Partnership working must be improved to tackle ASB, say housing providers

June 24, 2010

Strategic and operational partnerships between the social housing sector on one side and adult services, child and adult mental health services, and the health service on the other need to be improved in the drive to tackle anti-social behaviour, a survey of 300 registered housing providers has revealed.

The research – conducted by the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Tenant Services Authority – said: “Anecdotally, this [problems establishing effective partnerships] is a common issue that housing practitioners face.”

However, the report did find that other local authority departments and the police were seen by housing providers as strong strategic partners.

Three-fifths of respondents (60%) said that the most common barrier to effective partnership working was a lack of knowledge and understanding of other agencies.

Other barriers included not being recognised as a key player (40%) and resource limitations (35%). Data protection and the lack of an information sharing protocol hampered efforts as well.

The report also revealed that while housing providers are generally well informed about the whole range of tools and powers available to them, there is still a significant disparity across the country as to which tools and powers are being used and not being used.

Sixty-three per cent of respondents felt their organisation made “full use” of the tools and powers available. Landlords indicated they were most unfamiliar with Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, Closure Orders, Demotion Orders, Injunctions and Parenting Contracts/Orders.

Other key findings of the report include:

A significant number of providers (42%) felt that they needed to improve staff training, particularly in relation to ASB strategy and direction, building public confidence and supporting witnesses
Most providers felt they could do more to assess and support the needs of witnesses
Less than half of providers regularly benchmark their ASB service, and
Few providers had undertaken any kind of cost-benefit analysis of their ASB service, even though improving value for money was seen as a priority.

The vast majority of landlords reported that their ASB services had not been adversely affected by the current economic climate. However, they expressed some concern about the impact over the next 12 months on ASB services, particularly in relation to delivering prevention and intervention services.

The report said: “Tackling ASB and its causes can be complex and requires strong local partnership arrangements. Partnership working and effective use of resources are key to identifying and responding appropriately to the diverse problems each community experiences.

“Over recent years there has been a significant improvement in the way many registered providers tackle ASB. However, for some landlords developing a comprehensive ASB strategy, and delivering ASB services that are responsive to both the demands of the local community and local partners, continues to be a challenge.”

The authors also stressed how the social housing sector is “one of the most important stakeholders” in the delivery of frontline ASB services and “is a key player in supporting tenants and residents who are suffering at the hands of a minority”.

A new anti-social behaviour action team was launched recently by the CIH and the TSA, working in partnership with funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The team has already been contacted by more than 100 providers seeking advice and support, the CIH and the TSA said.

Peter Marsh, chief executive of the TSA, commented: “Tackling anti-social behaviour is a key concern for tenants across the country. The report highlights the difference in the tools and powers that are, and are not, being used by landlords to deal with the problem.”