In February 2009, the Economic and Social Research Council launched the ‘Multiple Exclusion Homelessness Research Programme’ with the aim of informing government policy and practice and finding solutions to bring the most vulnerable ‘homeless people’ in from the margins of society. The concept of ‘multiple exclusion homelessness’ alerts us to the potential for complex interplay between many different professional or occupational groups, reflecting how drug or alcohol dependencies; severe mental health problems; domestic violence; local authority care and prison; and participation in ‘street culture’ and ‘survival activities’ such as sex work, begging, street drinking and street-level drug dealing frequently (but not always) intersect with homelessness (Fitzpatrick, Johnson and White, 2010). As part of the Programme, the ‘Social Care Workforce Research Unit’ at King’s College London was commissioned to undertake a two year exploratory study exploring how different agencies and professionals work together to support people with experience of multiple exclusion homelessness. The study commenced in July 2009 and is due for completion in June 2011. The objectives of the study were threefold. First, to conceptualise and describe the workforce as it relates to multiple exclusion homelessness. Second, to enhance understanding of how interprofessional collaboration works to identify and manage the intersections between homelessness and other facets of deep social exclusion. And thirdly, to make recommendations as regards for whom and when, and in what respects, interprofessional collaboration might work best to prevent multiple exclusion homelessness
