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SHAN Tuesday 23rd June 2020 11:00 - 13:00 (via ZOOM)[Info. from the ChatBox is shown like this]Attendees: [I hope that I recorded everyone. My apologies if I didn’t notice you - it was difficult to keep track of who was joining and leaving the meeting! But not as difficult as it was at the ZOOM meeting I attended in the PM which, at one point, had 135 attendees!]John Barber [Chair of SHAN]John Simmons - Co-Ordinator, SoS Churches Winter Night Shelters (SCWNS) [Notes]Gemma Cartwright - SAVS [Host]Nina Stewart - Deputy Co-Ordinator, SCWNSAlison Willis - Complex Needs Hostel (Peabody)Gary Turner - HARPJon Kuhrt - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)Marie Edmonds - Aspirations ProgrammeDel Thomas - Off the Streets (OtS)Zoey Smith - One LoveGarreth Mahon - CGL (STARS)Abi Ogunyemi - Interim Head of Housing Solutions, SoS Borough Council (SBC)Abigail Agba - Interim Head of Housing & Social Inclusion, SBCElsa Moore - Rough Sleeper Co-Ordinator, SBCGreg Headley - Homeless LinkCatherine Weir - South and Central Essex MINDClair Girvan- SBC Social Worker at Southend HospitalHelen Rhodes - Stephen’s PlaceTuula Pienkuukka - SoS Adult Community CollegePeter Courtenay - SoS Street PastorsAlison Burt - One LoveJoe Coules - Frontline NetworkTania Miller - PeabodyWashington Ali - CASTSimone Longley - Mental Health Practitioner at 7 SoS GP surgeriesCllr Keith Evans - Indep. Blenheim ParkApologies:Daniel Cauchi – SVPJon Gurrel – SBC SafeguardingDavid Gardiner – Essex PoliceSteve Crammond - One LoveGemma Hibbs - One Love (Guest Relations Team)Shahida Akram - CGL (STARS)Kirsty Fields – OtSAlisa Harvey – YMCA Meg Davidson – SBC CouncillorPaul Hill – SBC Safeguarding1) Welcome:John B. welcomed all to the meeting and went through the agenda reminding us of the protocols to be followed. He asked that the ChatBox facility be used freely.He thanked SBC staff for getting everyone in (over 100 known rough sleepers and WNS guests) by 27th March and supporting them since then.He reported that there have been two mini SHAN meetings that covered how things were going, how things could be improved and how partnership working could be improved between SBC and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). He would not go through the minutes now, but they are available on the SHAN page of his website (at: ). He also knew that other meetings had taken place (e.g. 1-1s between Abi and various VCS groups).2) Jon Kuhrt (MHCLG):Jon introduced himself by saying that he had been working in the homelessness sector for 25 years; he had managed a Winter Night Shelter, but had more recently been seconded to the MHCLG Rough Sleeper Team specifically to work on the liaison between Local Authorities (LAs) and faith and community groups in the sector.He said that what had happened and is happening in Southend is mirrored across the UK. There are now more than 15,000 in hotels, B&Bs, etc. (the national RS count last November was ~4,500).The RS Team are now working with LAs to plan the exit of all those people from the hotels, etc.Generally, this has started well, but those with NRPF are proving to be the most difficult group to accommodate.He asserted that joint working is key (so SHAN is vital) and it is evident that the best options for rehousing are emerging where agencies are working together with their LAs.#However, it is inevitable that tensions exist and/or will emerge because, although rough sleeping concerns us all, there can be different focuses.He thought that new rough sleepers will be an issue (if it isn’t already).He re-iterated that Night Shelters won’t be able to run at present, but a lot of work is going on to produce guidance well ahead of next winter. Certainly, the communal nature is a real health challenge.Indeed, in some towns WNSs won’t be needed because the number of rough sleepers will be so low.VCS agencies should be putting other options to heir LAs. In some places, this is OK. But in others (e.g. Southend), it is a real challenge.Answering a couple of questions on the ChatBox, Jon said:-The Taskforce (headed up by Dame Louise Casey) is focusing on key areas (like Southend, where Jason Marriott is talking to the Council about their plans.June 30th is not a MHCLG deadline. But they are aware that many contracts with hotels and B&Bs are due to end then. So, they are encouraging LAs to move on as many people as quickly as possible; indeed, one LA has already moved 100 guests and are looking to finish using B&Bs in the next few weeks. However, other LAs will need to extend contracts. The MHCLG need to know how much has been spent and how much is likely to be needed along with their plans for all still in hotels/B&Bs. There will be more from the MHCLG this week. 3) Abi Ogunyemi (SBC):Abi started by thanking everyone involved in helping the B&B guests.He reported that he had met with Del (Off the Streets), Daniel (SvP - Short Street), Stanford (CAST) and John (Winter Night Shelters); and that, yesterday, Abigail had met with Kristina