These terms of reference were last reviewed in March 2026
Purpose of Group
- To strengthen existing cross-sector partnerships across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to protect those sleeping rough from risk of abuse and neglect (including self-neglect), recognising that rough sleeping is a safeguarding issue. To ensure that the necessary partnerships, policies and resources are in place to support this work.
- To improve outcomes for those sleeping rough through a strategic approach to prevention, rapid intervention and sustainable recovery.
- To promote health, housing and social care integration in the design, delivery and commissioning of services those sleeping rough, driven by those with lived experience
- To advocate for the voice of lived experience by seeking and listening to those experiencing or recovering from rough sleeping and providing a platform for meaningful engagement with services.
- To provide clear and sufficient accountability mechanisms for partners with responsibilities towards people rough sleeping with escalation to the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Board.
- Outcome driven discussions that promote system-wide change and the integration of experienced informed practice relating to safeguarding people rough sleeping.
- To support and facilitate a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities to promote the quality of policies, procedures and practices for people sleeping rough.
Scope of the Group
- To cover the geographical area of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
- To include individuals who are rough sleeping, or at risk of rough sleeping.
- To provide strategic oversight to existing governance structures that supports multi-agency systems and escalation processes for rough sleepers, or those at risk of rough sleeping, within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Individual case management will be taken forward by local frontline partnerships.
Performance
Performance of the group will be monitored through the below performance indicators:
- Numbers of individuals sleeping rough across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent;
- Outcomes for Target Priority Group (Rough Sleepers) across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
- Responses to requests for Care Act Assessments for those with rough sleeping.
Membership
Membership will include participation of a wide range of stakeholders drawn from:
- Local Housing Authorities
- Representatives from Registered Provider of Social Housing
- Staffordshire Police
- Stoke-on-Trent Police
- Staffordshire and Stoke Integrated Care Board
- Staffordshire County Council Adult Safeguarding
- Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding
- Staffordshire County Council Adult Social Care
- Stoke-on-Trent Adult Social Care
- Representatives from those with Lived Experience
- Changing Futures Programme
- Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services - Staffordshire
- Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services - Stoke-on-Trent
- Staffordshire County Council Public Health
- Stoke-on-Trent Public Health
- Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
- Homelessness Advice and Support Team, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Probation Service
- Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Representatives from Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Board
- Representative from Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector
- Department of Work and Pensions
Members will have sufficient seniority to make decisions on behalf of the agency they represent. Members should provide operational understanding on behalf of the agency they represent and promote outcome driven discussions that enable system wide change.
Members commit to attend meetings regularly and to secure a suitable alternative representative should attendance not be possible. Members should proactively contribute to meetings and take responsibility for performing tasks on behalf of the group alongside disseminating information from the group back to their own organisations. The Working Group encourages networking amongst partner agencies to advance the aim of the Group.
The Working Group will be jointly chaired by local housing authority leads.
Accountability
The Working Group will report to the Prevention Subgroup, part of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board.
The Working Group will be required to provide updates on successes, outcomes and challenges and report on performance indicators to the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board.
Frequency of meetings
The Working Group will meet bi-monthly. This will be reviewed annually.
Definitions
Homelessness - legally, a person is considered homeless if they do not have accommodation that they have a legal right to occupy, which is accessible and physically available to them (and their household) or which it would be reasonable for them to continue to live in. Rough sleeping is one form of homelessness.
Rough Sleeping - the most acute and extreme form of homelessness that is characterized by someone about to, or actually, bedding down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments) or places not designed for habitation (including cardboard boxes, stairwells, care and other makeshift and not fit for purposes places). Rough Sleeping does not include instances of those in hostels, shelters, recreational shelters such as campsites or spaces of protest, squatters or travellers.
At risk of rough sleeping - those who have no legal right to occupy, or are in insecure accommodation and are unable to find alternative accommodation as a result of multiple disadvantages.
HUB - in person meeting attended by those rough sleeping, or at risk of rough sleeping, to receive advice and support from partner agencies.
Cross Sector (or Multi-Agency) Partnership - Regular professionals meetings attended by multiple agencies to find solutions to barriers to those facing rough sleeping, or those at risk of rough sleeping. Partnerships may meet on a regular basis and have existing governance structures, or may be held on an ad hoc basis to respond to individual need. There is no standard process for a cross-sector partnership as local housing authorities have developed local arrangements that meet local need.