A range of intensive wrap-around services aimed at preventing rough sleeping and supporting those affected in Nottinghamshire have been awarded £837,000.

The funding, from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, will be complemented by an additional £90,000 investment from Nottinghamshire County Council and £70,000 by Framework. This will enable them to continue to work alongside the seven district and borough councils and housing providers to build on the services that ensure that people who are rough sleeping receive a range of support to improve their outcomes. Councillor Tony Harper, Chair of Adult Social Care and Health Committee, said: “This funding is great news for Nottinghamshire. It will allow us to develop services to tackle the underlying issues around homelessness, such as mental health or substance misuse. “These services aren’t just about providing the appropriate accommodation for homeless people. We are also giving people the support they need to take positive steps away from difficult situations and hopefully end the cycle of rough sleeping.”

Some key aspects of the provision include:

• Rough sleeping co-ordinator and housing navigators: these will work with organisations to ensure that people get the support that they need in the right place at the right time e.g. people released from prison will be supported to find suitable accommodation.

• A range of interventions to prevent homelessness through housing and employment initiatives.

• A street outreach team engaging directly with rough sleepers to assess their needs, link them to support and ultimately, to get them off the streets and into accommodation.

• Additional specialist posts to support the street outreach team to address the increasingly complex substance misuse, mental and physical health needs of the rough sleeping community.