CHAIN Combined Homelessness and Information Network Ian Canadine

CHAIN Combined Homelessness and Information Network Ian Canadine, CHAIN Manager 3 rd November 2016

What is CHAIN? • Multi agency database recording information about rough sleepers and the wider street population in London • The UK's most detailed and comprehensive source of information about rough sleeping • Operational since 2000 • Previously commissioned by DCLG • Transferred to GLA in 2010 • Managed and developed by St Mungo’s (formerly Broadway) • CHAIN team: Currently 4. 6 FTE staff • Cloud based system, using Salesforce CRM platform 2

Why do we use CHAIN? • Sharing information: Facilitating joined up working between services across London • Operational reporting: Allowing services to monitor their work and demonstrate outcomes to funders and commissioners • Intelligence gathering: Providing statistical data on rough sleeping to inform policy work and service planning 3

Who uses CHAIN? • • Services covering 33 London boroughs Outreach teams Accommodation providers Special services (e. g. NSNO, Routes Home, SIB) Some day centres Street. Link and other referral services View only access 4

Who is recorded on CHAIN? • • Verified rough sleepers Some members of the wider street population Client records mainly created by outreach teams or NSNO Other service users, or members of the more general homeless population, are not recorded (e. g. sofa surfers, squatters, day centre users) 5

What is recorded on CHAIN? • Basic client details and demographic data • Support needs assessments • Information about previous circumstances (e. g. last settled base, reason for leaving) • Key outcomes, actions and events • Arrivals at and departures from accommodation • Referrals about people seen rough sleeping (e. g. via Street. Link) 6

CHAIN in numbers • • • 53, 171 client records 1, 148, 700 outcomes, actions and events 255, 503 bedded down street contacts 848 active users (inputting and view only) 200 services (inputting and view only) 7

CHAIN reports: Rough sleeping trends (annual) 9000 8096 8000 7581 7000 6437 6508 879 6000 671 732 5000 1413 992 1595 1828 4000 3000 2000 4353 4363 2012/13 2013/14 5107 5276 2014/15 2015/16 1000 0 8 People seen rough sleeping

0 9 Apr-13 May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14 Jul-14 Aug-14 Sep-14 Oct-14 Nov-14 Dec-14 Jan-15 Feb-15 Mar-15 Apr-15 May-15 Jun-15 Jul-15 Aug-15 Sep-15 Oct-15 Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 CHAIN reports: Rough sleeping trends (monthly) 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 All UK CEE Rest of world Other Europe

CHAIN reports: Demographics 10

Recent developments: Spatial recording 11

Recent developments: Spatial reporting (1) 12

Recent developments: Spatial reporting (2) 13

Data recording challenges • Difficulties inherent in outreach work • Three levels of data coverage: o Data from compulsory fields o Regularly monitored core data o Other data • Regular data cleaning • Balancing requirement for stable core system with needs of individual services • Influence of service resources, work patterns and recording habits on figures 14

What makes it work? • • Existing infrastructure and history of cooperative working Buy-in from local authorities Oversight and steer at regional level by GLA Demonstrable benefits to stakeholders Clear focus on core purpose and remit Responsiveness to changing needs Managed by organisation with direct experience of service delivery • Cost effectiveness • Data integrity and system reliability • High standard of user support 15

Questions 16