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Laura Smith

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Laura Smith

Job description: Policy and Reserach Officer at St Mungo's

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Areas of interest: Housing and homelessness – services for women with complex needs, Domestic abuse, Families and children – including relationships, Substance use, Women involved in the criminal justice system, Mental health and wellbeing, Childhood trauma – including being in care or childhood abuse, Employment and skills, Improving support for women involved in prostitution

Laura Smith's Recent Activity

"In 2012 The All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System and the The Howard League for Penal Reform published a report on girls involved in the criminal justice system: 'Inquiry on girls: From courts to custody' (attached below). The findings have possible implications for designing a criminal justice agencies which would help to prevent today's young female offenders from becoming tomorrow's homeless women. The key points from the report are: "•There is a lack of awareness among magistrates and other professionals of the specific needs of girls •Girls are being treated more harshly by magistrates if their behaviour contradicts gender stereotypes •Girls are being criminalised in courts when no intervention is needed or when they could be diverted to other services •Magistrates are confusing welfare needs with high risk of reoffending and increasing the severity of the sentence or ‘up-tariffing’ girls •Prisons are not appropriate places for girls, and prison units for girls in adult prisons and secure training centres (STCs) for girls should be closed, in line with the recommendations of the Corston report •There is a lack of awareness among professionals of the differing roles and services provided by children’s services and youth offending services •There is a lack of gender-specific provision for girls once sentenced •The needs of girls are overlooked due to the small number of girls in the penal system •Contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, custody is not invariably being used as a last resort for girls •Other options such as intensive fostering and multisystemic therapy (MST) are not widely available or widely used.""
Reply To: Women, homelessness and the criminal justice system

"This Women in Prison document shows what progress has been made (and where progress has stalled) towards the recommendations of the 2007 Corston Report http://www.womeninprison.org.uk/userfiles/file/Corston+5%20Report.pdf"
Reply To: Women, homelessness and the criminal justice system

"On 22 March 2013 the Government published a document outlining the Ministry of Justice’s strategic priorities for female offenders. They announced that an Advisory Board, led by the Justice Minister Helen Grant MP, will be established to advise on implementation. The four key priorities are: “Ensuring the provision of credible, robust sentencing options in the community that will enable female offenders to be punished and rehabilitated in the community where appropriate. We are committed to ensuring all community orders include a punitive element. Other options such as tagging and curfews can also be used to provide greater monitoring and structure to offenders’ lives. Ensuring the provision of services in the community that recognise and address the specific needs of female offenders, where these are different from those of male offenders. Tailoring the women’s custodial estate and regimes so that they reform and rehabilitate offenders effectively, punish properly, protect the public fully, and meet gender specific standards, and locate women in prisons as near to their families as possible; and Through the transforming rehabilitation programme, supporting better life management by female offenders ensuring all criminal justice system partners work together to enable women to stop reoffending”"
Reply To: Women, homelessness and the criminal justice system

"This is an interesting Guardian article about the domestic violence prevention organisation Tender who work with young people to distinguish healthy relationships from unhealthy ones. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/feb/26/domestic-violence-workshops-teenage-behaviour?INTCMP=SRCH"
Reply To: Prevention and recovery from domestic abuse and sexual violence

