusion homelessness in London and Nottingham, the article considers three ways in which gender may act as a homelessness variable: in people's… Show more
“…Nevertheless, a fuller analysis elsewhere of our findings by gender (Bowpitt et al, 2011a) concluded that men are as likely to be intimidated from using homelessness services as women. The complexities of homeless people's engagement with day centres transcend the broad divisions of race and gender, being driven by the deeper vulnerabilities that they all share, and which service providers struggle to accommodate.…”
This paper is an exploration of a dilemma that is central to the place of day centres in tackling single homelessness, and raises issues for social work more generally. On the one hand, day centres provide vital services to a vulnerable group in a safe, nonthreatening and non-judgemental setting; on the other hand, in doing so, they are believed to impede opportunities for personal change. The paper draws on findings from a research study which compared and contrasted the priorities of single homeless people with multiple support needs with the priorities of support services, exploring the role of encounters between service users and agencies in either overcoming or reinforcing multiple exclusion homelessness. This paper focuses on evidence about the use of day centres. It seeks to draw on theological insights to explore day centres as 'places of sanctuary' whose largely unconditional accessibility enables them to serve as both a last refuge for the victims of multiple rejection and a safe place to confront the past. This paper will take the debate about conditionality in welfare provision beyond the field of homelessness to address one of the oldest dilemmas of social work: how to facilitate change while respecting people's free agency.
2Key words: homelessness; sanctuary; day centre; conditionality
The contested world of homeless people's day centresThis paper uses evidence from research with single homeless people to explore a dilemma at the heart of day centre provision for this group. How can a service both appeal to service users on their terms and be a vehicle for change? After reviewing research into homeless people's day centres, the concept of 'sanctuary' will be advanced as a way of understanding how day centres seek to resolve this dilemma in practice. Conclusions will be drawn that shed light on one of the oldest issues for social work: how to effect change in people in ways that still respect their free agency. Thirdly, in the 'community work approach', day centres aim to foster personal change, by encouraging service users to tap into their inner resources through, for instance, skill development and work-related activity. While this is a helpful categorisation of the broad character of day centres, most manifest elements of more 4 than one of these approaches, and the dilemma identified at the beginning of this section is obscured. How can a service maintain open accessibility while pursuing personal change agendas for which service access might need to be made conditional?
Day centres within broader homelessness strategiesThe criticism that day centres support the very lifestyles they are meant to challenge has become part of the folklore of homelessness policy for at least the last 20 years (Randall and Brown, 2002), and cannot be fully addressed without exploring broader urban developments and homelessness strategies. Two issues are of particular relevance: strategies of social cleansing associated with the 'revanchist' city; and the process of 'responsibilising' disruptive and anti-so...
“…Nevertheless, a fuller analysis elsewhere of our findings by gender (Bowpitt et al, 2011a) concluded that men are as likely to be intimidated from using homelessness services as women. The complexities of homeless people's engagement with day centres transcend the broad divisions of race and gender, being driven by the deeper vulnerabilities that they all share, and which service providers struggle to accommodate.…”
This paper is an exploration of a dilemma that is central to the place of day centres in tackling single homelessness, and raises issues for social work more generally. On the one hand, day centres provide vital services to a vulnerable group in a safe, nonthreatening and non-judgemental setting; on the other hand, in doing so, they are believed to impede opportunities for personal change. The paper draws on findings from a research study which compared and contrasted the priorities of single homeless people with multiple support needs with the priorities of support services, exploring the role of encounters between service users and agencies in either overcoming or reinforcing multiple exclusion homelessness. This paper focuses on evidence about the use of day centres. It seeks to draw on theological insights to explore day centres as 'places of sanctuary' whose largely unconditional accessibility enables them to serve as both a last refuge for the victims of multiple rejection and a safe place to confront the past. This paper will take the debate about conditionality in welfare provision beyond the field of homelessness to address one of the oldest dilemmas of social work: how to facilitate change while respecting people's free agency.
