Women's Homeless Services Go Under Spotlight

Oxford, 30th July, 2024

OHM are signposting what is available—and identifying what is not—so we can better protect and help Oxfordshire's vulnerable women.

Women need help picture of a homeless young woman out on the street at night by Eric Ward on Unsplash.com

Services for women in Oxfordshire have decreased due to funding cuts since ~2006, according to one source. Closures may have brought efficiencies, so putting ‘back what was lost’ may not be best. But many are known to miss out—too many fall through gaps, or are not even known. Meanwhile, government statistics do not show the whole picture¹. This makes it hard to know how best to help.

Because of this, a launch meeting was held in December 2023 to shine women's services under the spotlight. Notes from the meeting showed the local homeless sector identified these gaps:

few services with door management and 24/7 support
few safe spaces for women only
not enough move-on accommodation options
limited ability to tailor services to different needs—though this is also an opportunity
no dry house
lack of funding

But the gaps did not all have to do with services. Gaps in knowledge were also identified. People remain with abusive partners or find other ways to cope. This adds to what is known as "hidden homelessness". Rough sleeper counts are not published by gender. There is no local census in place. Nobody knows how places of refuge from abuse affect the figures; and some women struggle to prove that they have a local connection—crucial, in some cases, for accessing support.

Responding to all of this, OHM completed a thorough study of current services, making its findings into the best ever guide on what is available for women affected by homelessness in Oxfordshire—‘I need help for women only'.

See

NEW: I need help for women only
OHM's impact

Qualitative research with LEAF is also being funded. At least 10 women currently or recently experiencing rough sleeping will take part. Experts by experience will ensure a clear and accurate picture is built up about current services. The plan is set. Results are due to be published in September 2024.

Participation in the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census—or, WRSC—is also on the way. The WRSC began in London but extends to Oxfordshire this September. OHM will fund this work too.

Jane Cranston, Chair of OHM, stated: "By improving our research, we aim to obtain a greater understanding of the true picture so that we can help to design more appropriate services.

Vulnerable women need to be better protected and, through our work, we and our partners are trying to find suitable and more helpful solutions for vulnerable and often traumatised women."

Footnotes

See the Annual Snapshot and Ending Rough Sleeping Framework.