Bridget Curran for Glasgow Housing Options Steering Board says she agrees with her colleagues.

Ms Curran says her organisation give a comprehensive interview to those presenting as homelessness.

She says there is an active referral system so that there is a joined up approach between partners.

Ms Curran says all of this is being supported by a training programme for homelessness staff.

Homelessness in Scotland is predicted to rise by more than 53% in the next 25 years, according to research.

Analysis by Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University said the number of rough sleepers would double from 800 to 1,500 if current economic policies continue.

Researchers also forecast the number of people in unsuitable temporary accommodation would rise by a third in the next decade.

The study was commissioned by homelessness charity Crisis.

Across the UK, the number of people without a home will reach 392,400 by 2041, according to the analysis, compared with 159,900 in 2016.

Image source, bbc

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says there is a lot of data out there and a lot of research.

Ms King says it is about a supply of good quality affordable housing where people want to live.

She says last week's evidence session showed the need for individual housing support.

Ms King says if you don't put the support in you're giving people the keys but they are destined to fail.

Tory MSP Graham Simpson asks how can homelessness be eradicated.

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland says it is not one answer but the main reason behind homelessness is relationship breakdown which must be looked at.

"Fast and accessible routes to accommodation is important, "she says.

Ms Oldham says the mental health state of people must be taken into account and the background knowledge to support people at their most vulnerable point.

She says someone with a range of areas of need should not have to go from pillar to post for support.

In its submission NHS Health Scotland says its key messages are:

• Health services (especially primary care, mental health and substance use services) and other frontline services such as justice can play a powerful role in early detection and prevention of homelessness.
• Those providing homelessness-related services (e.g. NHS, local authorities, local housing associations) should plan for, commission and implement evidencebased models of delivery and care, including ‘psychologically informed’ services’ and ‘housing first’, recognising that many of those experiencing repeated homelessness have experienced both adult and childhood trauma and adversity.
• The public, private and third sectors should maximise the connections between housing, health (including oral health) and social care to ensure those individuals and families affected by homelessness are supported by all necessary agencies in new and evidence-informed ways. Connections should include referral pathways, prevention protocols and partnership working where possible.

Read the full submission here., external

Image source, bbc

Dr Neil Hamlet from NHS Health Scotland says a home is important from conception to the death bed.

Dr Hamlet says as health and social care come together this is even more crucial.

Image source, Homeless Action Scotland

The main recommendations from Homeless Action Scotland are:

• The Scottish Government should implement a plan to end both the use of nightshelters and B&Bs in the lifetime of this parliament.
• A 10-year plan was launched in May 2016 to end preventable youth homelessness. We seek an all-party commitment to prioritise this aim.
• ‘The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2014’ should be extended to include young people.
• The Government should require all Local Authorities to have both a homelessness strategy, and a separate youth homelessness strategy; tying into other strategies across the LA.
• The Housing Options guidance should be reviewed, then made statutory and to include a section stating that Local Authorities should work across a broader range of departments both within and out with the Authority, in particular Eviction Teams; considering the full service roll out of Universal Credit.
• A stable and predictable funding regime should be in place to allow for preventative support to be provided across the country.
• Better linkage between violence against women services and the homelessness sector, and the funding to create and retain this.

Read the full submission here. , external

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland says her organisation represents everyone working within homelessness.

Ms Oldham says the use of bed and breakfasts and night shelters is high on the organisation's agenda.

Image source, Shelter Scotland

Shelter Scotland wants to see a clear strategic focus on homelessness at a national level to ensure the best possible housing outcomes for those at the sharpest end of Scotland’s housing crisis.

Despite a strong legislative framework and policy and practice improvements throughout the past decade, it says homelessness is still too common.

Shelter says on average in Scotland a household becomes homeless every 20 minutes.

It calls for more must be done strategically to ensure that all aspects of our public services work more effectively to tackle and prevent homelessness.

Shelter Scotland is calling for a new national homelessness strategy.

Read the full submission here., external

Image source, bbc

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says her charity sees the impact of homelessness on a daily basis.

Ms King says Shelter Scotland has helped more than 21,000 people experiencing homelessness or bad housing.

