The Parish Church of St John-at-Hampstead

This month the church urges us to connect, challenge and commit to the problem of homelessness, and I have been asked to give an up-to-date report on CARIS (Christian Action and Response in Society) Haringey which is one of HPC’s chosen charities.

CARIS Haringey has its roots in the Anglican Church and was originally sponsored by the London Diocese.  It has been an independently registered charity since 1997.  The organisation is committed to expressing God’s love through social action.  It provides a range of services which are open to people of all faiths and none who live in temporary and unsecured accommodation in Haringey.

The last twelve months have seen a significant increase in homelessness and the numbers of destitute families.  Shortage of council housing has resulted in almost three thousand ‘households’ having to resort to the Private Rented sector or Houses of Multiple Occupancy (where bathrooms and kitchens are shared).  These living conditions frequently put the physically and mentally vulnerable at risk.  Rising rents and benefit caps have had a dramatic impact on child poverty, and 36% of children in the Borough now come into this category.  The Charity has supported a growing number of working families with food parcels as so many have had to reduce expenditure on food.

Last year the Charity received 180 referrals from Children’s Services, health professionals, schools, public services, faith groups and other outside agencies.  Many others referred themselves – and the Family Support Worker is often their first point of contact.  The role of the Support Worker requires a determined and focussed individual who has a broad knowledge of health, child development and positive parenting.  Part of her role is to run the Charity’s mobile toy and book library.  This free service is delivered to children at home (often in cramped temporary accommodation).  As well as helping to support the children’s development, these fortnightly visits give parents the chance to share with the Support Worker other concerns and to be introduced to other services offered by the Charity, particularly the ‘Drop-In’, described by users as the heart of CARIS Haringey.  Here is a safe place for parents and young children to socialise with others in the local community.  Adults with qualifications and transferable skills gained in their country of origin are encouraged to enrol on English language courses which CARIS Haringey run in conjunction with the WEA.
The Charity’s Advice and Advocacy section assists families with practical issues such as dealing with private landlords and environmental health officers or pointing the way to local authority housing and education departments.  The outreach visits provide an excellent way of reducing isolation and helping to identify those with critical needs, some of which require referral to solicitors and specialist agencies.  In these ways CARIS Haringey is providing a thoroughly practical and essential service, which they themselves describe as a ‘drop in the ocean’ when it comes to meeting the severe needs of many in the locality.

The Charity itself is struggling financially as the free reserves are just below their target level, and trustees are considering ways in which unrestricted funds can be maintained in the light of funding cuts.  (Please see their Annual Report on the table at the back of church).

The Charity’s plan for 2016 is to address the root causes of destitution through policy and litigation:  meanwhile we continue to respond to them through our parish charitable giving and at a micro level through our food donations

Rosemary Loyd, Chair of Social Action Committee