Putting the most vulnerable first: Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour - Peabody
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Putting the most vulnerable first: Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour March 2019 2
Contents
Executive summary 04
Introduction 05
The approach 07
Outcomes 09
Conclusion 10
Appendix 1 11
Thanks 11
Peabody and Family Mosaic As well as bricks and mortar, Peabody
Peabody is one of the oldest and largest provides community programmes for
housing associations in London and the the benefit of its residents and for people
South-East, established in 1862 by the living in the surrounding neighbourhoods,
philanthropist, George Peabody. In 2017 including employment and training
we merged with Family Mosaic and support; health and wellbeing projects;
now own and manage around 55,000 family support programmes; welfare
properties, providing quality homes benefits advice; and activities for
and support services to 111,000 people. younger and older people. This work
Our Care and Support arm is one of aims to tackle poverty at its roots,
the largest providers in the South-East, supporting people to transform their
helping 8,000 people to live a more lives and communities for the better.
independent life.
The ASB pilot was launched prior to
Our mission is to help people make the the merger with Peabody and the
most of their lives by providing good principles of the approach have been
quality affordable homes, working with incorporated by the new Peabody.
communities, and promoting wellbeing.
We distinguish ourselves by putting the
most vulnerable first, creating great
places where people want to live,
and building resilience in people and
communities. We plan to build 2,500
homes a year by 2021, directly addressing
the housing crisis by maximising the
number of low-cost rent and shared
ownership homes we build.
03
Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
March 2019
Executive summary
Background What we did Since Family Mosaic merged with
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) blights In 2016, Family Mosaic (now merged with Peabody, this new approach towards ASB
lives. People experiencing it can suffer Peabody) developed a new approach has been implemented across the new
depression, isolation and a range of other to ASB that separated the incident and organisation, so that we can put our most
negative feelings that affect wellbeing. the complainant’s level of vulnerability. vulnerable residents first and provide great
It can happen to anyone whatever their This led to a new policy which enabled places where people want to live. The
tenure, but people living in social housing us to effectively resolve both “low” and purpose of this short summary is to share
have access to additional support to “high” level ASB cases more quickly and our findings as they may be of interest to
deal with it through their landlord. effectively, boosting resident satisfaction. others looking to review and enhance the
way they tackle ASB.
Most housing providers define ASB as The new policy directed more resources
any conduct that causes nuisance or to high level cases of ASB, cases with Family Mosaic presented our initial findings
annoyance to others. It typically includes repeat complaints (or community triggers) from the new approach at a number of
“low-level” noise nuisance from a resident or cases where safeguarding and / or specialist ASB forums. This resulted in a
playing loud music, dog fouling, or graffiti. vulnerability were a concern. At the same number of Housing Associations and local
It also includes an element of criminality, time, residents were supported to manage authorities implementing the approach
such as drug use, violence or abuse. For some low-level issues themselves to themselves. We have therefore included
the lower level cases, social landlords reduce escalation. findings from one of those Housing
have traditionally played an arbitration Associations, Aster Housing, in this report.
role, warning noisy neighbours about What we found
their behaviour, increasing security or In 2017, we tested this new approach,
attempting mediation. For more serious initially for a six-month pilot period which
or persistent cases it is possible for was then extended for 12 months. Repeat
landlords to evict tenants who are ASB cases fell by a third and resident
found to be engaging in ASB. satisfaction doubled from the start of the
pilot to the end of the year. The number
Finding new and more effective of ways of ASB cases fell by 36%, open cases
of resolving ASB cases is a priority for the reduced by 21% and the number of
social housing sector. This is partly because cases recorded by our customer care
of the detrimental impact of ASB on line fell by 25%. Over 82% of employees
individuals and the community. But also felt that the new approach was better
because of the time and resources it than the old approach. The reduction
takes for staff to resolve issues that are in case workload, and an improved risk-
often complex and multi-faceted. More assessment tool, enabled employees to
broadly, ASB costs the tax-payer billions focus their efforts on the most vulnerable
of pounds each year1, whilst public sector residents and manage the most serious
and support budgets have reduced over cases more effectively.
many years. There are, therefore, personal,
social and economic reasons to improve
the efficacy of social landlords’ response
to ASB.
