How can Social Workers intervene effectively with children and families who are have been identified as having made themselves intentionally homeless

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT2

DECLARATION3

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Family Homelessness Statistics4

Priority need as defined by Section 189(1) of the Housing Act5

'Intentionally 'Homeless Definition7

A Brief History of Homelessness7

CHAPTER 2A: LITERATURE REVIEW14

Search Technique for the Review14

Inclusion and exclusion criteria15

Additional Online searches15

Quality and Verification16

The Housing Act 199616

The Homelessness Process17

'Intentionally' Homeless18

The competing responsibilities of Housing Departments and Social Care19

Legal Policy and Context20

A summary of Social Policy development from the Children Act 198922

CHAPTER 2B SUPPORT ACCESS TO FAMILIES25

Local Area Health Authorities25

Sure Start25

Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB)26

Shelter26

Women's Aid and Domestic violence27

Police Support27

Supporting People28

CHAPTER 3A EFFECTS ON THE FAMILY29

CHAPTER 3 B EFFECTS ON THE CHILD32

Impact on Children34

Health34

Education35

Emotional problems35

Behavioural issues37

CHAPTER 4: THE SOCIAL WORKER AND THE 'INTENTIONALLY' HOMELESS39

Perceptions of Social Workers Regarding the Homeless39

Intervention to Help Address Homelessness43

Prevention of Homelessness45

Joint working46

Crisis Intervention47

Access to financial assistance and resources48

Intervention49

Recommendations for the future and practice57

REFERENCES58

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Homelessness is a subject that conjures up many emotions, issues and concerns. Homelessness is the absence of one of a human being's most basic needs: shelter, a place to call home. With the growing number of homeless people in the United Kingdom, concerns about, and awareness of this complex and far-reaching national phenomenon have grown. Homelessness in the United Kingdom is not new in our society but has been a problem since the time of the English settlement in United Kingdom. During the Great Depression of the 1930s many people became homeless in America because of the economy. Between 1927 and 1937, there were approximately 5 million people migrating from state to state seeking shelter and housing (Anooshian, 2005, 373).

As the homeless population increases, so has diversity grown with the population. Today, homeless persons are men, women, youths, and families. Many are headed by a single parent. According to the National Law Centre on Homelessness and Poverty; , the homeless population was comprised of 43% single men, 13% single women, 7% youths and 37% families with children. According to a 1998 survey of cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that the ethnic population of homeless consisted of 49% African American, 32% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native-American, and 3% Asian. Forty-five percent of homeless populations are mentally ill, and 46% of the homeless are substance users. On any given night, as many as 200,000 U.S. veterans are living on the street or in shelters. The Joint Centre for Housing Studies of Harvard University noted that on any given night some 850,000 Americans are homeless. Helping homeless people has been a unique challenge and stressful ...