31.1.20

The number of people sleeping rough in Cardiff has fallen to a six-year low.

An increase in positive engagement with vulnerable individuals on the streets and improvements to emergency accommodation has seen the number of people sleeping outside fall to 34 this month, compared to 73 individuals in January 2019 and January 2018.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, welcomed the latest figures at Full Council on Thursday, January 30 and paid tribute to the work of the city'sHomelessMulti-Disciplinary Team (MDT), a partnership between the Council, Cardiff and Vale UHB and Cardiff and Vale Area Planning Board, which is proving to be successful in reaching individuals who are the furthest away from accessing services.

Cllr Thorne said: "I would like to congratulate the outreach and multi-disciplinary teams for all their efforts in providing support to those sleeping rough in the city. We recognised a need to change the way that we deliver some of our services and I'm pleased that the new arrangements are having a positive impact on people who really need our support."

The MDT, a range of professionals with the expertise to help people with complex needs, was established last year and includes adrug and alcohol worker, nurses, social workers, therapeutic worker and counsellor, peer mentors and access to rapid prescribing services.The team supports people to access the services they need to move away from life on the streets and to address the root cause of their homelessness.

Since April, 147 people who were street sleeping and previously resistant to accessing housing and support, have been helped into accommodation.

Cllr Thorne continued: "It's very encouraging that the increased levels of engagement with clients as well as improvements to our emergency accommodation have led to a significant decrease in the number of people sleeping rough in the city.  Whilst actual numbers do change daily it is great to see the overall trend is in the right direction.

"We are continually reviewing the services we deliver to ensure they meet people's needs and improvements to this year's emergency cold weather provision have included providing individuals with more privacy in the accommodation we offer and allowing groups of friends to come inside together.

"We're extremely pleased that the numbers of people on the streets has dropped but we don't want anyone to sleep rough and what's why we recognise that more work still needs to be done, particularlyin response to the increasing complexity of clients' needs.

"We continue to work with those who remain outside to encourage them to take up offers of accommodation and support, and our strategic review of services will ensure we are providing the most comprehensive multi- agency response possible to meet the needs of these very vulnerable people."