1
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-support-for-
families/2010-to-2015-government-policy-support-for-families
04
Introduction
Low-level ASB Advice to the complainant on ways In 2007, Fiona Pilkington killed herself
In June 2016, Day in the Life (DILO)2 of engaging with their neighbours is and her severely disabled 18-year-
analysis of Neighbourhood Managers' preferable to making a noise complaint to old daughter after suffering years
(NMs) activities revealed that they were the landlord. We created a suite of advice of abuse from local youths. Fiona,
spending an average of one day a week materials to encourage residents to take her mother and other local residents
on anti-social behaviour (ASB) casework. ownership of the issue in cases such as had made multiple reports of
Across the organisation, we discovered these, and found that results improved. anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents
that NMs were handling 269 ASB cases. Through improved signposting residents to the police over the previous ten
These were open for an average were also made aware of the other years. She had also contacted her
of 132 days. Resident satisfaction with agencies available that would be better local MPs and council for help, each
our handling of ASB cases was 72%. suited to help them (e.g. Environmental of whom had also reported these
Health Noise Teams are the experts in incidents to the police. Despite this,
Two-thirds of the cases were either dealing with noise complaints). nothing was done.
low-level noise complaints or neighbour
disputes. And despite our intensive We also improved cross-team working After her death, the Independent
to ensure that one-off instances of dog
Police Complaints Commission
approach to handling these ASB cases,
found that Leicestershire police had
over one in five were reopened within fouling or graffiti could be handled swiftly
repeatedly failed to identify Fiona,
12 months of them having been closed. by an Estate Services Team – freeing up
her daughter and her son as being
This approach was not working, so we the time of Neighbourhood Managers to
vulnerable. Nor had they linked
investigated further. help people most at risk and vulnerable each individual complaint to a wider
to persistent anti-social behaviour. campaign of harassment against
We found that NMs were spending lots them. Consequently, each incident
of time on intractable low-level issues that Crucially, low-level complaints were also was merely classified as low-level ASB.
did not take into account wider factors. subject to a vulnerability assessment. There was no attempt to establish the
For example, it can be almost impossible vulnerability of the family, how they
for a landlord to resolve a complaint from Assessing vulnerability were coping and what support they
a neighbour about noise from a television In handing more responsibility and might need.
or children playing when the sound isn’t ownership to tenants we needed to
actually at an unreasonable level. The ensure that vulnerable people were One consequence of the case
issue may be more to do with sound supported. We incorporated an updated was that representatives from the
insulation and low tolerance and not assessment of vulnerability into our ASB police, housing, local authorities,
to do with ASB at all. process, taking into account the risk social care and community safety
assessment matrix that was developed jointly developed a risk assessment
In a case like this, the landlord’s following the Fiona Pilkington case: matrix that could be used across
involvement can actually escalate an the UK. The matrix included a
number of questions that should be
issue between neighbours. Many NMs
asked whenever anyone reported
said that having spoken to an alleged
an incident of ASB. Its aim was to
perpetrator about a noise complaint
help to establish a victim’s level of
they had received from a neighbour, the
vulnerability and provide guidance
typical response was “why didn’t they just about what kind of support was
come and speak to me about it rather available for them.
than getting the landlord involved?”
It became clear that cases can often
escalate from this point into ‘tit for tat’
behaviour with the landlord becoming
the referee in between.
2
DILO is a minute by minute review of each and every activity performed by an individual as well
A
as observations, quotes, comments or any other data collected by the person performing the study.