Jackson and Gemma (both from SAVS) - it was a good meeting and she said she now has a better understanding about the VCS and the tone that should be used.He said that if the VCS find:-PRS accommodation: they should tell SBC’s PRS so it can be checked; orRough Sleepers: they should help them contact SBC’s Housing Solutions Team so they can go through the HRA processes.Recently, there have been some good examples of joint working and he hoped this would continue as they start to move people out of the B&Bs with the necessary wrap-around support (including befriending by VCS volunteers). Abi acknowledged that we are not yet where we ought to be.He said that a SHAN meeting would not be long enough to remedy that, so he has asked John S. to help him organise a JOINT workshop with the aim of improving partnership working.So that we can scope all VCS services (present and future), he has sent the VCS Registration Form to John B.[From Gemma:There is information on the SAVS Community Support Directory () and Livewell (formerly SHIP) page on the Southend Council website. From John B.:Don't forget the Rough Sleeper Leaflet on the SHAN webpage of my website.From Greg: / can be set up as a local page. Also see: .You can ask for your organisation to be added to the Homeless England website by emailing Matthew Donald at Matthew.Donald@.uk) or Gareth Thomas (at Gareth.Thomas@.uk).]Work on the Data Sharing Agreement is progressing and whilst it fairly straightforward for “Commissioned Services”, it is proving to be more difficult for other VCS groups.Washington (Chair of CAST) asked Abi to clarify the relationship between SBC and CAST. Abi said that he and Stanford had met for 2 hours last week and they were both happy with a way of joint working in future.4) John S. (VCS Issues and Concerns): We acknowledge that SBC did a great job in getting everyone in by 27th March.Thank you on behalf of all those who were put in the B&Bs.Issues and Concerns [N.B. There have been recent improvements in some of the following areas]:-No/limited triaging at start. Good support (meals/GPs/STARS), but Mental Health support seemed to be patchy at best.Lots of phone contact by SBC (but using with-held numbers, so some guests wouldn’t answer), but face-to-face apparently only by VCS (with appropriate PPE, etc.).B&Bs not visited by SBC, so some dropped standards (e.g. bedding not changed for weeks).Local CV Taskforce became “Council Only” (except for the food sub-group)Lots of info. given to SBC, but little info. came back (GDPR) - no data sharing agreement.A lack of transparency by SBC about what was going on.Lack of communication (e.g. e-mails not being answered, or even acknowledged)Offers of VCS volunteers (e.g. free translators and MH 1st Aiders) not taken up.SBC have now started housing some B&B guests - a few may have gone to Basildon. We heard offers were made with very short deadlines and under threat of losing room.Imposition of housing solutions/offers more than consultation (especially about their “lived experience”).Some becoming homeless and/or new to the streets were not helped by SBC Housing Solutions even when found and helped by the VCS.NRPFs? It is likely that some will not be able to be housed by SBC; what will happen to them?In the end, VCS submitted a list of questions - many were answered but some key ones were not.Fortunately, no cases of CV19. But some symptoms were reported in a couple of B&Bs last week. Guests were instructed to self-isolate (some didn’t), and testing has taken place - but we haven’t heard anything about the results.Joint Workshop (possibly as soon as next week) to discuss ideas about SBC and VCS working better together in partnership. Abi and John S. are meeting tomorrow to fix agenda and discuss hoped-for outcomes. Simone wondered if any guests were referred to mental health services; anyone can refer to First Response. Dr Siddiqui did raise some concerns about a few B&B guests with her and she attended two professionals’ meetings about evicted guests. Peter Bennett (the new Navigator/Metal Health Worker) can also take referrals from anyone. She only covers 7 GP surgeries, but the local GPs have recently and jointly bid for funding for more mental health support for their surgeries. 5) Clair Girvan:Clair introduced herself: she is a social worker employed by SBC but working in the Discharge Team at Southend Hospital since October; before that she worked for Essex County Council.Because of the CV, she hadn’t been at the hospital since the end of March and was now working remotely with 7 hospitals across Essex.Before CV, she had been speaking to colleagues about what happens to patients with No fixed Abode when they are ready for discharge, but then found about SHAN!She is looking to improve the outcome for such patients.John S. mentioned a meeting he had attended with Lynn Scott, Ashley Mitson, Faith ?? and Gary Turner about a Discharge Protocol. Gary had worked on one some years ago, but it needed to be updated. Faith just had started work on it when lockdown happened. Washington