Working with complex needs

We offer a trauma-informed and person-centred approach to working with adults who have previously slept rough and other individuals with complex needs.  

What we do

The reasons people experience homelessness are complex and so are their needs. That’s why we have invested in developing our staff to psychologically understand and respond to complex trauma in an informed way. We provide specialist support for:  

  • Adults who have or are sleeping rough and have complex needs 
  • Women who have experienced homelessness and trauma  
  • People with serious mental health conditions 
  • Young people affected by gang violence  
  • Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
Before everything was fight, fight, suffer and fight. Here it is so beautiful. I feel at home. No one disturbs me. I have my own room with a beautiful big window. It’s nice and calm and I feel happiness. I’ve even started to cook again. This place is like medicine to be honest. I want to stay here forever. Sofiane, who slept rough for 17 years, and now lives in supported accommodation in Haringey.
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How we do it  

We recognise that emotional and traumatic experiences often lead to homelessness and an individual’s response to the circumstances and events in their life can be complex.  We support people with complex needs by: 

  • Providing high quality safe accommodation with wrap-around support tailored for the individual
  • Working in close partnership with specialist agencies who can provide appropriate and effective support, such as with alcohol and substance abuse issues 
  • Supporting people to access other services and systems such as health care
  • Recruiting staff with lived experience 
  • Training staff to take a person-centred, trauma-informed approach in their work 

Working with adults

We are a national youth homelessness charity, but since the pandemic, when we stepped in to manage large hotel-style services for adult rough sleepers in London and Manchester, we have steadily expanded our work with over 25s who have complex needs. Today, we provide: 

  • Street outreach 
  • Employment support 
  • Supported accommodation 
  • Floating support 
Older woman's hands on mug
If I didn’t have this place, I don’t think I’d still be here. I’ve lost so much, but this is where I learned that I am someone. Josephine, 48, resident at our Manchester service for women who have experienced homelessness and trauma
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