NTA Regional Award Winner, Partnership and Collaboration; Westminster City Council, Rough Sleepers and the University of Southampton
Westminster's frontline homeless workers trained in therapy techniques to help rough sleepers

Frontline homeless workers in Westminster are being given basic training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques, under a new scheme to help rough sleepers in central London.

Westminster Council, the University of Southampton and the voluntary sector have trained more than 30 frontline workers to help them deal with the underlying issues of homelessness, such as traumatic experiences, substance abuse and mental health problems

In January 2004 there were 214 people sleeping rough in Westminster - the highest number in England.
To tackle this problem, in 2005 Westminster became the first local authority to move the core part of its outreach services for homeless people from the streets into buildings.

This approach means that outreach workers are based at centres with extended operating hours, where rapid and assertive needs-led assessment and support planning takes place.

Rough sleepers have complex needs, can be very resistant to accepting help, and their recovery tends to be erratic.

However, there is a small but growing evidence base to suggest that a psychological therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, can help frontline staff who work with rough sleepers to deal with the underlying issues of homelessness. 

In a bid to further reduce the number of rough sleepers on its streets and increase numbers into housing, the council is now working with the University of Southampton, and the voluntary sector to train frontline workers in CBT techniques.

"The focus of our partnership has been to reduce the number of rough sleepers by giving our staff a range of techniques and skills to help them get their lives back on track," said Marian Harrington, Westminster Council's Director of Adults Services.

Dr Nick Maguire, from the University of Southampton added: "It was very important for staff to be able to use the techniques to describe their own experiences of working with this client group, as well as helping individual rough sleepers to make positive changes".

The training programme recruited 30 trainees from 17 organisations, most of them involved in front line work with homeless people. The initial four day training course, concentrating on the most effective and easily practiced techniques, was delivered over three weeks, in order to enable staff to practice the skills learned.  Follow-up training was delivered after three months of the project.

Twenty managers joined a one day course so that they understood and could reinforce the lessons learned by their staff. Additionally, trainees took part in sessions of clinical supervision, otherwise known as reflective practice,  once the initial training was over. Westminster says this is the first programme for support workers where training and clinical supervision have been given equal weight. Total investment in the project came to £6,890.

The council says the success of the training has gone beyond their expectations. It has created a more skilled workforce, improved communication skills, challenged negative beliefs about rough sleepers and reduced staff burnout.

"The training has enhanced my working practice, motivation and enthusiasm for innovative and effective working methods," said one participant. Another added: "Training and the supervisions helped me to develop more self insight into my own attitudes and become more reflective on how I work and this helped me to be better able to deal with the challenges faced and I was able to stay on and enjoy my job."

The number of rough sleepers on Westminster's streets has reduced from 214 in 2004 to 79 in November 2008. A former rough sleeper who has felt the benefits of CBT paid tribute to its effectiveness: "It has taught me to take a step back and not escalate events which would be harmful to me. I have learnt to calm myself down and think things through."