Young People, Housing Benefit and the Risk Society

This paper draws on debates about the risk society to examine the impact of the "single room rent", a restriction in the housing benefit scheme that applies to single people under 25 living in privately rented housing. Drawing on qualitative interviews in six localities in England, the paper examines young people's ability to gain access to and afford privately rented accommodation while receiving housing benefit. It argues that the single room rent restriction has not only cut their housing benefit entitlement but also created more uncertainty for young people. Consequently, it has enhanced rather than ameliorated the risks faced by young people on low incomes in the private rental housing market.     

Social Exclusion and Civil Law: Experience of Civil Justice Problems among Vulnerable Groups

Combating social exclusion has become a priority target for many governments and was a key factor in the establishment of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and the Community Legal Service (CLS) in England and Wales in April 2000. This study aims to assess whether socially excluded groups within the general population are more likely to suffer justiciable problems (problems for which there is a potential legal remedy) and whether such groups differ in their problem resolution strategies and advice‐seeking behaviour. We draw upon a large‐scale survey of 5,611 people representative of the population of England and Wales, and a further survey of 197 people in temporary accommodation. Five vulnerable groups are extracted: survey respondents with a long‐term illness or disability, young and elderly respondents, low‐income respondents and those living in temporary accommodation. We identify how some of these vulnerable groups have a high likelihood of experiencing justiciable problems. We also examine advice‐seeking strategies among our vulnerable groups and, where contact was made, which advisers were typically contacted. The findings demonstrate the potentially crucial role of access to justice and advice and legal services in tackling social exclusion.     

气候变化与人权：何种温室气体排放权

气候变化会对基本人权,如生命权、健康权、食物权、住房权、财产权、文化权、迁移定居权、安全权等,造成许多严重的伤害。可从生存排放权、人均排放权和发展排放权三个方面对温室气体排放权进行分析与考查。在保护人民的气候权利方面,国家和政府负有不可推托的责任。在当前的背景下,提出气候权利问题的直接目的就是保护发展中国家与弱势群体的利益,并促使发达国家和富人承担更多的减排义务。     

From Youth to Adult Homelessness

Governments have shown an interest in early intervention strategies to reduce youth homelessness, but critics say that early intervention programs lack clear outcomes. This paper investigates what happens when early intervention programs are not in place and young people progress to adult homelessness. The paper assesses the ‘social adaptation’ hypothesis that the longer young people are homeless the more they adapt to homelessness as a way of life. The paper uses information on 1,677 individuals who first became homeless when they were 18 or younger. Three‐quarters of the sample had progressed to adult homelessness (defined as 25 or older) and one‐quarter were now young adults aged 19 to 24. The findings confirm that the longer people are homeless, the more difficult it becomes to get out of homelessness. However, the social adaptation account overstates the extent to which people accept homelessness as a ‘way of life‘. People can return to conventional accommodation if they are given long‐term support. The paper concludes with three policy recommendations.     

Children in Secure Accommodation

Correspondence to Professor Robert Harris, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Department of Social Policy and Professional Studies, The University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX. Summary This paper describes the characteristics of a sample of children(N = 399) being held in secure accommodation in eleven localauthorities prior to the implementation of the Children Act1989. It is argued that secure accommodation cannot be divorcedfrom other aspects of child care policy and practice; that anyconfidence that problems of excessive or variable usage canbe removed by more restrictive legislation is largely misplaced;that when social workers resort to secure accommodation it isoften through a combination of ‘worry’ about anunpredictable child and uncertainty as to what else to do; andthat since not all children in secure accommodation wish toleave it (and the more secure accommodation constitutes goodquality child care the more children are likely to want to stay)a ‘rights’ framework, though necessary, is not asufficient moral or conceptual basis for developing secure accommodationpolicy and practice.     