2Key words: homelessness; sanctuary; day centre; conditionality
The contested world of homeless people's day centresThis paper uses evidence from research with single homeless people to explore a dilemma at the heart of day centre provision for this group. How can a service both appeal to service users on their terms and be a vehicle for change? After reviewing research into homeless people's day centres, the concept of 'sanctuary' will be advanced as a way of understanding how day centres seek to resolve this dilemma in practice. Conclusions will be drawn that shed light on one of the oldest issues for social work: how to effect change in people in ways that still respect their free agency. Thirdly, in the 'community work approach', day centres aim to foster personal change, by encouraging service users to tap into their inner resources through, for instance, skill development and work-related activity. While this is a helpful categorisation of the broad character of day centres, most manifest elements of more 4 than one of these approaches, and the dilemma identified at the beginning of this section is obscured. How can a service maintain open accessibility while pursuing personal change agendas for which service access might need to be made conditional?
Day centres within broader homelessness strategiesThe criticism that day centres support the very lifestyles they are meant to challenge has become part of the folklore of homelessness policy for at least the last 20 years (Randall and Brown, 2002), and cannot be fully addressed without exploring broader urban developments and homelessness strategies. Two issues are of particular relevance: strategies of social cleansing associated with the 'revanchist' city; and the process of 'responsibilising' disruptive and anti-so...
“…Women experienced mixed hostels as hostile environments (Bowpitt et al . ) and often felt unsafe:…cos the men there think they can just grab you when they're drunk and do what they like, you know, but they can't really can they? (Ginger)…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted, triggered by structural trends, such as changes in welfare benefits as well factors such as family disputes, leaving care or involvement in the criminal justice system. Routes into homelessness can have a gendered dimension, as do people's experiences of being homeless and accessing and using homeless services (Williamson et al 2010, Bowpitt et al 2011. One of the factors identified as resulting in episodes of homelessness for women is abuse and violence within their sexual and emotional relationships (McNaughton & Sanders 2007, Netto et al 2009).…”
Section: Women's Homelessnessmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Given the history of abuse and sexual violence many of these women had experienced, it was not surprising that having access to women-only services, including hostels, was frequently reported. Women experienced mixed hostels as hostile environments (Bowpitt et al 2011) and often felt unsafe:…”
Section: Women-only Servicesmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…, Bowpitt et al . ). One of the factors identified as resulting in episodes of homelessness for women is abuse and violence within their sexual and emotional relationships (McNaughton & Sanders , Netto et al .…”
General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms 1 ABSTRACT This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty eight women were initially recruited with a retention rate of 58% over three rounds of interviews.Interviews explored specific events in women's lives, their current living arrangements and how their experiences and needs, including for social care, changed over time. Women reported a range of complex issues and difficulties, consistent with experiences of deep social exclusion and received support from both statutory and voluntary agencies. Although women appreciated the support they received, many reported that services were fragmented and rarely personalised to their needs.Key words: homelessness; social care; fragmentation; personalisation.
What is known about this topic: The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and impact differently on men and women. Social care services for homeless people are provided by a wide range of agencies from across the statutory and non-statutory sectors.
What this paper adds: Many women were supported by multiple key workers, each based in separate agencies. Successive interviews with women revealed that this approach intensified the fragmented and uncoordinated nature of services. There were mixed views about the benefits of counselling. Group sessions were reported to be intimidating and unproductive, particularly when men were present.
Homelessness in later life is closely related to social exclusion and can cause further disadvantages in later life. This chapter explores the relationship between studies on older adult homelessness and the domains of social exclusion. A structure review process, in the form of a summative content analysis and a social network analysis, of all geriatrics and gerontology journals published in English was conducted. This review led to the identification of 59 articles on homelessness in older age as the research sample for this chapter. The patterns that emerged from summative content analysis and the social network analysis are visualised using GEPHI software. Our findings reveal the multidimensional aspects of old-age exclusion in the homelessness literature, and how homelessness can be a significant determinant of interrelated sets of disadvantages. Exclusion from services, amenities, and mobility and community and neighbourhood, and material and financial resources are the domains represented most in homelessness studies in the ageing literature. However, civic participation and socio-cultural aspects of social exclusion were partly ignored within this body of work.
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