Start Me Up ! - A handbook on Starter Packs for homeless people

November 2005

Scottish Council for Single Homeless and Scottish Churches Housing Action have published a handbook, which sets out the practical steps in running starter packs schemes for homeless people. Starter packs provide basic household essentials such as kitchen goods, cleaning materials and bedding to people resettling in a new house after a period of homelessness.

Handbook editor Matt Elton of SCSH said: "We organised an information-sharing day for schemes throughout Scotland last year, and one of the things requested was a handbook. Make it practical and not too wordy, they said - and that's what we've done. We hope the handbook will encourage new schemes where there are none at present."

Moving Towards Indepencence - The Carers Guide

September 2005

This A5 booklet is for foster carers, residential workers and anyone caring for a young person moving towards independence.

The booklet can be used as both a reference book for housing information and as a practical tool for talking to young people about preparing for and maintaining their own place when they eventually move on. Before they have lived on their own for the first time, many young people have a very poor grasp of the realities of independent living. They’ve often no idea about rents, how much their bills will be, what their rights are and where to seek advice. The booklet is important simply because the better prepared a young person is before they move out of care, the lower the risk they will experience some form of housing crisis.

Statement on Abolition of Priority Need

A consultation on the content of a Statement by Scottish Ministers to advise the Parliament on progress being made under homelessness legislation was published by the Scottish Executive on the 18th August 2005.

Health and Homelessness Standards

Health and Homelessness Standards news release.