She says: "Every 19 minutes a household in Scotland becomes homeless."

She says the charity wants to see a strategic approach to the issue.

Ms King says she is delighted the committee heard from services users last week.

Scroll down to read the highlights of their testimony.

She says there are big challenges but also great opportunity for the committee.

Image source, Thinkstock

In its submission to the committee the Glasgow Housing Options Steering Board says it believes that housing options and homelessness prevention in practice in Glasgow is working very well.

It calls for the Legislative framework to be amended in order to support a person’s right to access a comprehensive housing options approach when they present as homeless.

In order to improve the delivery of housing options and homelessness prevention services it recommends:

• Appropriate links between Housing Options and Homelessness
• A supportive organisational culture
• Robust policies and procedures
• A well trained workforce
• Effective partnership working
• High standards of customer care
• Preventative services
• Person centred services
• Holistic services
• Links with housing support

You can read the full submission here., external

Bridget Curran for Glasgow Housing Options Steering Board says it is important to reflect the partnerships within the steering board.

Ms Curran says a key focus is tenancy sustainment, to help sustain people in accommodations.

She says the challenges facing Glasgow are well documented and the partnership approach to this has been important.

Ms Curran says it is a practical model which protects the rights of the individual.

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Bob Doris introduces:

• Bridget Curran for Glasgow Housing Options Steering Board
• Fiona King from Shelter Scotland, external
• Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland, external
• Dr Neil Hamlet from NHS Health Scotland, external

In last week's evidence session with the Local Government Committee Saffron Rohan, care experience member of the life changes trust advisory group, said she was previously moved into a two bedroom flat because it was all that was available at the time.

Ms Rohan said she left school at 15 and could not go back to further education because she would lose benefits.

She said the bedroom tax meant she had to pay more for her flat and got into debt.

Ms Rohan said there are a lot of challenges for care experience individuals because they tend to come from deprived backgrounds.

She said she never left the house because she was scared, due to the area she was in, and that the government are quick to take benefits away.

In last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Rhys Campbell said drug use was why he was homeless and he says it took a "long time to get back to normal".

Mr Campbell said being stuck in direct access was the worst situation to be put in and he "had to beg on his knees to be moved from the dorms" to keep himself safe.

He said he is now in a hostel where "everything is rife and on your doorstep".

Mr Campbell said there are people coming in and out of the hostels that should not be there and they come out worse.

He said he has been in a hostel for three weeks having been told he would be there for two days.

Mr Campbell said he lost his job, his family and son and fell into depression and then into drugs as he shared an emotional testimony about his route to homelessness.

Look back on Holyrood Live's coverage here.

During last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Julie McCallagh said she has been moved 11 times and her 17 year old daughter is now homeless.

M McCallagh said when she split up with her partner she had to leave the house with her four daughters because of violence.

She said she had no idea how to run a house and has not seen a support worker despite being promised help.

Ms McCallagh says her children's school was never taken into account when deciding where she was placed in terms of accomodation.

"This has affected my kid's lives," and schooling, she said.

During last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Thomas Lyon said there should be some information on homelessness at the DWP.

Mr Lyon says: "I went to the brew and the next thing I knew I was sleeping under a bridge."

He says there should be more information out there.

During last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Emma Pearce said her homeless experience started when she was young and she had been through foster care.

Ms Pearce said, although she had stayed with foster families with perfect lives, she left that setting, did not get to see them and became homeless.

She says her life "spiraled out of control" because of the care that has not been provided to her.

She said care plans do not get followed.

"Where is my place in the world?" She said, calling for families to be kept together.

"I have so much potential but there's no support," she added.

She said the help that you need to get through homelessness is not there.

Look back on Holyrood Live's coverage here.

During last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Saffron Rohan said in her experience "there is a postcode lottery in the after care support young people get".

Ms Rohan said: "My experience with social services was terrible if anything they made my life worse they did not improve it."

She said there are pockets of good practice around the country however.

Image source, Getty Images

The committee will now take evidence on homelessness from:

• Bridget Curran for Glasgow Housing Options Steering Board
• Fiona King from Shelter Scotland, external
• Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland, external
• Dr Neil Hamlet from NHS Health Scotland, external