mentioned a concern about what happens to patients with NRPF when they are discharged.6) Gemma Cartwright (SAVS): Gemma confirmed that the meeting with Abigail had gone well; it was very informal. Kristina explained how SAVS works with the VCS.All agreed that the JOINT workshop would be key to improving partnership working and she would be happy to facilitate it with Greg.She suggested that it should be attended by a small group of SHAN members who could split into sub-groups and then report back to the whole SHAN.Gemma thought that we all need to move-on positively, respecting existing relationships and developing new ones.She said that we need to break through the barriers that are preventing the setting up of a comprehensive data-sharing agreement. Perhaps the workshop could discuss and decide what data should be covered, who it should be shared between, and why.Gemma said that homelessness is a symptom of many other things; it may be best to separate some of them out because else the challenge is too great.7) Greg Headley (Homeless Link):Greg agreed that sub-groups are a good idea as long as the main group makes the decisions.Greg mentioned that Brighton have set up a city-wide database for their rough sleepers; some data can be locked and can only be seen by the owning organisation; it holds e.g. agreed move-on plans, and who is responsible for what actions. Also, Chelmsford are thinking about using Homeless Link’s Inform to do something similar. Greg wondered if we were thinking of providing a Summer (Heatwave) SWEP this summer? With water / sun cream / shaded places / clean underwear / shorts / etc. [From Greg: health info.is at: and at: .]Abi said that SBC are developing a plan to mitigate the effects of the heatwave.As for partnership working, maybe an on-line resource showing what everyone does would be useful; could SAVS initiate/develop this?Greg identified that one of the major issues that prevents good partnership working is that not everyone properly understands what other groups can offer: they may have the same aim but their methods of achieving them differ. Some groups may have to detach from their own vision and start afresh.Abi said the info. from the VCS registration Form would be shared (unless confidential).Greg advertised the Essex Community of Practice on 2nd July where there will be updates from MHCLG and Essex CC. [Essex Community of Practice: .] 8) Gary Turner (HARP):Gary summarised what had happened at HARP when lockdown was declared:All the residents in the Bradbury Centre Hostel (18) and in White Heather House (20) continue to be supported although some struggled with the new rules.The Day Centre shut as did the “Sit-Up” service with funding and staff being reallocated.The breakfast service for rough sleepers stopped, but >100 breakfasts per day were made and distributed to the B&Bs instead (over 3600 breakfasts were provided in May).Support continued to be provided to all their other residents by phone, on-line (new TALK on-line chat service) and face-to-face (with PPE, etc.), but the doors were shut to casual callers.The Outreach team carried on working and the now 5 staff are covering most of the week (7 days). They linked up with the Peabody Outreach team to cover Streetlink referrals. The guests in the B&Bs were helped by their counsellor with light-touch mental health support. There was regular and significant contact with some, but care was taken not cut across any existing support. As for their supported housing, there was a freeze on filling voids, internal moves and move-ons.Fortunately, there was no CV outbreak despite the difficulty in getting some to stay-in.Now beginning to unfreeze and they are talking to SBC about using the voids to rehouse some B&B guests. 373 Health Needs Audits (HNAs) were completed (cp with 218 HNAs completed in 2013). These have been used (and will be used) by local GPs in their funding bids. 9) Tania Miller (Peabody):Tania stressed that Peabody are open and have been during lockdown.There has not been any face-to-face working and the drop-ins have stopped, but staff are all working remotely and have continued to support their clients by phone.They are mostly helping with tenancy sustainment, applications for housing benefit and council tax issues. They fill the forms in on-line and collect necessary evidence by taking photos of paperwork (at a safe distance). They have also been helping with delivering food parcels and medication.They have been working closely with HARP and SBC.She is concerned that some B&B guests have left the B&Bs and are again living in tents around Southend. She would welcome any ideas about how to help them.10) Del Thomas (Off the Streets [OtS]):OtS is shut at the moment; they are looking at installing pods, but that would mean even less than the 5 beds that were allowed pre-lockdown.But they have made an offer on another building and it has been accepted!They are still working with rough sleepers as well as some B&B guests. They are seeing an increasing number of calls from those