05
Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
March 2019
Introduction
continued
Under our new approach to ASB, we existing process. We interviewed a number level of risk, they would be supported by
envisaged that NMs would only respond: of victims of ASB, asking them which of our the tenant support process, and not the
• To high level cases (when there was processes had worked, and which ones ASB process, ensuring we protected our
a criminal element involved, such as had failed. When we explained the new most vulnerable tenants. Neighbourhood
drugs, abuse or threatening behaviour) approach to them, most residents were Managers would oversee these cases,
• To repeated complaints, satisfied, with the proviso that high-level but day-to-day management
or community trigger3, issues would be dealt with correctly the responsibility would be with Tenancy
• To cases where safeguarding and first time, rather than being closed down Sustainment Officers.
vulnerability were a concern. too quickly and not resolving the problem.
We introduced the new policy and
The new approach would enable Following the consultation, we designed a processes initially through a six-month
employees to focus more time and new ASB policy and processes that would pilot period, between May and October
resources on high level issues, while support the delivery of this new approach. 2017. All employees that were involved
providing better advice to residents, so New risk assessments were developed in the pilot were given intensive training
they would be able to deal with low level to enable call centre employees to on the new approach and also refreshed
issues themselves. In low level cases, a assess the level of risk and vulnerability of training on antisocial behaviour, case
risk assessment would still be conducted, anyone who reported an ASB issue. This management and identifying vulnerable
enabling us to establish the vulnerability also enabled NMs to conduct a deeper people via Capsticks Solicitors. At the end
of the victim or complainant. investigation of risk levels when they of the six months we re-evaluated the
visited the complainant for the first time processes and adapted where necessary.
Before we put the new approach into in person, including those whose issues The approach was then continued for a
practice, we consulted residents about were classified as a low level ASB case. further six months.
the effectiveness and limitations of our If a complainant was assessed as having
a low level ASB case, but with a high
3
http://asbhelp.co.uk/community-trigger-anti-social-behaviour-crime-policing-act-2014
06The approach
In considering how best to redesign our Redefining ASB Our revised definition was developed
new approach to ASB, we investigated The first stage of the pilot involved revising in accord with Part 1 of the Antisocial
best practice within the social housing our definition of ASB, which was previously Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014,
sector. Hyde Housing, for example, had based on Shelter’s definition: which defines ASB as:
already removed low level ASB from their
policy and introduced some signposting
methods. We also talked with support
“ASB is behaviour “Conduct capable
agencies such as Victim Support and by one household of causing nuisance
ASB Help so we could better understand
the support needs of victims of ASB. We
or individual(s) in or annoyance to
also discussed our new approach to an area which a person in relation
managing ASB and identifying vulnerable
people with the National Police Chief’s threatens the physical to that person’s
Council (NPCC). or mental health, occupation of
The method we took in redesigning our safety or security of residential premises.”
new approach included the following other households or “Conduct capable
key stages:
• Redefining ASB individuals. This can of causing ‘housing-
• Supporting the most vulnerable include noise or other related’ nuisance or
• Empowering residents
• Delivering a better customer action that disturbs or annoyance to any
experience upsets other people in person.”
the neighbourhood.” “Conduct that has
caused, or is likely to
cause, harassment,
alarm or distress to
any person.”
07Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
March 2019
The approach
continued
This definition included ASB cases involving There are three key roles in the ASB Delivering a better customer
criminal activity (for example, assault, process; the Customer Care Line (CCL), experience
arson, hate crime), harassment and the Tenancy Sustainment Officer (TSO) The triage process enabled our CCL
intimidation, group disorder and repeated, and the Neighbourhood Manager (NM). employees to more effectively manage
prolonged high-level noise nuisance. It and route ASB calls as they came in.
did not include low level noise nuisance, As the first point of contact for most It also helped to set resident expectations
neighbour disputes, parking issues, dog people reporting an ASB issue, whether from the start of the incident. CCL
fouling or graffiti. The last three were to by phone or online, the CCL was the employees were able to inform them
be dealt with through our existing estate appropriate place for the start of the as to what would happen next as well
services team4 during the pilot. triage process. We trained CCL employees as provide them with advice as to how to
on how to identify vulnerable people and refer to other agencies where necessary.
