- NYHS home
- Prevention
- Mediation and home visiting
National Youth Homelessness Scheme
Mediation and home visiting
Research consistently shows that family breakdown accounts for about two thirds of all homeless presentations and occurs for many reasons. Relationship problems are generally at the root, compounded or caused by poverty, overcrowding and domestic violence. Lack of parenting skills can be found across all walks of life, whilst bringing up children as a lone parent and being a teenage parent are additional risk factors.
Homelessness family mediation focuses on relationships and communication, and seeks both long and short term solutions. This can include improved relationships and communication, fewer arguments, increased self esteem and a greater willingness to accept responsibility for actions and behaviours.
More importantly in this particular context, mediation can help support young people to remain at home or return home, either on a long term basis or until a planned move is possible. Mediation can also play a significant role in helping reconcile young people to their families/friends in ways which provide them with emotional and practical support, thereby increasing the likelihood of tenancy sustainment. Good early mediation intervention contributes to much more than just homelessness prevention. It could help a young person stay in education, training or employment, reduce offending and antisocial behaviour and have a long term, positive effect on the parenting skills of the parents so that similar crises can be avoided with younger siblings.
Mediation services can be exclusively provided to young people who present as homeless to local authorities but most successful reconciliations occur before complete breakdown of a relationship occurs. Therefore mediation services made available through a variety of agencies already in contact with young people have a greater chance of accessing young people and families before they reach crisis point. However, demonstrating the direct prevention of homelessness in these cases can be more difficult and outcomes need to measured in different ways
It is important that mediation services and local housing authorities have in place child protection policies and procedures, are familiar with the Common Assessment Framework, and work closely with key partners, particularly Children Services, to safeguard children and young people.
This module will;
- look at what tools local authorities can use to help decide the most appropriate type of mediation service for their area
- look at the function of home visiting
- Give examples of where services are commissioned from the voluntary sector, working alone or in partnership with other organisations
- Give examples of where local authorities directly deliver services
- Identify training and support networks available for local authorities and mediation services.
(researched and written by the Depaul Trust)
Tools Additional resources Case studies