not in the B&Bs who have gone to Housing Solutions and been refused help. They have had some success in housing people (2 more yesterday and another one hopefully on Friday).Del reckons that there are now nearly 30 rough sleepers on the streets (almost back to pre-lockdown numbers). He is very disappointed that the Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) is not ready because that means he can’t give their names to SBC. However, Gary said he could give the names to HARP (using the HARP-OtS DSA, and they could then give them to SBC under the HARP-SBC DSA.He was also disappointed that SBC had not responded to an e-mail that he had sent them 10 days ago asking that they develop heatwave countermeasures.Abi repeated his statement that they are writing the plan and they will communicate it asap.Elsa said that they will be initiating a summer SWEP asap with water and sun cream, etc. being made available but they were having difficulty finding somewhere where people could go to get it unless they took it to the B&BsIt was suggested she ask Daniel if Short Street could be made available; ask Pam if 57 West could be opened; and/or give it to the Outreach Teams for distribution.11) Zoey Smith (One Love):One Love have been preparing and delivering meals to the B&Bs on 3 evenings a week.But have now re-opened at Hollybrook on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays to supply take-away meals to those in the B&Bs (but see below). They can’t eat them there but are asked to take them back to the B&Bs. In addition, those who are rough sleeping are invited in for a shower and then a sit-down meal. After that, they can speak to a volunteer who help with an approach to Housing Solutions, and also do any necessary paperwork.The number of meals has gone down perhaps because some of the guests have become more self-reliant: in itself, not a bad thing.They are still delivering meals to any in the B&Bs who are isolating, vulnerable or disabled.Zoey understands that the other soup kitchens will be opening from Sunday onwards, so that will be there last one and they will only be open on Mondays and Thursdays after that.The outreach team now have a minibus that has been used to deliver water and sleeping bags to the increasing number of new faces on the streets; some have lost jobs and accommodation because of Covid19. Today it is being used to help someone move from a B&B.They have been working in partnership with the ?YMCA who have supplied some volunteers and with a local estate agent.Zoey agreed that a database would be extremely helpful!12) Marie Edmonds (Aspirations):The Aspirations Outreach Team have been down to see the sex workers in Ambleside Drive and helped a couple of them start to attend NA meetings. They are also paying for a counsellor to come out with them.Marie had commissioned some research into the drug and alcohol situation in England. She had found that:-5398 people were recorded as accessing drug and alcohol services;The number of deaths in Southend because of drugs and alcohol was way above the national average; andThe 1052 who were using opiates and crack cocaine in Southend is the third highest number in Eastern England (only Peterborough and Luton had more).More locally, each user of heroin and crack cocaine costs CGL ?26k pa.Nationally, the NHS spends ?488m pa on treating with drug and alcohol problems and looking after children of drug users costs ?42.5m pa.Marie reckoned running a local abstinent service would cost about ?300k pa with every ? spent meaning ?2.50 goes back into the community.In addition, Marie said that the number of people with mental health issues goes up every year and there is a gap in treatment services.Marie announced that a training session (that will be open to all) will be arranged very soon; and there will be a ZOOM meeting next week about treatment options for those with substance abuse. [From GarrethHi Marie, It would be good to ask some of these questions around Substance Misuse. Do we have adequate access to naloxone? Is treatment accessible for people with multiple and complex needs? Does everyone understand the ways to access treatment and how people can be referred to rehab?Also, those stats don’t sound right. Southend is below average for opiate related overdose deaths, ask Jamie. At CGL STARS we have had Look East from BBC news visit us twice in last year for interviews about naloxone and the success it’s had.From MarieThe results are from Public Health England Garreth; all the links and evidence are attached to the report. From GregMarie: did the naloxone questionnaire from Release make it to you? I can e-mail it across if you drop me an e-mail: greg.headley@.uk .From Marie We have another meeting with the researcher on Friday; I will put it across to them.From ElsaEveryone being moved into private sector has been assessed and support plans completed and will have support put in place depending on their need. Drug and alcohol treatment is available for those with complex needsFrom MarieHarm reduction is available to those with complex needs which is a fantastic pathway. The report says that a high number of people on harm reduction still test positive for other substances including cannabis, crack, and heroin.From MarieIn my 30 years of experience in drug and alcohol, nobody gets clean and stays clean on their own; it's not sustainable!] 