"London Drug and Alcohol Network (LDAN) have produced a useful brieing exploring the links between substance use and domestic violence: http://www.ldan.org.uk/PDFs/LDANBriefingDVSubstanceMisuse.pdf"
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"In 2009 The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction produced the paper ‘Women’s voices — experiences and perceptions of women facing drug problems’, a review of qualitative data about women’s experiences and perceptions of women who have had drug problem. Some key findings and points: • ‘It is widely accepted that drug policy and programme effectiveness is enhanced when sex differences are acknowledged and the different needs of women and men are addressed’ however most drug services are designed for male drug users. • Neglect in childhood can be a factor leading to adult drug use for both males and females, but girls are under more pressure to take on domestic responsibilities. • Women with substance use problems are more likely than men to have experienced abuse. • Women who are subject to social and psychological deprivations are vulnerable to exploitation from men, and substance use can lead women into sex work. • Many women who use drugs and are mothers are reluctant to seek treatment as they fear they will be judged negatively. • Some Mothers who use drugs would value residential care or home visits that enabled them to stay with their children during detox or rehab. • “Stigma permeates the lives of women with drug problems”: ‘Simply I am trying to settle my exterior and interior in the way to give impression of a person, who has never been taking any drugs. I have to confirm and prove myself doubly to be recognised as good, fine young lady’ Drug-using mother, Slovenia. • Stigma is a particular issue for mothers and pregnant women. The interests of women can be disregarded as the interests of the child, or foetus, are foregrounded. The report cites an article by E. Ettore in the International Journal of Drug Policy which describes the prevailing view of drug using pregnant women’s bodies as ‘lethal foetal containers’. “Sisters and doctors treated me like a worthless junkie. They gave me the feeling that I did not deserve to have a child...’ Drug-using mother, Slovenia • The quotations in the report “do not claim to represent the situation of all drug-using women in Europoe but the overarching theme illustrated.... is about the struggle that female drug users face in fulfilling their social roles.”"
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"Associate Parliamentary Group for Parents and Families – Tues 5 March 2013 focused on parental substance use: ‘Hidden Harm 10 years on – where now for parental substance use?’ Joanna Manning from the Children’s Society spoke about development of policy and practice around parental substance use. Key points included: •The importance of Children’s Services working closely with the Community and Voluntary Sector •Parental alcohol use should not be sidelined. It was not addressed in the Government’s recent alcohol strategy as it was in the drugs strategy. •The ‘voice of the child’ is central to effective policy and practice Oliver French from Adfam presented their research report ‘Parental substance use: through the eyes of the worker’, available here: http://www.adfam.org.uk/cms/docs/adfam_parentalsubstanceuse_2013.pdf Key points included •The role of leadership in ensuring workers have confidence to tackle the issues •A review of the Guidance on parental substance use was created in 2009 by the Department of Children, Families and Education (DCSF) – which no longer exists, and the National Treatment Agency (NTA) – which will be subsumed by Public Health England from April 2013, is being undertaken; it is not clear who will have responsibility for monitoring. •Localism and funding cuts could have a negative impact on effective practice due to loss of services, experience, cross-agency relationships. •Organisations’ shared responsibility and need to have knowledge about, signpost and present other services positively to effectively ‘sell’ them to service users. •Tackling parental substance use as a “slient partner” in other agendas, including Troubled Families Vicky Stewart from Early Break in Lancashire spoke on their Holding Families, a programme of whole family intervention to address parental substance use. Key points included •The need for non-specialists to be upskilled in this area for effective early intervention, including training for social workers. •Focusing on the needs and ‘voice’ of the child. More information about the programme is available on their website: http://www.earlybreak.co.uk/"
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"This is an interesting presentation about the interplay between local authority homelessness provision and domestic violence which was given by John Bentham from DCLG at a Homeless Link/St Mungo's/Women's Resource Centre Spotlight event on Homeless Women."
Reply To: Prevention and recovery from domestic abuse and sexual violence

"In 2011 St Mungo’s undertook some research in partnership with Marie Curie and produced a report last year on how best to support homeless people who are dying from liver disease. Key findings: • Over half of the deaths of people receiving care from St Mungo's each year are associated with liver failure (31 out of 56 deaths in 2009/10). • In this group there is a high rate of hospital admissions, as well as significant distress in the last six months of life. • UCL academics studied the cases of 27 St Mungo's residents who died between January 2009 and April 2010. Of these, 26 were men, one a woman, aged between 32 and 84 years with an average age of 55. The report, ‘Supporting homeless people with advanced liver disease approaching the end of life’ is available to view on the Marie Curie Cancer Care website: http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/en-gb/healthcare-professionals/innovation/st-mungos/"
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"In April 2011 Alcohol Concern and St Mungo’s produced the report White cider and street drinkers, recommendations to reduce harm following a study which explored the impact of white cider consumption on the health of homeless people. Findings included: • 100% of the professionals who work with dependent drinkers questioned and 50% of the drinkers themselves believe that white cider should either be banned or that it should be priced out of their reach. • For the majority of dependent street drinkers all links with family have been broken • Women who develop jaundice through liver disease tend to die during their first hospital admission whereas men in the same situation more frequently survive the first few instances. Recommendations made by the report included the introduction of a minimum price per unit of alcohol and a ban on strong cider being sold in any container larger than one litre."
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"St Mungo’s recently conducted an internal literature review on this subject. Some of the key sector research is briefly summarised below: • Crisis (2011) Homelessness: A Silent Killer. A research briefing on mortality amongst homeless people. London, 2011 http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Homelessness%20-%20a%20silent%20killer.pdf Key findings o The average age of death of homeless women is 43, five years lower than for homeless men, despite women in the general population having a higher life expectancy than men. o Drug and alcohol use account for a third of all deaths amongst the homeless population. o Four out of five people start using at least one new drug after becoming homeless. o It is more difficult to address a drug or alcohol problem when also experiencing homelessness. 40 per cent of homeless alcohol users site a lack of stable housing as the primary barrier to their recovery. • Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2011) Tackling homelessness and exclusion: Understanding complex lives. McDonagh, T. JRF: York, 2011 http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/homelessness-exclusion-services-summary.pdf A summary of findings from four projects considering the interaction between homelessness and other support needs. The research outlines how services for people with complex needs could be improved to better address homelessness. o A disproportionately high number of the homeless people surveyed who experienced mental health problems including anxiety and depression were women. o The data analysis found the impact of gender to be less significant than expected. • Shelter (2006), Safe as Houses, An inclusive approach for housing drug users http://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/policy_library/policy_library_folder/?a=48062 o A report about issues relating to the needs of homeless drug users, emphasising that improvements in safety are achieved by actively acknowledging drug use. • The Griffin Society (2011), Louise Sandwith ‘Score, smoke, back on the beat’ An exploration of the impact of homelessness on exiting street sex working in Manchester, http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research_Paper_2011_01.pdf ; o A qualitative research paper examining women’s experiences of homelessness and sex working. o Finds drug use to be an common aspect of women’s experiences of homelessness and a significant pathway into both sex work and homelessness."
Reply To: Substance use: helping women with drug and alcohol problems

