Homelessness in autistic women: defining the research agenda

Georgia Lockwood Estrin; Victoria Aseervatham; Clara M  de Barros; Tara Chapple; Alasdair Churchard; Monique Harper; Emily Jones; William Mandy; Victoria Milner; Sarah O'Brien; Atsushi Senju; Chloe Smith; Jonathan A Smith

doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221141291

Homelessness in autistic women: defining the research agenda

Georgia Lockwood Estrin^*, Victoria Aseervatham, Clara M de Barros, Tara Chapple, Alasdair Churchard, Monique Harper, Emily Jones, William Mandy, Victoria Milner, Sarah O'Brien, Atsushi Senju, Chloe Smith, Jonathan A Smith

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: Current evidence suggests that autistic individuals are at high risk for becoming and remaining in a cycle of homelessness. Key risk factors for homelessness disproportionately affect autistic people; however, we have limited understanding of how to best support autistic individuals accessing services. This gap in the evidence base is particularly acute for autistic women. Objective: As a first step to address this gap, we aimed to (1) map gaps in knowledge and practice; (2) identify priority areas for research and (3) develop recommendations for how to implement novel research and practice in this area. Methods: We conducted a collaborative workshop with an interdisciplinary group of 26 stakeholders to address our aims. Stakeholders included autistic women with experience of homelessness, researchers, health professionals, NGO representatives, and service providers. Results and recommendations: Two research priority areas were identified to map the prevalence and demographics of autistic women experiencing homelessness, and to delineate risk and protective factors for homelessness. Priority areas for improving provision of support included staff training to improve communication, awareness of autism and building trust with service providers, and recommendations for practical provision of support by services. Conclusions: Future research is critical to increase our knowledge of the pathways leading to homelessness for autistic women, and barriers to engaging with homelessness and social services. We need to use this knowledge to develop new ways of delivering targeted and inclusive support for autistic women, which could prevent or shorten periods of homelessness.

Original language	English
Journal	Women's Health
Volume	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221141291
Publication status	Published - 14 Dec 2022

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@article{1931baac2faf4bdfafacea5b64704c31,

title = "Homelessness in autistic women: defining the research agenda",

abstract = "Background: Current evidence suggests that autistic individuals are at high risk for becoming and remaining in a cycle of homelessness. Key risk factors for homelessness disproportionately affect autistic people; however, we have limited understanding of how to best support autistic individuals accessing services. This gap in the evidence base is particularly acute for autistic women. Objective: As a first step to address this gap, we aimed to (1) map gaps in knowledge and practice; (2) identify priority areas for research and (3) develop recommendations for how to implement novel research and practice in this area. Methods: We conducted a collaborative workshop with an interdisciplinary group of 26 stakeholders to address our aims. Stakeholders included autistic women with experience of homelessness, researchers, health professionals, NGO representatives, and service providers. Results and recommendations: Two research priority areas were identified to map the prevalence and demographics of autistic women experiencing homelessness, and to delineate risk and protective factors for homelessness. Priority areas for improving provision of support included staff training to improve communication, awareness of autism and building trust with service providers, and recommendations for practical provision of support by services. Conclusions: Future research is critical to increase our knowledge of the pathways leading to homelessness for autistic women, and barriers to engaging with homelessness and social services. We need to use this knowledge to develop new ways of delivering targeted and inclusive support for autistic women, which could prevent or shorten periods of homelessness.",

author = "{Lockwood Estrin}, Georgia and Victoria Aseervatham and {de Barros}, {Clara M} and Tara Chapple and Alasdair Churchard and Monique Harper and Emily Jones and William Mandy and Victoria Milner and Sarah O'Brien and Atsushi Senju and Chloe Smith and Smith, {Jonathan A}",

note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by Birkbeck{\textquoteright}s Research Innovation Fund. G.L.E. is supported by Wellcome Trust under Grant No. 204706/Z/16/Z (G.L.E.). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2022.",

year = "2022",

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doi = "https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221141291",

language = "English",

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journal = "Women's Health",

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T1 - Homelessness in autistic women: defining the research agenda

AU - Lockwood Estrin, Georgia

AU - Aseervatham, Victoria

AU - de Barros, Clara M

AU - Chapple, Tara

AU - Churchard, Alasdair

AU - Harper, Monique

AU - Jones, Emily

AU - Mandy, William

AU - Milner, Victoria

AU - O'Brien, Sarah

AU - Senju, Atsushi

AU - Smith, Chloe

AU - Smith , Jonathan A

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by Birkbeck’s Research Innovation Fund. G.L.E. is supported by Wellcome Trust under Grant No. 204706/Z/16/Z (G.L.E.). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022.

PY - 2022/12/14

Y1 - 2022/12/14

N2 - Background: Current evidence suggests that autistic individuals are at high risk for becoming and remaining in a cycle of homelessness. Key risk factors for homelessness disproportionately affect autistic people; however, we have limited understanding of how to best support autistic individuals accessing services. This gap in the evidence base is particularly acute for autistic women. Objective: As a first step to address this gap, we aimed to (1) map gaps in knowledge and practice; (2) identify priority areas for research and (3) develop recommendations for how to implement novel research and practice in this area. Methods: We conducted a collaborative workshop with an interdisciplinary group of 26 stakeholders to address our aims. Stakeholders included autistic women with experience of homelessness, researchers, health professionals, NGO representatives, and service providers. Results and recommendations: Two research priority areas were identified to map the prevalence and demographics of autistic women experiencing homelessness, and to delineate risk and protective factors for homelessness. Priority areas for improving provision of support included staff training to improve communication, awareness of autism and building trust with service providers, and recommendations for practical provision of support by services. Conclusions: Future research is critical to increase our knowledge of the pathways leading to homelessness for autistic women, and barriers to engaging with homelessness and social services. We need to use this knowledge to develop new ways of delivering targeted and inclusive support for autistic women, which could prevent or shorten periods of homelessness.

AB - Background: Current evidence suggests that autistic individuals are at high risk for becoming and remaining in a cycle of homelessness. Key risk factors for homelessness disproportionately affect autistic people; however, we have limited understanding of how to best support autistic individuals accessing services. This gap in the evidence base is particularly acute for autistic women. Objective: As a first step to address this gap, we aimed to (1) map gaps in knowledge and practice; (2) identify priority areas for research and (3) develop recommendations for how to implement novel research and practice in this area. Methods: We conducted a collaborative workshop with an interdisciplinary group of 26 stakeholders to address our aims. Stakeholders included autistic women with experience of homelessness, researchers, health professionals, NGO representatives, and service providers. Results and recommendations: Two research priority areas were identified to map the prevalence and demographics of autistic women experiencing homelessness, and to delineate risk and protective factors for homelessness. Priority areas for improving provision of support included staff training to improve communication, awareness of autism and building trust with service providers, and recommendations for practical provision of support by services. Conclusions: Future research is critical to increase our knowledge of the pathways leading to homelessness for autistic women, and barriers to engaging with homelessness and social services. We need to use this knowledge to develop new ways of delivering targeted and inclusive support for autistic women, which could prevent or shorten periods of homelessness.

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221141291

DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221141291

M3 - Article

VL - 18

JO - Women's Health

JF - Women's Health

ER -

Homelessness in autistic women: defining the research agenda

Abstract

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