Research and evidence in PIES conference, January 2017

After some six months of planning,  January 2017 saw the first ever research and evidence conference devoted entirely to research and evaluation of PIEs.

For more information on this conference, and the full programme, see the HomelessLink website, HERE

In the meantime, we hoped to enlist the support of the PIElink community members to attempt to Identify and map

  • what research on PIE is currently being undertaken; and what is being planned

and similarly

  • what evaluations there have been so far of the effectiveness of PIE services
  • what tools and methods are being used to research and evaluate PIEs

 

Work in progress: recent and current research that we know of.

An early PIElink members’ research round-up

Here we posted any details sent in to us, with links to both published and on-going research, from researchers and other authors who had indicated that they are willing to be contacted.

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In early 2016, the Mental Health Foundation published a literature and evidence review of PIEs, PIPEs and EEs, based on all the (then) available published research.  The full text is HERE.

The Mental Health Foundation and HomelessLink, with the PIElink, went on to host the first PIEs research and evidence conference, in January 2017; details HERE.)

NB: All research concludes that more research is needed; but this MHF review - commissioned by St Mungos - concludes that what is needed is a whole research programme.  Also produced by St Mungos, in December 2016, is a report: "Stop the scandal: the case for action on mental health and rough sleeping"  (Copy and comment to follow) with some sections on research and evidence.

Ray Middleton, Sophie Boobis and the Newcastle & Gateshead Fulfilling Lives team have published research ("Evaluation of a Dialogical Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) Pilot") on an initial pilot of the development and implementation of the PIEs framework in three selected hostels in their area. Full text HERE.  NB: A further pilot, with research integral, is now being developed.

Alex Hughes writes: Second Step's United Peer Project, (or the UP Project ) offers 1-1 and group peer mentoring to people entering into the homelessness pathway (e.g. supported accommodation). The project commenced earlier in the year, in collaboration with the University of Southampton and Homeless Link. The whole project is underpinned by the PIE model and included two part-time Psychologists as well as a group of Experts by Experience. The service was to be be evaluated over the 2 year+ period it was in operation, with all learning and outcomes helping to form a best practice model to be disseminated nation wide.

Peter Cockersell - one of the co-authors of the implementation guidance, 'Psychologically informed services' - had published a review ("PIEs five years on") of the intended outcomes of the original guidance, looking at a range of data from evaluations of current PIE services in UK and Ireland.  NB: this document is currently only available to subscribers to the journal; but here we have some quotations.