"St Mungo’s recently conducted an internal literature review on this subject. Some of the key sector research and findings: •St Mungo’s/ Revolving Doors (2009) Missing Families http://www.revolving-doors.org.uk/documents/missing families/ Key findings: •Acknowledging and addressing the emotional issues relating to family can be critical to a woman’s recovery from homelessness. •Homelessness service staff working with women need to be trained in the complexities of family work and consider how integrate this work into support plans. •Homeless women often need assistance and support when dealing with Children’s Services departments. •Health Action for Homeless People (1999). Forgotten Mothers: Meeting the needs of homeless women who have lost their children. Hinton, T. And Gorton, S. HAHP: London http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Forgotten%20mothers.pdf Key findings: •There are commonalities between women whose children have been taken into care and homeless women: domestic violence, substance use and mental health problems often featuring in the lives of both groups. •In some cases, a mother’s homelessness can indirectly lead to local authority intervention in the care of her children, for example where the stresses of losing a home has led to or exacerbated mental health issues or substance dependence. •Conversely for some women the loss of their children may have a negative impact on their motivation to recover from problems in their lives such as drug or alcohol addiction, which eventually result in them becoming homeless. •Crisis (2000) Homeless Young Women and Pregnancy http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/YoungWomenPregnancy.pdf Key findings: •Unplanned pregnancy among young homeless women is significantly more common than among the general population •Young homeless women often present specific challenges for homelessness organisations, health agencies, and pregnancy and family support organisations. There is a lack of developed policies for meeting the needs of this group. •Better links need to be established between homelessness services and agencies offering information and training about sexual health. •BBC (2012) ‘Preventing Pregnancy in Homeless Women’ Inside the Ethics Committee, BBC Radio 4, Thursday 2 August 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l7wyv Key findings: •Having had multiple children taken into care, substance use crime and engagement in sex work are common and interrelated features in the lives of many homeless women. •Despite the risk of pregnancy and subsequent loss of further children, homeless women engaging in sex work are unlikely to consider contraception as a high priority due to chaotic lives and other more immediate considerations related to being homeless. •Homeless women may be reluctant to attend sexual health clinics due to prior bad experiences or fear of stigmatisation. More extensive sexual healthcare needs to be made available on site in accommodation for homeless women. •Centrepoint (2009) Family life: the significance of family to homeless young people http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/media/11651/long_version_final.pdf A research report on homeless young people’s understanding of the role of family and the breakdown and rebuilding of family relationships. Key recommendations: •Increase provision of high quality mediation and respite services for early intervention in relationship breakdown. •Increase support for young parents and refugees."
Reply To: Children and families: improving support

"On 22 October we held a Women Rough Sleepers Conference in London where we held some breakout sessions. These were some of the points raised by the groups: What changes to current services or additional support is needed? • Public awareness- attitude towards women + the experiences they have been through • Working in school- national curriculum – citizenship • Citizen advice – cuts have affected women- there is a need for more advice to be available at an early stage • The demand for women’s provision/ homeless women that come forward to services can go up and down and so it is difficult to judge demand and commission appropriate services • Dogs as pets are a second stage hosuing/cleaning house/PRS barrier- need more accommodation that take dogs • We need a ‘Housing first’ model specifically for women. In Camden SHP are running a housing first pilot with 10 people, the majority of them women • Falling number of detox places • Specialised women’s homelessness training • Offer what women want by asking • PREVENTION • Is there disconnection between local connection focus+ needs of women around mental health and domestic violence? • Is independent legal advice available to women to support them to make a case to be housed out of borough? • Domestic violence support, early intervention • Accommodation for women when they are in crisis • Campaign/educate/ increase awareness of DV impacts • Help men change thinking/attitudes • Preventive work related to sex working, work with men who by sex • More court diversion schemes • More pan-London provision- Issues around gate keeping • Improve services for women with undiagnosed mental health issues • Covering gaps for women with NRPF • Women are still objectified • Education in schools-services for men + protecting those at risk or abused What are the key challenges/good practice for supporting women rough sleepers with issues related to pregnancy, children or family contact? • Safeguarding – children being able to visit women. Needs a pan London approach to accommodating women in places they can host visits from children • More Contact Centres or other projects are needed where parents and children can meet in a safe environment. • Mil Hill Women’s action housing was a project on church land for women escaping DV where children could stay- this is now closed • More work is needed with social services around pregnancy, poly drug use, and the impact of losing children on women, accessing/contacting children lost previously. • More awareness needed on alcohol foetal syndrome • More support is needed around the feelings of guilt women face over lost children- this can lead to increased drug/alcohol use and MH problems • Have a policy in place • Hestia domestic violence refuge/outreach working with children and women in Camden in partnership with Hopscotch • Homeless women with children are an ‘uncharted group which is ridiculous’ • Cultural factors: giving a save space to talk • Need to cultivate partnerships- MARAC’ style for women with complex needs not just for extreme high risk cases- more joined up work • Services not being joined up, which means one service supports a mother and another service supports a child"
Reply To: Children and families: improving support