Homelessness: A Growing Problem in Economically Driven Societies - Essay Sample

Introduction

Social sciences are often involved with the betterment of our society through the improvement of people's living standards. In the new economically driven culture, some individuals lack the financial capability to provide the necessities for themselves, especially housing. This is because their incomes may not be enough to allow them to acquire all the essentials, i.e., food, clothing, and shelter (O'Sullivan, 2016). As a result, they chose to forego shelter and therefore live as homeless destitute, which puts them at risk of contracting ailments as well as another whole range of dangers that come along with homelessness.

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In Ireland, the issue of homelessness has become a social concern owing to the worrying trends that have been witnessed in the recent past. To begin with, between 2016 and 2017, the number of homeless individuals in Ireland increased by approximately 25% and currently in 2019, it is estimated that about 10,000 people do not have access to shelter in the country (O'Sullivan, 2016). Although the Irish government spokesperson in the year 2013 presented the public with the government's vision of eradicating homelessness by the year 2016, this objective was not achieved. According to statistical figures published in early 2017, about 4,377 individuals were living the emergency accommodation shelters, one of the highest figures ever witnessed in the country (O'Sullivan, 2016).

With such worrying trends and statistical figures, it is possible to identify the fact that homelessness is a critical concern for the Irish government and drastic measures ought to be put in place to help eradicate this vice from the society in the most efficient way. Every citizen in the country is entitled to better living conditions, and it is, therefore, the responsibility of the involved stakeholders to play their role in addressing this pressing issue.

Ability to Situate the Agency Within the Overall Structure of the Health Systems

The Peter McVerry trust is an organization that is named after Father Peter McVerry, who was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church born in the year 1944 in the capital of Belfast in Northern Ireland. In the initial years of founding, the Peter McVerry Trust was able to come to the aid of more than 3600 individuals in Dublin city making the organization among one of the most proficient at the time in the social care sector. The organization is a constituent arm of the Irish health system and is more oriented towards the efficient delivery of healthcare services through ensuring that their respective clients are presented with the best possible living condition with proper housing being one of these conditions.

Health services delivery is among one of the bodies that are charged with the delivery of social care services in Ireland. The legislation laws under which these regulations fall include, the childcare act of 1991 and the health act that was passed into law in the year 1953. Under these statutes, the health act under the HSE is required to offer assistance to citizens who may be unable to afford quality housing care for themselves. Under the childcare act, children under 18 years of age are also entitled to be provided with appropriate housing as they fall below the minimum required age for employment under the government's legislations.

Up to the year 1988, the Health Act and the Child act were the only legislated laws that outlined the government's responsibility towards addressing the issue of homelessness and shelter provision for the incapacitated citizens. However, upon the passing of the Housing Act into law in the year 1988, the government was required to address the issue of homelessness, which had now become an alarming social concern. Upon the legislation of this law, the administration was expected to come up with strategic measures to address and combat the issue.

According to scientific research, homelessness has a proximity relation to personal health. Healthy wellbeing and access to proper and health living conditions is an entitlement that every citizen has a right to access. Individuals who lack access to basic amenities such as housing were found to be at a higher risk of contracting various ailments that may range from; mental health issues, drug and substance abuse addictions among other vices that may come along with the lack of proper shelter. A research also conducted by HSE also identified that cases of homelessness were also on the rise in Ireland and the number of homeless individuals was on a constant rise owing to a number of factors including; high rent rates in the private sector that most individuals can't afford as well as the mushrooming emergence of higher unemployment cases.

However, it is essential to note that the Health act law legislation of 1988 did not place responsibility on a specific local authority or governmental related department. Instead, the various stakeholders involved were required to ensure that they provided relevant statistical data regarding the homelessness case, e.g., the number of people living out on the streets, provide financial aid aimed at the provision of housing for the homeless as well as the organization of how these individuals could be assisted to find local housing shelters. The governmental departments were also expected to partner with charitable organizations such as the Peter McVerry Trust in an attempt to provide accommodation for the homeless.

In the year 1991, the Peter McVerry Trust became an approved private housing body that ever since worked in compliance with other similar legislation acts in the attempt to provide housing services. Still working under the registration and inspection service, the McVerry Trust also works in partnership with other organizations such as the child and family care institution in the attempt to improve the shelter provision coverage for the under aged minors, i.e., below 18 years.