Unemployment,Youth Homelessness and the Allocation of Family Responsibility

The following discussion concerns two issues relating to what is usually called youth homelessness. The first concerns the accommodation expectations for 15 to 17 year olds to reside at their parent's home, which is encouraged by the existing government's policies, and the non-indexation of the unemployment benefit for single 16 and 17 year olds. Assumptions about family responsibility are also discussed and linked with assumptions about family dependency. The second concerns the establishing of a minimum data base from which the quantification of the number of homeless youth can begin. Additional data available, however, suggests that the numbers of young people who might be expected to experience difficulty finding accommodation is much higher than first thought.     

Early access and use of housing: care leavers and other young people in difficulty

This paper presents findings from a study of how care leavers access and use housing services, and what they said had helped them to do so. The sample comprised 80 care leavers, and, for comparison, a group of 59 young people (termed ‘in difficulty’) who met certain criteria of disadvantage. Care leavers were found to have fewer crisis transitions and less experience of homelessness, together with a much higher level of autonomy and support in their first accommodation, relative to other young people in difficulty. Several factors are identified that, from the care leavers' point of view, contributed to their better access and use of housing services, including having family and friends to turn to, and leaving care teams that negotiated on their behalf with housing services. The paper concludes that care leavers had more positive housing experiences than other young people in difficulty, helped by the improved preparation for independence and ongoing support available to them from leaving care teams.     

Accommodation and Employment: A Survey into the Circumstances and Expressed Needs of Users of Mental Health Services in a Northern Town

Correspondence to Barbara Hatfield, Mental Health Social Work Research and Staff Development Unit, University of Manchester, Department of Psychiatry, Mathematics, Tower, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Summary A sample of 120 mental health service users in a Northern Townwas interviewed about satisfactions and expressed needs in arange of life domains. Most of the 120 users were male, in theolder age ranges, and not in current partnerships. Most hadservere and long-term conditions. Living situations includedhospital wards, hostels, a group home, living with family orfriends, and living alone. The domains of accommodation andemployment are discussed in this paper. The majority of peopleexpressed themselves as ‘satisfied’ with their accommodation,although a sizeable monority were not satisfied. Lack of choiceof alternatives emerged as an underlying feature of ‘expressedsatisfaction’. A sizeable group expressed the need forhelp in obtaining employment, particularly those living in thecommunity. It is argued that for consumer choice to have a realisticmeaning, people with severe mental illnesses need the experienceof choice from more than one alternative.     

Accommodation without Resident Staff for Ex-Psychiatric Patients: Changing Trends and Needs

Summary This paper deals with accommodation without resident staff providedin the community for ex-psychiatric patients. Existing evidenceabout this kind of accommodation shows that it is provided largelyfor an elderly, institutionalised, chronically handicapped group.Recent trends in hospital provision (especially the closureof long stay beds) would seem to suggest that in the futuresuch accommodation may have to provide more for a younger, morelively population coming from the community itself. A survey of such accommodation in one metropolitan local authorityarea was carried out in 1977–78 to investigate if suchchanges were being reflected in the population and regimes ofhomes. The results indicate that to some extent, this is thecase. Policy implications arising from these findings are discussed.     

The Pathways to Homelessness in the Post-Soviet Context

Homelessness is a complex problem, resulting from a combination of housing and social exclusion processes. This paper discusses some theoretical discourses regarding understanding homelessness and the major factors contributing to homelessness (rooflessness) in the post-soviet country of Georgia. “Roofless” people are the most vulnerable group who need special attention while currently there is no national strategy on homelessness in place. Mixed methods were used to study homeless people living in a special shelter in Tbilisi. In total, 70 homeless (mean age?=?48, male – 64%, female – 36%) were interviewed by semi-structural questionnaire. The results showed that a structural factor—unemployment (90%) was the major cause of homelessness. Moreover, almost half of the beneficiaries of emergency shelters need assistance in finding jobs even though they have high academic or professional education. In contrast to European roofless people who have multiple and serious support needs and problems (mental health, drag addiction, chronic homelessness), the majority of interviewed roofless people in Georgia are with less burdened life stories and can be more easily rehabilitated in the case of timely intervention, accommodation, and the proper national strategy on homelessness. Some recommendations for alleviating social segregation of homeless people are highlighted.     

