One practical action anyone in Coventry can take if you see or suspect that someone is sleeping rough is to make a referral through StreetLink.
StreetLink gives the Council’s outreach team the information they need to try to find someone who may be sleeping rough, check they are safe and offer support. A clear referral does not just send a team to the right place It can also be the first step in someone being seen, listened to and supported to secure accommodation and any other issues they may be dealing with.
Earlier this year, an alert came in that gave accurate details about someone sleeping in their car in Coventry. Because the description and location were clear, the outreach team were able to find a man early the next morning.
The ex serviceman who was living with depression, anxiety and PTSD and was recovering from four knee operations after impact trauma, with more surgery ahead. The only place he felt safe enough to keep his belongings was inside his vehicle. Just before Christmas his relationship had broken down, and he had lost contact with his children.
On the first visit the team shared information about local support services and invited him to attend their office to undertake a housing assessment. When he did not attend, they went back to check on him again on the next working day.
Severe weather was forecast and SWEP had been activated. SWEP is the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol which is activated in very cold or dangerous weather so anyone sleeping rough can be offered a safe place indoors.
During this contact he completed a risk assessment and outreach workers made referrals to supported accommodation.
He was offered a SWEP space and then a hotel but he explained why he did not want either option at that moment. In his own words:
“I would rather stay in my car and be with my belongings rather than go somewhere for one night and feel unsettled. I would rather wait for something permanent.”
The team respected this and returned the next day to check on him again. Temperatures had dropped and there was ice inside and outside the vehicle. That day they were able to talk with him about a long term room that had become available.
They checked whether the stairs in the property would be manageable for him because of his mobility issues and two days later he signed for a long term room in supported accommodation.
The outreach worker made it clear that without the StreetLink alert they would not have found him.
Katrina Kavanagh, a Senior Outreach Worker at the Council, said: “Without being informed through StreetLink we would not have found him. He was in a place in a vehicle we do not usually visit. StreetLink was an asset in helping us find, support and settle him.”
Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, added: “Our outreach team are out every morning five days a week checking on people who are sleeping rough. This is an important example of how one referral can make a massive difference to someone’s life.”
This story is a reminder that not everyone sleeps in visible places. Safe spots are often tucked away. Outreach teams cannot visit every location in a large city which is why accurate alerts matter so much. Your care in making a clear referral can open the door to support that might otherwise never reach someone.
Why StreetLink matters in the West Midlands
In this region partners work together to prevent homelessness wherever possible. The West Midlands approach is called prevention by design. It sits within the regional Positive Pathway, which includes universal prevention, targeted prevention, crisis support, recovery, move on and a settled home. Every good StreetLink alert plays a quiet role in this wider system. It helps people to be found earlier and prevents them slipping through gaps.