Night shelters for homeless people encouraged to sign up to new voluntary code
- 02 May
Night shelter providers are being encouraged to sign up to a new voluntary code of conduct which sets out safety and service standards.
Currently night shelters are unregulated and problems arise such as poor access to fire exits, overcrowding and low staffing levels. On the 12th of June the chief executive of Housing Justice, Alison Gelder, will launch a "quality mark" for shelters, reports Inside Housing.
Under this new code providers will need to provide separate rooms for men and women, toilets and ensure that systems are in place to guide people toward support services.
Ms Gelder said: "We came up with the idea of developing a quality mark so that homeless guests would know what to expect."
Shelters tend to vary in size from about ten to 30 spaces and as many as 1,500 people stayed in London night shelters each winter for the past four years, reports Housing Justice.
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