THE DEBATE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS

Three definitions of homelessness which have been influential in Australia may be categorised as the literal, the subjectivist and the cultural. The literal definition equates homelessness with ‘rooflessness’. The subjectivist definition attempts to establish homelessness ‘ by asking people about the adequacy of their accommodation The cultural definition argues that homelessness is an objective category which is not dependent on people's perceptions. From examining the usefulness of the three definitions in relation to a large body of data collected at an agency providing services for homeless people, we may contend that homelessness is best treated as a concept like poverty, which should be measured objectively and not depend on people's perceptions.     

Shared Housing: Making Alternative Lifestyles Work

Changing lifestyles mean that fewer people are living in traditional families and that demands for innovative styles of housing are increasing. Many young people live in shared houses. Such housing offers relatively cheap and flexible accommodation and also has the potential to make a positive contribution to individuals' quality of life. This paper considers the factors that contribute to the success of these households: successful conflict management, the personality and expectations of sharers, the social interaction within the house and its physical design. It concludes with a consideration of ways in which sharing could be encouraged as a housing option.     

NO WHERE TO GO: AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) provides services for homeless people. After demonstrating that the Program is intended to assist people to move on to independent living, the following paper examines the implications of remaining in SAAP services for longer than would otherwise be necessary because there is no where else to go. In particular, the broader social functions of SAAP are examined in the light of the work of Michel Foucault. It is suggested that SAAP serves a specific social function in exerting socially approved power over SAAP users who are forced to remain in SAAP services for longer than would otherwise be required if affordable and appropriate accommodation were available.     

Young people leaving care: health, well-being and outcomes

This paper focuses on the health and well‐being of young people making the transition from care to independent adulthood. It draws on findings from a wider study of outcomes for young people leaving care in England. Notably, the study used, as its key outcome indicators, measures of general and mental well‐being. In doing so, it was able to explore the interrelationship between these areas and young people's overall progress after care. The paper explores the extent to which young people experience difficulties related to physical and mental health, disability and emotional and behavioural problems. It will show that such difficulties can impact upon and be influenced by overall well‐being and post‐care progress in more traditional outcome areas such accommodation and career, and will suggest that the transition from care itself can adversely affect health and well‐being. The paper considers these issues within the context of a changing policy framework which has given increased priority to the health and well‐being of young people in and leaving care, particularly in light of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000. It considers the ways that young people are supported to address health and well‐being and the implications for and impact on leaving care services.     

经济转型时期收入分配实证分析

收入分配体现着人民的根本利益,对推动经济发展和社会进步至关重要。经济转型时期居民收入发生了剧烈变动,收入倾斜政策在破除平均主义的同时,也出现了贫富悬殊、两极分化的现象。保持收入差距,又要缩小贫富悬殊,是摆在我们面前的重要历史使命。实现共同富裕是我们的伟大目标,为此,必须加强政府公共政策导向和调控力度,使分配制度改革进入一个新的阶段。     

Problematising aspects of evidence‐based policy: an analysis illustrated by an Australian homelessness policy 1985–2008

Although recently criticised in the academic literature, the past few decades have seen international demand for policies to be based on evidence. In this article three aspects of the process of evidence‐based policy (EBP) are briefly examined. They include: (1) how evidence becomes socially worthy of the title; (2) the problems which arise for EBP when there is conflicting or rival evidence; and (3) facets of the transition from evidence to policy – the evidence–policy nexus. After problematising evidence‐based research in this limited way, the issues are clarified and illustrated by reference to the history of the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP: 1985–2008), renown at the time as the major Australian program for people who were homeless. SAAP involved an agreement enshrined in legislation between the Commonwealth and all states and territories of the Federation. The argument is based on evidence from the four official national reports of the policy which, over the period of the program, evaluated SAAP and were commissioned and accepted as authoritative by federal, state and territory governments. In a nutshell, the argument is that, at each iteration of SAAP, subsequent policy discounted one of the sets of evidence in the official National Evaluations. This concerned the clear evidence of a lack of external, affordable accommodation options which, in turn, undermined the objectives of the program. The issue remains topical as more recent evidence substantiates the imperative for increased accommodation options for clients ready to exit agencies.     

