Combating Neighbourhood Disadvantage: Where Family Support Fits In

Tony Fahey School of Applied Social Science, UCD Presentation for conference ‘FAMILY SUPPORT NOW: REFLECTING ON CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES’ National University of Ireland, Galway, 18-19 June 2009

School of Applied Social Science University College Dublin Newman Building Belfield Dublin 4 Scoil an Léinn Shóisialta Fheidhmeannaigh UCD

Context: the ‘Seven Estates’ study

• Study of seven local authority housing estates in Ireland – Original study in 1997-98 – Main findings in T. Fahey (ed.) Social Housing in Ireland: a Study of Success, Failure and Lessons Learned. (Dublin: Oak Tree Press) – Ten-year follow-up study commenced in late 2007, fieldwork in 2008, now at write-up stage • Two research questions in follow-up study: – How has economic boom affected the study estates? (examine socio-economic change in the estates) – What difference have local area-based anti-poverty interventions made? • Inventory • Inputs (expenditure in 2006) • Outputs • Impact • Research team: – UCD (T Fahey, Michelle Norris, Catherine-Anne Field) – UCC (Cathal O’Connell, Joe Finnerty) – U Limerick/Mary Immaculate (Des McCafferty, Eileen Humphries) – NUIM (Mary Corcoran) – Sligo IT (Perry Share, Jacqui O’Toole – Independent: Trutz Haase, Aileen O’Gorman

• The seven estates

– Fatima Mansions, Fettercairn, Sth Finglas (Dublin) – Deanrock (Togher, Cork) – Moyross (Limerick) – Cranmore (Sligo) – Muirhevnemore (Dundalk) • All originally built as local authority rented housing • But mixed tenure now – Privatisation through tenant purchase (25%-75%) – New social housing providers (Cranmore, Moyross) – Private renting (SWA supported)

‘Disadvantaged areas’ and ‘problem neighbourhoods’ • Disadvantaged area – A spatial unit in which a high proportion of households are disadvantaged – ‘High proportion’ and ‘disadvantaged’ – no generally agreed meaning – Many households not disadvantaged • Problem neighbourhood – Difficult-to-manage, difficult-to-let estates – Low demand for housing, high level of voids & tenant turnover, waiting lists to get out, – Weak market demand for private housing (incl. tenant purchased local authority housing) – Physical dereliction in neighbourhood • All seven estates disadvantaged in 1997-98 and in 2008 – Relative to national averages in both periods – But with large absolute improvement between periods

Male unemployment rates in Electoral Districts in which seven estates are located, 1996 and 2006 Ushers C+D (Fatima) Finglas South B+C Tallaght – Fettercairn Togher A (Deanrock) Ballynanty (Moyross) Dundalk Rural (Muirhevenamore) Sligo East (Cranmore) Ireland 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 1996 2006

Percentage of families headed by lone parents in Electoral Districts in which seven estates are located, 1996 and 2006

‘Problem neighbouhoods’?

Great differences between estates … Deanrock houses Semi-derelict block in Fatima Mansions

Deanrock: poor buildings but good social conditions

Differences

within

estates ...

Contrasting housing in Cranmore

Micro-geography of Fatima Mansions … Two ‘yuppie’ blocks ‘Under the arch’ Four worst-off blocks

One of the ‘ yuppie ’ blocks in Fatima ...

‘Under the arch’

Central blocks …

Regeneration of Fatima Mansions

What turns disadvantaged areas into ‘problem neighbourhoods’?

• Central role of social order problems • Usually attributed by residents and local observers to small numbers of ‘trouble-makers’ • Role of micro-segregation – Informal processes channel the most disruptive households into ‘sink estates’ or parts of estates • Disruptive households themselves often acutely disadvantaged – Mental and/or physical ill-health, personality problems, family violence, child neglect, drug/alcohol addiction • Possible policy responses – Do nothing: ‘rot & rebuild’ – Exclusion: evictions & control over lettings – Control / integration – Early intervention & prevention

Area-based policy responses

• Have proliferated since early 1990s • 23 separate national programmes in 2007 – Strong spatial targeting: RAPID, CLÁR, Local Drugs Task Forces, Urban Renewal, DEIS … – Weak spatial targeting: Community Employment Scheme, CDP, remedial works … – Distinct from major one-off estate regeneration schemes (Ballymun, Fatima Mansions …) • €1.25 billion expenditure in 2006, equivalent to almost 10% of social security expenditure • €944 million in 1996 (13% equiv. soc sec. spending) • If benefits targeted on most disadvantaged 10% of households, equivalent to c. €10,000 per household per year in 2006

Major schemes

• Community Employment/Jobs Initiative: €387 million • Urban Renewal (tax expenditure): €256 million • Remedial Works for social housing: €120 million • Rural Renewal (tax expenditure): • DEIS (Delivering Equal Opportunities in Schools) • Local area Partnerships: • Equal Opportunities Childcare €90 million €51 million €48 million €40 million

Some features

• Multiplicity of programmes • Fragmented governance • Diverse (& weak?) rationales • Many instances of positive impact, good practice • But no overarching strategy

Questions • Capital v current?

– Buildings v services

• Primary v secondary services

– Primary: directed at general disadvantaged population – Secondary: directed at acutely disadvantaged (at risk of institutionalisation – child protection, criminal justice, hospitalisation …?) – Secondary services key to responding to ‘trouble makers’ • How to identify secondary services – Design targeting on acutely disadvantaged – Actual outreach to actutely disadvantaged – Actual engagement of acutely disadvantaged

Secondary services in area-based interventions

• Very small share of total: < 5%?

• Examples: – Family Support Services: Springboard €2.5 m – Local Drugs Task Forces: €16 m • What about DEIS? (€51 m) – Loose design targeting – School (classroom) based – No outreach – Limited family engagement?

– Limited (no?) impact?

Conclusions

• Need for stronger focus on services as means to tackle area disadvantage • Need for stronger focus on secondary services in overall service system • Need for stronger focus on mainstream service provision, not on ‘interventions’ (temporary, third sector provision) • Especially in – Health (incl. family support) – Education – Criminal justice