Rough Sleeper Drop-in Service

Background

The Care Society have been organising the annual rough sleeper count for Ceredigion for the last 6 years. Over this time we have seen a steady increase in the amount of rough sleepers in the main centres of population in the County. This has not been carried out over the last two years due to Covid. The Count was carried out in two parts:

an initial count over the two weeks preceding the one night count, the main aim being to estimate the number of people thought to be sleeping rough within each local authority area over a two week period.
The one night count, which used the two week information to target and complement the one night information, as well as helping local authorities and other relevant agencies to develop specific and appropriate support services.

The estimated number of persons sleeping rough obtained from the 2 week survey in October should not be regarded as conclusive. The information does help to improve our understanding of the incidence of rough sleeping within each local authority area and in Ceredigion the figures have risen from 12 in 2017, 15 in 2018 to 25 in 2019. Hence the continuing and increasing need to address the homelessness issue in this County.

Rough Sleeper Drop-in

As a consequence of this rise in rough sleepers, The Care Society, in conjunction with The Wallich, Castell Ventures and the Local Authority ran a rough sleeper drop-in service, located in the Care Society premises in Aberystwyth. This service was by appointment either through the Care Society Support Team or through the Wallich Housing Officer. This service is currently unavailable.