Now that winter is definatley here, cold weather provision services have been set up to ensure that everyone can access emergency accommodation.
Every year rough sleepers die on the streets, but when the weather gets very cold, many agencies set up emergency accommodation. Some cities have churches which open thier doors for the winter, such as the Church circuit in London. Many other cities work with homeless organisations to provide temporary accomodation in hostels and B&B's. Click here link for more information.
But there are still those that refuse all offers of accommodation despite the dropping temperatures. These are quite often people with mental health issues, who are considered unwell, but not seriously enough to be sectioned for their own welfare.
What can we do to ensure these clients are as safe as possible if they insist they will not leave the streets?
The main options seem to be increased presence on the streets, with more outreach shifts.
ReplyDeleteWorking with the local beat officers seems to help a bit as they can be made aware of particular individuals, who can be targeted for welfare checks.
There is always the options of a mental health assessment, but these seem near impossible to achieve from the streets.
Any more suggestions?