Supporting the most vulnerable how to use the new approach to ASB. We also added advice and content to
In focusing more on higher-level ASB our website, allowing residents to more
cases, we were concerned that we might Tenancy Sustainment Officers provide easily find information and report issues.
omit complainants who were vulnerable support and advice to residents with It would then provide them with
but who were not experiencing high-level complex needs that are too time intensive alternative solutions or contact details
ASB. To ensure this did not happen, we for NMs. They were best placed to provide to other agencies they should be
introduced a triage process to help us help and advice to complainants or contacting. As a result, complainants’
manage and determine the type of ASB perpetrators who were assessed as being concerns about the length of time
incident, the number of reports made, at a high risk of vulnerability. taken to resolve issues and additional
and the level of vulnerability of dissatisfaction about communications
the complainant. Neighbourhood Managers continued to on a low-level ASB case were removed.
play a central role in all ASB cases that
We wanted the new approach to identify came through the initial triage. Where
situations where a complainant had there was no ASB and a low vulnerability
made several reports about the same risk, the NM would still be notified, as they
issue or where multiple complainants would have a more holistic view of any
made separate reports about the same issues relating to the complaint. Where
perpetrator. This was called the ‘trigger there was ASB or a high risk of vulnerability,
threshold’. We set this trigger threshold at the NM played a lead role in managing
three separate reports or complainants in the case.
a week, or five in one month. Once this
trigger threshold was reached, we would Empowering residents
open an ASB case. In addition, it ensured Where the complaint was not classified
that even if complainants had not been as ASB, and there was a low risk of
rated as either high risk or vulnerable, if vulnerability, CCL signposted the caller
they persisted in making reports, we would to other relevant services. CCL employees
be able to assess them for support. were able to advise complainants
about effective ways to approach
their neighbour, as well as simple coping
mechanisms. CCL also directed callers
to the advice on the website and offered
to send them ‘Dear Neighbour Cards’
(see appendix 1) that the complainant
could fill in and send to the alleged
perpetrator themselves.
4
T he Estate Services Team at Family Mosaic were operatives that were responsible for the maintenance of environmental
aspects of neighbourhoods. This includes general garden maintenance and caretaking services.
08Outcomes
Reducing workload enabling
employees to focus on more
During the pilot, the number of open cases
peaked in June 2017 with 234. By the end
“The process has
complex cases of April 2018, there were 173 open cases, been streamlined
an all-time record low.
significantly at various
Cases logged as ASB: The reduction demonstrates how NMs have stages and lends
reduced by 36% been able to effectively manage their
itself to organic
caseloads by giving them more time to
through the pilot focus on high level ASB cases. conversations taking
Between May 2016 and April 2017, there place with residents
were 815 ASB cases logged. An average “The new ASB pilot rather than a script to
of 68 cases per month. Between May
2017, when the pilot started, and April
frees us up to deal follow. Also having a
2018, there were 520 cases logged, an with serious cases clearer threshold for
average of 43 cases per month.
where FM can actually what we will and will
Number of repeat take action and not investigate allows
cases: reduced by make a difference in employees to more
one third our residents’ lives” confidently challenge
Neighbourhood low level or isolated
From an average of 3 repeat cases in
2016/17 (with a high of 7) to an average Manager reports which is
of 1 repeat case for the same time period
during the new approach (with a high of 2). Number of ASB more efficient.”
This reduction demonstrates that cases calls to CCL: Customer Care
were being effectively resolved first time
reduced by 25% Line Officer
with clear expectations set with residents.
through the pilot Number of cases
Number of open cases5: When speaking to CCL employees redirected: 1090 (an
reduced by 21% through about why they thought there had been
average of 91 cases
a reduction, they said that thanks to
the pilot the training they had received and the per month)
new, clearer process, they were able
Between May 2016 and April 2017, the to more effectively communicate with
number of open cases peaked in August residents about their ASB issues. As NMs
2016 with 304. By the end of April 2017, are managing cases more effectively
there were 220 open cases. and resolving them appropriately first
time, complainants did not repeatedly
call back and ask for the cases to be
re-opened or to get updates about the
progress of their cases.
5
e define open cases as all the ASB cases that are unresolved at the end of the month.
