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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Background and Context
In January 2002, the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum ( SRIF) was established to develop plans for enabling the successful integration of refugees in Scotland.
In February 2003, SRIF published its final Action Plan which contained a number of key recommendations for housing. One of these recommendations was the development of a basic service specification, the aim of which was to offer local authorities in Scotland assistance in structuring or tailoring their housing and support services to meet the needs of refugees in their areas.
The need for such guidance was driven by a number of factors including the greater number of asylum seekers being dispersed to Scotland under National Asylum Support Service ( NASS) arrangements instituted by the Home Office. A specification was also regarded as important to allow local authorities to identify opportunities for services that could come within the remit of the Supporting People initiative set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (Housing Support Services) Regulations 2002.
Aims and Objectives of the Research
The overall aim of the research was to develop a service specification that would fit the needs of local authorities, regardless of their size, location and extent of refugee population.
A number of objectives were set for the research. These were to:
- Identify the support needs which refugees may have in order to successfully access housing information, advice and support, from point of initial housing need to point of allocation of social housing/finding private sector accommodation;
- Identify potential needs of refugees - across housing tenures - for ongoing support to move into/continue to occupy accommodation;
- Identify how local authorities should ensure that the needs identified above are met.
Research Methods
A variety of methods were employed in reaching the conclusions on which the service specification is based. A desk review was undertaken of published research that had been carried out into the housing needs of refugees and an analysis of local authority and voluntary sector best practice was carried out.
A consultation seminar was held with representatives from many Scottish local authorities and the voluntary sector and three focus groups were undertaken, each with different compositions - a mixed audience of asylum seekers and refugees, an established group of refugees and a women-only group of refugees.
The researchers also conducted a number of telephone interviews with key personnel who had experience of developing and implementing services that addressed refugee housing need.
Throughout, the Refugee Advisory Group provided advice and guidance on refining drafts of the specification.
Summary of Main Findings
- Refugees have multiple needs relating to their current and future housing that can most effectively be addressed through a multi-agency approach and with the local authority being the lead coordinating partner
- The main priorities of refugees with regard to their housing is that they should be accommodated in decent and appropriate homes where they are unlikely to suffer fear of racial harassment or intimidation
- The focus group participants had experienced high levels of racial harassment. Most of this was unreported and indicates the need for local police forces to be engaged in integration initiatives
- The initial period, following notification of a positive assessment decision by the Home Office, within which refugees are compelled to seek alternative accommodation (28 days or less) was considered inadequate by participants and any efforts local authorities or the Scottish Executive can make to facilitate early identification of refugees due to present as homeless would be welcome
- The overarching need identified in the research was for advice and information, which was accessible and culturally appropriate, and which was available at stages throughout the process from accessing housing and housing support services to ongoing integration efforts post allocation
- Advice and information sought was of two types. Refugees welcomed support in learning about the area in which they are to be housed and the services and amenities available and how to access them e.g.ESOL, employment and training guidance as well as guidance on health, housing and children's education. They also required support to enforce their newly acquired legal rights, not least their rights to benefits, and to be informed of their responsibilities. Many of the successful projects responsible for providing this service find that outreach or home-based sessions work most effectively
- Refugees welcomed opportunities to engage with the local population and build relationships outside their immediate community
- In terms of allocation of accommodation, high rise blocks were particularly inappropriate for refugees
- There is an increasing number of projects in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, that offer excellent examples of addressing housing needs experienced by refugees and their families.
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