Legislation/Social Policies That Regulate or Guide Practice in the Sector to Which the Agency Belongs

In Ireland, the homelessness issue can fall under three specific social legislation acts that include; the childcare act of 1991, the housing act of 1988, and the health act of 1951. Under these three legislature laws, it is possible for the homeless to be appropriately attended to based on placement depending on the group in which that fits their specific housing needs. The housing act that was passed in the year 2009, also referred to as the Miscellaneous Provisions act also governs the addressing and search for amicable solutions to the homelessness issue. These legislation rules outline the necessary guidelines and formalities that ought to be observed in the provision of housing services and facilities for children below the age of 18 years as well as for adults in need of shelter provision.

The HSE in association with other local authorities is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the outlined rules and guidelines. In the year 2000 the homelessness an incorporated system report was distributed, this report sketched out that each neighborhood specialist would work in cooperation with the HSE and deliberate associations to devise a multi-year activity plan. In 2001 the division of youngsters and wellbeing distributed the Youth destitute system 2001. This technique utilized the UNCRC as its core values and planned to lessen youth housing problems and if on account of a youngster getting to be destitute the point is to reintroduce them once more into their locale at the earliest opportunity. 2002 saw the production of a lack of shelter aversion system with an end goal to avert vagrancy. Anyway the Housing for every one of the (2003) illustrated that in spite of the fact that plans for avoiding and lessening vagrancy highlighted the essential concerns and complex issues encompassing vagrancy the genuine arrangements for fighting vagrancy were 'pitifully expressed or missing' we likewise observed the rise of the provision of crisis convenience to families encountering vagrancy because of expanded number of families facing shelter allocation crisis.

The foundation of family center points was another idea to accessing housing and with youngsters now in special consideration with their families controlling enactment and approaches for training incorporated the childcare demonstration 1991 and the kid's first rules. The destitute area, all in all, might be noted to be, to a great extent, unregulated with almost no enactment or arrangements that guide practice. A huge advancement in vagrancy arrangement in Ireland for quality administration and managing practice has been the rise of the vagrancy office in 2001.

In Dublin the Dublin Regional Homeless official has been set up, working under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 they are legitimately committed to making activity intends to battle destitute in Dublin. Just of as of late, the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive has formulated the National Quality Standards Framework for destitute administrations in Ireland. The NQSF was taken off at the start of 2019 and is intended to accomplish efficient, co-ordinated, and incorporated administration that advances an essential spotlight on moving individuals out of vagrancy. The goals of the NQSF include advancement of protected and successful administration for individuals in destitute convenience. An administration that empowers people to move in to and keep up lodging that provides for proper degrees of help lastly, to give consistency in reacting to support clients encountering vagrancy.

The First Housing Implementation Plan (2018-2021) would likewise guide practice for social consideration specialists in every aspect of the Peter McVerry Trust. Before, it was viewed as great practice to give a progression of intercessions and supports to prepare individuals for lodging, known as the staircase approach. The Housing First methodology has been government strategy for a long time in Ireland and blueprints residence as a need for those encountering vagrancy paying little heed to any issues in connection to enslavement or emotional well-being. When an administration client is housed the Housing First Model diagrams that help can proceed in combatting such matters. 'Lodging first perceives that a steady home gives the premise to recuperation in different territories.' Peter Mcverry trust work under the Housing First Model. The philanthropy first began working under this model in 2011 and joined to a worldwide association with the pathways lodging first foundation in 2017. This association is going by Sam Tsamberas, the organizer of the Housing First activity. Ireland has embraced the lodging first Model in its operation to battle vagrancy, and in 2018, the state propelled the Housing First National Implementation Plan for 2018-2021. The usage plans plots eight standards. These standards incorporate right off the bat prompt access to lodging without preconditions, also, decision and control for the administration clients. Thirdly, the partition of Housing and Treatment Housing backing and treatment administrations are given independently, fourthly, Housing first inhabitants submit to the provisions of their occupancy, anyway captivating in treatment isn't a necessity for continuing the property just as backings for treatment are not lost if there is a breakdown in position. The fifth standard incorporates presenting a damage decrease model, anyway does not imply that the situation is depending on the prerequisite that the member in to support far from medications and additionally liquor. The 6th guideline traces that the lodging first methodology includes a real commitment with customers that urges the member to see that recuperation might be conceivable. The Seventh guideline necessitates tha...