How Do We Measure Success in Homelessness Services?: Critically Assessing the Rise of the Homelessness Outcomes Star

Guy Johnson; Nicholas Pleace

How Do We Measure Success in Homelessness Services? Critically Assessing the Rise of the Homelessness Outcomes Star

Centre for Housing Policy

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

Abstract

The Homelessness Outcomes Star (HOS) is probably the most
widespread form of outcome measurement employed by homelessness
service providers. Developed in the UK, the HOS is now being used by homelessness services in other European countries and Australia, while being promoted internationally as a validated set of key performance indicators. This paper examines the ideological framework that underpins the HOS, as well as the theoretical and methodological approaches that inform its operation. The review concludes that while there is some utility in the measurement of relative progress for individual service users, the HOS has important limits, both as a means of comparative outcome analysis and as a validated measure of homelessness service outcomes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	31-51
Number of pages	20
Journal	European Journal of Homelessness
Volume	10
Issue number	1
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2016

Bibliographical note

Keywords

homelessness
metrics
outcomes

Access to Document

Johnson Pleace 2016
© 2016, The Author(s). Uploaded with permission of the publisher/copyright holder. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.
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Nicholas Pleace
- nicholas.pleaceyork.acuk
- Social Policy and Social Work - Professor of Housing and Society
Person: Academic

1 Board
1 Panel
1 Debate
1 Invited talk

#homelesshack
Nicholas Pleace (Speaker)
21 Jul 2017
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk

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Department for Communities and Local Government (External organisation)
Nicholas Pleace (Member)
15 Sept 2016
Activity: Membership › Board
Making Research Count: New Approaches to Homelessness
Nicholas Pleace (Speaker)
12 Jul 2016
Activity: Talk or presentation › Debate

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Cite this

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title = "How Do We Measure Success in Homelessness Services?: Critically Assessing the Rise of the Homelessness Outcomes Star",

abstract = "The Homelessness Outcomes Star (HOS) is probably the most widespread form of outcome measurement employed by homelessness service providers. Developed in the UK, the HOS is now being used by homelessness services in other European countries and Australia, while being promoted internationally as a validated set of key performance indicators. This paper examines the ideological framework that underpins the HOS, as well as the theoretical and methodological approaches that inform its operation. The review concludes that while there is some utility in the measurement of relative progress for individual service users, the HOS has important limits, both as a means of comparative outcome analysis and as a validated measure of homelessness service outcomes. ",

keywords = "homelessness, metrics, outcomes",

author = "Guy Johnson and Nicholas Pleace",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2016, The Author(s). Uploaded with permission of the publisher/copyright holder. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.",

year = "2016",

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pages = "31--51",

journal = "European Journal of Homelessness",

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T2 - Critically Assessing the Rise of the Homelessness Outcomes Star

AU - Johnson, Guy

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N2 - The Homelessness Outcomes Star (HOS) is probably the most widespread form of outcome measurement employed by homelessness service providers. Developed in the UK, the HOS is now being used by homelessness services in other European countries and Australia, while being promoted internationally as a validated set of key performance indicators. This paper examines the ideological framework that underpins the HOS, as well as the theoretical and methodological approaches that inform its operation. The review concludes that while there is some utility in the measurement of relative progress for individual service users, the HOS has important limits, both as a means of comparative outcome analysis and as a validated measure of homelessness service outcomes.

AB - The Homelessness Outcomes Star (HOS) is probably the most widespread form of outcome measurement employed by homelessness service providers. Developed in the UK, the HOS is now being used by homelessness services in other European countries and Australia, while being promoted internationally as a validated set of key performance indicators. This paper examines the ideological framework that underpins the HOS, as well as the theoretical and methodological approaches that inform its operation. The review concludes that while there is some utility in the measurement of relative progress for individual service users, the HOS has important limits, both as a means of comparative outcome analysis and as a validated measure of homelessness service outcomes.

KW - homelessness

KW - metrics

KW - outcomes

M3 - Article

SN - 2030-2762

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EP - 51

JO - European Journal of Homelessness

JF - European Journal of Homelessness

IS - 1

ER -

How Do We Measure Success in Homelessness Services? Critically Assessing the Rise of the Homelessness Outcomes Star

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Profiles

Nicholas Pleace

Activities

#homelesshack

Department for Communities and Local Government (External organisation)

Making Research Count: New Approaches to Homelessness

Cite this