Homeless service helps 10 new people a day as demand soars

As many as 10 new people presented to Dublin Simon’s homeless services every day last year — and the trend has continued into 2012.

Figures published by the organisation yesterday in its 2011 annual report show an increasing demand for its services last year, with fears that many new clients face becoming “institutionalised” as homeless.

A total of 2,663 people accessed Dublin Simon’s support last year, up significantly on figures for the previous two years. There were 791 using its emerge-ncy accommodation service while Dublin Simon’s rough sleeper team dealt with more than 400 people — an increase of 10%.

The charity said the figures indicated both the severity of the problem and the changing face of homelessness, with the public now seeing that anyone could potentially fall into homelessness.

The reach of homelessness around the capital was illustrated by the more than 400 people accessing services provided in Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare.

Overall, there were 529 people who used the charity’s housing and support services and 359 people who accessed its residential detox/rehab/aftercare service, although Dublin Simon said some clients may have accessed more than one service.

The last rough sleeper count, carried out last April, showed 73 people sleeping on the streets, an increase from 60 the previous year.

Dublin Simon chief executive Sam McGuinness said there needed to be a renewed focus on longer-term solutions for those at risk of homelessness, particularly as latest figures show 40% of those accessing services are classed as being long-term homeless.

“The critical demand for Simon services is increasing and it’s vital that we are focused on, and able to provide, suitable ‘move on’ housing options to prevent people from being stacked up in emergency accommodation simply because there is nowhere else for them to go,” he said.

Mr McGuinness said all temporary accommodation needed to be of the right standard, with 24-hour access and professional onsite help including keyworking and case management.

The charity yesterday launched a development fund of €5m to tackle long-term homeless, with Mr McGuinness stating the money would go towards increasing “fit for purpose” accommodation with immediate effect.

He said there needed to be a focus on reducing the reliance on short-term emergency accommodation and fully operating a housing-led model, “providing appropriate housing and supporting people to sustain a home in their community, ensuring they never return to a homeless situation”.

* www.dubsimon.ie