Submitted Abstract
Recent reports show alarming trends in terms of homelessness and housing exclusion. Housing difficulties have significantly increased in European countries, and Luxembourg is no exception. The conditions and risk factors leading to housing exclusion are highly complex, and the population concerned with these issues is often hard to reach. Multiple and sometimes interrelated factors contribute to housing exclusion, including individual factors (e.g. addiction, mental illness), structural factors (e.g., labour markets, access to health services) and loss of support (e.g., family, social network). The current project will address research questions related to individuals who are experiencing housing difficulties in Luxembourg, thereby drawing the current state-of-affairs as well as exploring potential solutions. Examples of such questions are (1) “What characterizes the concerned population in Luxembourg?”, (2) “How do social policies and social work respond to the identified issues?” and (3) “What are the main challenges of the social work in the field of homelessness and housing exclusion?”The project will be based on an initial thorough review of literature concerning homelessness and other housing difficulties. This will be followed by a qualitative meta-study on existing research revolving around social intervention approaches. Next, two empirical studies will be carried out, in order to establish a Luxembourgish policy and intervention profile in terms of homelessness and housing exclusion. These studies will be based on consultation of professionals working with the concerned population. The first study will consist of focus groups with social workers, in order to highlight the different intervention approaches, thereby defining the challenges specifically occurring in Luxembourg, together with the current practices and future prospects of the social work in the field of homelessness. The second study will be based on interviews of decision-makers, to better understand their view on the established challenges and practices, as well as future prospects in terms of homelessness and housing exclusion in Luxembourg. This will finally be compared with existing profiles of other European countries, and will lead to the establishment of a Luxembourgish policy and intervention profile in terms of homelessness and housing exclusion.