Publisher's Synopsis
Focusing directly on actual experiences of homeless people, this book provides guidance to everyone involved with working in the homeless sector and helps turn insight into quality services. The book examines how categorizing homeless people into various stereotypes, and making assumptions about their lives, misshapes their identities and misshapes the services provided. The book shows how focusing on individuals' realities - how they cope with their environments and make sense of their experiences - helps to provide effective and appropriate support. Homeless and formerly homeless people, along with academics and practitioners, describe experiences of going through various homeless 'systems.' They show how these experiences, alongside other powerful forces, affect not only homeless people, but also social workers.
