London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census: can you help us evidence the extent of women’s rough sleeping?
Latest Update: The census is back for 2023! For more infomation please visit Solace’s website.
Access the survey link and all resources here
Research, lived experience and the experiences of services tell us that women are some of the most vulnerable within the rough sleeping and homeless population, yet we also know that women are under-represented in rough sleeping statistics and provision.
The Women’s Development Unit is part of the Life Off the Streets women’s workstream which has been tasked with organising a women’s census, aiming to better capture data about the extent of women’s rough sleeping. The census is being delivered by a sub-group led by the Women’s Development Unit, SHP and St Mungo’s and has the support of DLUHC, the GLA, London Councils and the Life Off the Streets Core Group.
The methodology used will differ from the normal snapshot count in recognition of the fact that women sleep rough less visibly and are less likely to meet outreach teams as a result.
We hope the findings will tell us about the scale of hidden rough sleeping among women; services they have encountered prior to rough sleeping; and the needs of women. This data will help to increase understanding of women’s experiences and inform future provision.
This will take place across a full working week 3rd-7th October. Please note this date has changed from the date originally advertised.
We are working collaboratively with organisations across London to help deliver this work. Can you be involved?
On this page we will post updated information, guidance and training sessions over the next months.
Sign up to our mailing list to make sure you receive all the latest information, including how to get involved.
Watch the recorded outreach session on the census here, as delivered on 30th August. You can find the accompanying slides with information on what the census is, how it will work and how you can carry out your gender informed outreach shifts here.
Watch the recorded information session on the census here, as delivered on 15th August. You can find the accompanying slides with information on what the census is, how it will work and how you can be involved here.
The census team have produced guidance to support services to take part in the census:
Read our Gender-informed outreach guidance here for outreach teams planning their census shift. All those taking part in the shift should be familiar with this guidance.
Read our Survey guidance for non-outreach services for services who will be conducting the survey with their service users. All team members taking part should be familiar with this guidance.
Training sessions to run alongside this guidance took place at the end of August – recordings of these sessions will be available shortly.
We have created a template which services can fill in with local information in case you need to signpost anyone during census week. Download the template for completion here.
Contact Us: Womens.census@cstm.org.uk