Lone Parents and Civil Law: Their Experience of Problems and Their Advice-seeking Behaviour

The percentage of dependent children living in lone‐parent families has more than tripled in Britain over the last 30 years. Though there is much diversity within this lone‐parent population, there are common experiences and characteristics. Lone‐parent families tend to be headed by women, to be poor, on benefits and experience problems with ill health and disability. This paper examines lone parenthood in the context of the experience of justiciable problems (problems for which there is a potential legal remedy), drawing upon a large‐scale survey of 5,611 people representative of the population of England and Wales. The survey included 223 lone parents, who were likely to be female, to be living in rented accommodation, to be on a low income, to be economically inactive and to be in receipt of benefits. Lone parents were significantly more likely than others to have experienced a justiciable problem. Lone parents sought advice for their problems more often than others, particularly from solicitors, even after controlling for problems experienced. Lone parents were more likely than others to receive legal‐aid funding. Lastly, lone parents found trying to resolve problems particularly stressful, though they tended to believe that their life had improved as a consequence of doing so.     

学校宿舍管理员:学校社会工作者介入高校的新角色

当前学校宿舍管理员的职责就是管理宿舍学生的纪律、确保学生的安全,缺乏人性化的服务。随着高校管理改革的推进,"以人为本"的管理理念被提了出来,新型宿舍管理员更要在生活上和精神上对学生给予关心和帮助。学校社会工作者的出现使问题学生的困难有了缓解的趋势,但是笔者认为向学校社会工作者求助容易使受助学生产生自卑心理。为此,本文分析了学校宿舍管理员和学校社会工作者在角色上的融合与各自的优势,提出由学校社会工作者担任学校宿舍管理员能更有利于学生的学习和健康成长。     

“It's hard work,believe me!”: Active efforts to optimise housing by people who live with mental illness and access housing assistance

Secure and appropriate housing is critical for the well‐being of people living with mental illness (consumers). Yet it is often difficult to achieve. Housing assistance is available, but is often difficult for consumers to access and negotiate. While the need for support is well‐recognised, little is known about the active part consumers play in finding and keeping appropriate accommodation. This paper addresses the research question: How do consumers who use housing assistance actively manage their housing situations? In‐depth interviews were conducted with 18 consumers who had used housing assistance within the past five years. These were analysed using constant comparative analysis, based on a grounded theory approach. Participants engaged in a range of activities to address six major concerns: working toward my home; following the rules to keep what I have; managing and improving my accommodation; working with housing services; living within my current situation; and finding and using supports. All participants described times when their mental health negatively affected their ability to do these activities. The findings highlight the need for housing services and mental health services to collaborate to develop policies and protocols that place reasonable demands on consumers and support their abilities to actively manage their housing situations.     

Accommodating the Aged in the Latter Part of the 20th Century: An Architect's Viewpoint

Since the Aged Persons' Homes Act 1954 was passed, significant changes have taken place which have caused a departure from the intention of the act. The development of the three tier system of accommodation, self contained housing, hostels and nursing homes, has resulted in rigid categorization of elderly people and stereotyping in design. The present situation is analyzed and a proposal is put forward for a multipurpose form of sheltered housing which would allow for greater flexibility and carry out the purpose of the act, by enabling aged persons to live in ‘conditions approaching as nearly as possible normal domestic life’.