13) Helen Rhodes (Stephen’s Place):Helen said they were now a registered CIO.Thanks to Green Pastures, they now have a 5-bed house in Southchurch that will be supported housing.She already has 15 volunteers (many with suitable professional skills).All she needs now are referrals![Hi Helen, Please email me with your contact details and I will ask Elliot, my Team Leader, to contact you to discuss referral protocols, etc. Thanks, Gary (gary.turner@.uk .From John S.: Green Pastures have ?12m(!) available to buy houses for groups to run.]14) Round the Room:Joe Coules (Frontline Network): looking to come to Southend to do something like Homeless Link’s Community of Practice but restricted to frontline workers. First meeting arranged for 14:00 - 16:00 on Thursday 16th July - topics up to those who register to attend.Alison Willis (Peabody): The Complex Needs Hostel (CNH) has been open and staffed throughout lockdown. PPE and social distancing has been used for face-to-face work and when delivering food parcels to those in the CNH. Their outreach team have been dealing with Streetlink referrals.Nina Stewart (SCWNS): Her ideas for partnership working are:-Discuss the potential of a main register of service users for associated groups to access.Discuss the potential of ID cards for service users, so that they are instantly recognised, enabling easier access to services and 'new-comer' identification.Discuss the potential collaboration of all Southend soup kitchens, so that resources are pulled together, and fragmentation avoided to increase efficiency.Discuss the creation of a new community hub to cater for any overflow of clients i.e. those who cannot be placed. This building would have a few en-suite rooms and kitchen facilities to replace the previous Winter Churches Night Shelter scheme; which would instead open all year round - and be manned by the different volunteer groups - to possibly include soup kitchen and church volunteers. Different agencies could also work from this base intermittently, for the purposes of health assessment and signposting.?Discuss the potential for fast-track addiction treatment in accordance with existing recognised levels to include detox and rehab (first stage), dry house/supported housing (2nd stage), and permanent housing (3rd stage). My view is that housing those experiencing acute addiction without incorporating the different levels mentioned is counterproductive.?[From Del I thought you had some good ideas and the database idea has been mentioned often on here today. But I don't think Id cards will work as the rough sleepers won’t want them or use them even with encouragement.]Cllr Keith Evans: Asked if anyone knew of a plot of land suitable for a building (more details are confidential for now). Happy to help with anything he can (his e-mail address is: CllrKEvans@.uk. N.B. Ensure it has the K in it, else it will go to Cllr Fay Evans!)Alison Burt (One Love): Just formed a new charity (The One Love Project) mainly around the Guest Relations Team: the soup kitchen will operate under it. They have noticed a dramatic change in some B&B guests; some are now clean, and others have come out of depression on their own! It just goes to show that if you give someone a secure place, then they can help themselves! This should be borne in mind for the future because none of us want them to go back.Catherine Weir (South and Central Essex MIND): Their essential and housing services have been going on throughout lockdown;The Appropriate Adult Service for the Police (it’s usually her) has also carried on;But, their operational services (which were very busy because they are near the High Street) were closed. However, they will be re-opening soon but by appointment only.Unfortunately, their Trauma Project only has 6 days left because they couldn’t get any more funding; they had seen 564 people!Catherine is Vice Chair of Southend Pride and they have just started a new project for displaced LGBTQ+ people; it’s called “Queer Street”. Details are available from her: email: catherine.weir@.uk[From Greg: See .]Greg Headley (Homeless Link): just wanted to remind people that Housing justice have arranged a NS ZOOM meeting this PM [see ]; and to suggest that co-production and listening to lived experience would be 2 good subjects for the workshop to discuss.Tuula Pienkuukka (SoS Adult Community College): the college is still closed; they are waiting for guidance about how they can run courses in the future. But already discussing some with HARP. Conclusion:John B. thanked all for their input. He is happy to be approached in confidence.The next meeting will be on Tuesday July 14th. ................
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