Publication search

Improving Practice in Housing for Drug Users - A Partnership Project

This paper is aimed primarily at informing and helping those involved in commissioning, planning and delivering:

• housing
• housing services
• related residential rehabilitation
• support services for drug users

It will also be of interest to anyone working with drug users with related housing needs through the criminal justice system, health and social care (hospital and community-based services) or those working with vulnerable groups.

The main focus of this paper is a selection of 13 case studies which offer examples of how housing, drug and mental health services have worked together to find sustainable and successful housing solutions for drug users. 

Please read Section 1: Introduction which provides the details required to navigate through the practice paper.

NB: Section 11 will be a supporting checklist based on practice and information from the July 2008 National Working Seminar Improving Practice in Housing for Drug Users. The full report from the practice seminar is available on the main Aftercare Housing and Homelessness page.

These sections may be updated in consultation with existing partners and/or new members of the national stakeholder group so as to reflect changes in policy or practice.

Date: Mon Aug 04 14:27:51 BST 2008

• Executive Summary (August 2008) (PDF file - 93kb)

  Key messages from the paper on improving practice in housing.

• Section 1: Introduction (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 108kb)

  The paper has been written to support the development, planning and delivery of housing and related support services for drug users.

• Section 2: Developing housing and support for drug users (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 361kb)

  A review of recent reports that had a housing and drugs focus, detailing the challenges faced in bringing the two elements together.

• Section 3: Summary of findings from the case studies (31 October 2008). (PDF file - 161kb)

  Summary of the findings from the case studies on the key principles of a comprehensive, planned and responsive provision for service users.

• Section 4a: Case studies index (31 October 2008) (PDF file - 85kb)

  Provides an outline of the case studies visited as part of the field work to inform this practice paper on housing and housing support for drug users.

• Section 4b: Case studies (31 October 2008) (PDF file - 213kb)

  Case study illustrating how Bristol involved service users in planning housing for drug users.

• Section 5: National strategies, policies and related guidance (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 224kb)

  Detail of the national strategies that provide the impetus for planning and delivering housing and housing-related support for drug users.

• Section 6: National, regional and local delivery arrangements (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 175kb)

  The structures and indictators that are in place to support planning and delivery, and identification of the opportunities to inform and contribute to organisational and shared priorities.

• Section 7: Sources of information and data and arrangements for information sharing (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 162kb)

  Detailing the element of joint working and sharing relevant information with partners to help service users and agencies.

• Section 8: Outcomes, measures and tools (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 132kb)

  Understanding outcomes and measurement tools to asses the impact against service user, organisational and national objectives.

• Section 9: The Housing Drug Advisors Project (HDA) and supporting tools (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 84kb)

  Explanation of the Housing Advisors project.

• Section 9a: Questions for interviewees employed in organisations holding a strategy development/management remit (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 70kb)

  Questions for interviewees employed in organisations holding a strategy development/management remit

• Section 9b: Questions for interviewees (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 81kb)

  Template on questions for interviewees employed in organisations with a service delivery remit.

• Section 9c: Introduction leaflet (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 68kb)

  Leaflet providing general information on the work undertaken to identify and promote practice in housing for drug users, which can be used by local partnerships and providers.

• Section 9d: Leaflet regarding fieldwork for interviewees (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 69kb)

  Background information for organisations and partnerships that HDA would like to visit as part of the work being undertaken to identify and promote practice in housing for drug users.

• Section 10: Key facts (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 115kb)

  Key facts and their references in relation to drugs and housing.

• Section 12: Terminology and glossary (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 135kb)

  Terminology and glossary.

• Acknowledgements (1 August 2008) (PDF file - 58kb)

  Acknowledgement to the partners who provided their support in helping to produce the practice paper on Improving Practice in Housing.

Adobe provide a free online tool which converts PDF files to text. To use this service visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_onlinetools.html (new window)

To view a document in Adobe PDF format, you may first need to download a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat reader (new window).

back to top