Homelessness Policy and the Role of Database Systems under the Law to Support the Independence of People in Need

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03909
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social welfare and social work studies
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Dohi Masato 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 准教授 (20282874)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 古山 周太郎 東北工業大学, ライフデザイン学部, 准教授 (80530576) ; 杉田 早苗 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 助教 (90313353)
• Research Collaborator: KASAI Nao
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ホームレス / 生活困窮者 / データベース

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Research findings include:Under the current situation where the old Self-Independence Support Law for Homeless People and the new Self-Independence Support Law for People in Need co-exist, support pathways for rough sleepers that were developed under the old law are still remaining but have been transferred to within the funding framework of the new law. The database under the new law does not have individual traceability at any level and therefore its role is limited to providing macroscale statistics that do not meet the needs of local frontline work.
Meanwhile, London has the most comprehensive database system for rough sleepers. The analysis of rough sleeping population has identified certain target groups, which has led new rough sleeping services specifically targeting these groups. Thus, the database enables a rapid policy response to the changing demographics of rough sleeping population. It also encourages stakeholders to have a shared understanding and policy goal.

Free Research Field

都市デザイン

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、ホームレス自立支援法から生活困窮者自立支援法への移行に伴い、ホームレス政策がいかに継続され効率的に政策化されるのか、特に生活困窮者自立支援法が作成を求めるデータベースの役割をホームレス支援現場の実態や海外で実践されているホームレス・データベースの活用事例との比較から明らかにしたことは、今後のホームレス政策への示唆を与え、この点で社会的意義がある。