Salvation Army reveals alarming trends among homeless in Scotland

A new report from The Salvation Army into the underlying causes and outcomes of social exclusion and homelessness reveals startling results from respondents in Scotland.

The Seeds of Exclusion 2009 finds relationship breakdown and substance misuse as key reasons for homelessness among respondents in Scotland and in the results of the overall survey.

The research, produced with the University of Kent and Cardiff University, involved detailed and intensive analysis by clinical psychologists of interviews with 967 homeless adults using Salvation Army hostels and day centres around the UK and Ireland.

In Scotland, relationship breakdown and the lack of supportive relationships were cited as the main reasons for homelessness among respondents (40%). However, the research also reveals that substance abuse and mental health needs play a bigger role in drawing people into homelessness and social exclusion than those interviewed are prepared to recognise.

The second most common reason given by respondents in Scotland for their homelessness was drug dependency (30%), which was the highest proportion among all the regions profiled. In the study, this followed by alcohol abuse (22%), the second highest result (Dublin was highest at 23%).

Alcohol and drug abuse levels were high among respondents in Scotland (66% and 56% respectively). However, only 32% of respondents with a drug dependency were aware they had a problem, and only 24% of respondents recognised they had an alcohol dependency.

In The Seeds of Exclusion 2009 respondents in Scotland also reported high levels of physical and emotional abuse and neglect in childhood, including the highest levels of neglect (39%) in the survey. Respondents in Scotland also reported the second highest levels of emotional abuse (40%), after Belfast at (41%).

Levels of attempted suicide in Scotland (38%) were among the highest among all the profiled regions (Wales was highest at 42%, while London was lowest at 13%).

Scotland had the lowest number of respondents (17%) who slept rough before accessing Salvation Army services (London at 46% was the highest).

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• Posted in Salvation Army, Social Action