Independence for the dependent

Abstract

Residential homeless -clients- in supportive shelters or protective housing often dealing with a multitude of problems, makes designing the best support possible a challenge to say the least. And with further decentralisation of responsibilities from the governmental to municipal level, it is this challenge municipalities now face. With growing evidence that so called ‘staircase services’ are not capable or efficient in reducing homelessness and its associated problems, policy makers aiming to address homelessness must find alternative solutions. In this study, I have researched the effectiveness of deinstitutionalising clients from supportive shelters and protective housing towards independent housing with floating support. Prior research on this topic was almost exclusively done by evaluating interventions or from the perspective of the support professionals. This study however, using a coordinated mixed-method design, combined a survey and interviews to answer the following question from the client’s perspective:

"To what extent does the support network surrounding clients in supportive shelters and protective housing explain effective and successful processes of deinstitutionalisation towards independent housing.”

Combining the findings from the survey with the eighteen in depth interviews with clients in the region Meierij and Bommelerwaard resulted in new insights in what their needs and wishes are in regard to deinstitutionalisation. Stable and independent housing when combined with diverse, flexible and optional floating support, which focusses on harm reduction, can contribute to an increase in quality of life, improve self-efficacy and reduce financial, mental health and substance abuse issues. Policies must be in place to encourage care service providers to cooperate with each other and to acquire enough homes to house the former residential homeless. By giving back control to clients now dependent on institutional professional support, we increase the chances clients adhere to recovery oriented services, improve their quality of life and possibly save some money too.