This paper seeks to offer a commentary on Psychologically Informed Services: A Good Practice Guide, a recently published operational guidance document on developing psychologically informed environments (PiEs) in services for homeless people.
The paper is an invited opinion piece and comment based on the specialist experience and viewpoint of the author, as Chief Executive of SITRA, a membership‐based organisation representing approximately 1000 organisations in the housing care and support sector in the UK.
The new operational guidance is welcomed, with some provisos. The author notes the extent to which the guidance is compatible with current philosophies of service development, especially those commended and endorsed by government; but is concerned over how far it will be practicable to extend best practice, as recommended in the guidance, at a time when many services are being forced to cut their costs, and some are for example employing less experienced staff at lower rates.
The guidance is welcome in recognising best practice; but increasing expectations of the sector may be frustrated and undermined by the drive for savings in an era of austerity.