W
This definition helps us to evaluate the case loads of each Neighbourhood Manager.
09Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
March 2019
Outcomes Conclusion
continued
Cases where complaints were assessed Delivering a better Our ASB pilot had a number of objectives.
as involving low level ASB and low risk customer experience They were to:
vulnerability were redirected either to • handle ASB cases more effectively,
• reduce the workload of our Resident
advice services or other statutory bodies.
Customer complaints – Services employees,
This had significant implications for reduced by 33% • identify and support our most
employee time; 1,090 cases is the vulnerable residents,
equivalent to the previous ASB caseload The data around complaints is clear. • empower residents to effectively
of over ten Neighbourhood Managers. This These are complaints that residents make manage low level incidents
enables NMs to manage their workloads about the service they have received themselves,
and focus on high level cases and from us, either directly to us or via local • ensure that those victims of high level
supporting our most vulnerable residents. councillors and MPs. When we compare anti-social behaviour received a more
the figures between May 2016 and April focused, dedicated service.
Supporting our most vulnerable 2017 with the figures between May 2017
From May 2017 to April 2018, 411 cases and April 2018 (the pilot period) the The results demonstrate that we have
were identified as having a high risk/ number of upheld complaints fell by one achieved all of these objectives. The
vulnerability factor. Although we do not third. And when we look at the nature of quality of the service we deliver is
have previous data to compare this to, these upheld complaints, none of them improved, employees and residents are
79% of employees have stated that the related to the change in ASB policy or our much happier with the new approach
new approach improved their ability to new approach to ASB. In the five months and we have managed to develop a
identify vulnerable residents. since Aster Housing also implemented this process that saves time, money and
approach they have seen no increase in reduces bureaucracy.
“I feel it has given customer complaints.
The ASB pilot allows us to support our
a greater focus Employee feedback most vulnerable residents through the
new triage process, advanced risk
to vulnerability” At the end of the October 2017, six months
after the pilot began, we surveyed all assessments and tailored support for
Area Housing employees in teams that were involved those who really need it.
Manager in the process. Over 82% of employees
felt that the new ASB pilot was better than The new approach also helps to build
the previous approach. Aster Housing also resilience in our residents by providing the
received positive feedback from their tools and skills to address low level issues
employees and commented that there for themselves. This gives them a clearer
was “a noticeable reduction in employee understanding of where they should go to
stress due to reduced workload”. get the appropriate help they need which
will be beneficial over the long-term.
We will continue to monitor its
effectiveness.
10Appendix 1 Thanks
I would like to give special thanks to the
following people / organisations for all of
their advice, support and commitment
to making this approach a reality.
Andy Vella – Peabody
Caroline Westbrook – Peabody
Sophie Collinge – Peabody
Sarah Tamlyn – Peabody
Russell Phillips - Peabody
Pablo Cazar – Peabody
Sarah Boyd –Peabody
Ed Foster – Peabody
Debra Freeman – Peabody
Terry D’Arcy – Peabody
Michelle Francis – Peabody
Guddy Helevuo-Burnet – Peabody
Lucy Worrall – Peabody
Resolve ASB
Jon Bull – Resolve ASB consultant
Chris Grose - Capsticks Solicitors
Karen Ranstead – Aster Housing
Fig 2. Dear Neighbour cards
Voluntas
Metropolitan Police
The cards were a polite way of enabling
residents to address their issues with
All of the Customer Care Line and
their neighbour without the need for
Neighbourhood Management staff
confrontation. The cards did not contain
that embraced the new approach and
Family Mosaic’s name or logo anywhere
delivered it with true professionalism.
as the premise was to empower residents
to take their own reasonable action.
All residents who took part in our research.
CCL would also advise complainants
on effective ways to approach their
neighbour as well as some simple coping
mechanisms they could use. The ASB
section on Family Mosaic’s website was
also redesigned to give more in-depth
advice to complainants specifically
based on the type of ASB issue they
were experiencing.
11Researched and written by Kate Roberts Peabody 45 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7JB peabody.org.uk JN: PUB_19_MAR
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