Developing homelessness prevention practice: combining research evidence and professional knowledge.

This paper presents recommendations of three kinds for the development of homelessness prevention: for practice changes, for the concerted development of evidence on the effectiveness of different measures, and for a more systematic approach to the identification and dissemination of good practice. The recommendations were developed through consultation with health-care, social service and housing provider staff. They were asked to comment on the results of a study of 131 newly homeless people, which showed that there were five prevalent 'packages of reasons' that created distinctive 'pathways' into homelessness and concluded that some cases were preventable. This article outlines the principles of homelessness prevention and recent British policy initiatives in the field, summarises the research methodology and relevant findings, and describes the consultation. The final section discusses the discrepancy between the high priority that homelessness prevention currently receives and the primitiveness of both the evidence base and the arrangements for good practice dissemination.

The causes of homelessness in later life: findings from a 3-nation study.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents findings from a study of the causes of homelessness among newly homeless older people in selected urban areas of the United States, England, and Australia. METHODS: Interviews were conducted in each country with > or =122 older people who had become homeless during the last 2 years. Information was also collected from the subjects' key workers about the circumstances and problems that contributed to homelessness. RESULT: Two-thirds of the subjects had never been homeless before. Antecedent causes were the accommodation was sold or needed repair, rent arrears, death of a close relative, relationship breakdown, and disputes with other tenants and neighbors. Contributory factors were physical and mental health problems, alcohol abuse, and gambling problems. DISCUSSION: Most subjects became homeless through a combination of personal problems and incapacities, welfare policy gaps, and service delivery deficiencies. Whereas there are nation-specific variations, across the three countries, the principal causes and their interactions are similar.