Charlie delap fathers and housing

Fathering apart: social housing policy and the housing experiences of separated fathers in Ireland

Charlie Delap, PhD, Social policy and social work, UCD

Castlebellingham

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Outline of presentation (1) Separated fathers – which sub-group?

Definitions of terms Constraining factors on social housing applicants Social housing supply Constraining factors on separated fathers who are social housing applicants 9 December 2006 Castlebellingham

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Outline of presentation (2) Lack of statistical recognition Consequences Signs of statistical recognition Housing related experiences of separated fathers Housing loss Suggested steps 9 December 2006 Castlebellingham

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Separated fathers Who wish to (continue to) parent their children Of low/ limited income Pursuing social housing

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Definitions (1) Low income: income (net of income tax and social insurance) does not exceed the threshold for their acceptance on to the Housing List of Dublin City Council, at the time of their application. .

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Definitions (2) A non-resident father is, at its simplest, any father not living with his child. .

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Definitions (3) Social housing “…commonly understood to be accommodation provided through state subsidy to meet the needs of people who cannot afford to provide adequate housing from their own resources (National Economic and Social Forum, 2000)”.

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Constraints - social housing applicants in general Affordability – rising cost of housing Sustainability – can social housing meet the need?

Accessibility- can social housing meet the needs of single person households, including separated fathers?

Quality – does accommodation reach an agreed standard?

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Local authority housing supply 1994 to 2004:   

gross gain 45,253 units sales 17,809 net gain 25,444

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L/A assessment of housing need, 1991 to 2005 60000

48413

50000

43684 39176

Number of households

40000

30000

28200

27427

31-Mar-93

31-Mar-96

22822 20000

10000

0

31-Mar-91

31-Mar-99

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31-Mar-02

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31-Mar-05

Constraints faced by separated fathers Lack of statistical recognition ď Ž ď Ž

Not measured by Census, or QNHS Excluded from definition of family

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UNECE definition of family A family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense as two or more persons within a private or institutional household who are related as husband and wife, as cohabiting partners, or as parent and child.

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Difficulties in measuring fatherhood Sensitive topic – risk of alienating survey participant Information gleaned may not be reliable

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Lack of statistical recognition Consequences 



Needs of separated fathers are unmeasured Separated fathers do not have the status of a category  (a good or bad thing?)

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Signs of statistical recognition (1) Assessment of Housing Need    

Now broken down by marital status 65.7% principal applicants are single 17.1% married or co-habiting 12.1% separated or divorced

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Signs of statistical recognition (2) DOELG Circular in 1998 ď Ž

Local authorities should acknowledge the housing needs of separating parents, by accepting that both parents may require additional bedroom space to accommodate their children (Department of the Environment and Local Government, 1998)

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Housing related experiences of separated fathers on the ground (1) 191 married-and- separated/ divorced fathers Applicants for Dublin City Council accommodation All with at least one child <18 years on 31/12/2000

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Housing related experiences of separated fathers on the ground (2) In-depth, semi structured interviews with 27 fathers

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Housing loss Loss Loss Loss Loss Loss

of of of of of

marital home tenure housing security independence privacy

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Housing loss Housing loss impacted upon fathersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to parent, by making it difficult ď Ž

ď Ž

To establishing agreed arrangements for overnight contact To modify arrangements for overnight contact which were not working

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Suggested steps (1) L/As to begin/ continue to acknowledge parenting needs of separated parents Add module on non-resident separated parenting to QNHS Assessment of Housing Need 2008 to collect data on households headed by non-resident parents 9 December 2006 Castlebellingham

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Suggested steps (2) Rental Accommodation Scheme to be brought on stream, in all areas Enhance and resource the inspection regime for private rented accommodation Comprehensive, national survey of separated fathers, to establish a demographic profile 9 December 2006 Castlebellingham

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