Shift in emphasis in managing homelessness

As part of a larger strategic review around housing and homelessness policy, The Highland Council is realigning its staffing and resources towards effective housing options and homelessness activities.

As part of this process, the services provided from the Homeless Day Centre at 1A Waterloo Place, Inverness, are currently under review in consultation with NHS Highland, Homeless Action Inverness and other related agencies.

The Centre was originally refurbished 10 years ago, and designed to meet the needs of the street homeless and those sleeping rough. Due to successes in implementing national homeless policy, street homelessness has been virtually removed in the city. This was confirmed in the national census undertaken by specialist homeless agencies in partnership with the Council in March 2011.

Some of the services and staff resources provided at the day centre were specifically designed around meeting the basic welfare needs of rough sleepers e.g. showers, laundry, storage and meals.  It is now known that these services are no longer necessary and that most people currently visiting the day centre actually have accommodation with facilities of their own.

The services that are now believed to be required include tenancy sustainment, prevention and housing options through roots into the private rented sector.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chair of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee said: “The homeless day centre has made an important contribution to the success in ending rough sleeping, but the focus now has to be on securing sustainable prevention solutions and outcomes for those threatened with homelessness, and our services need to change to reflect this.”