Researchers, policy makers and practitioners gathered in Cardiff for a conference looking at how housing research can inform policy and practice in Wales. Dr Peter Mackie identifies the key themes
In November 2013 Shelter Cymru, Cardiff University and the Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD) co-hosted the housing research conference for Wales; a conference that sought to bring forward evidence from recent housing research. The conference brought together researchers from across academia, the private sector and the voluntary sector and they presented on a considerable breadth of topics including welfare reform, housing rights and social justice, housing and age, participation and housing, sustainable housing development, and regulation and review.
Policy makers and practitioners heard three plenary presentations from extremely well-informed researchers. These presentations not only offered direction for housing policy in Wales they revealed some of the key considerations researchers must make if they wish to shape the direction of housing policy and practice.
Tamsin Stirling set the context by reflecting on the challenges of getting research into policy and practice; amongst other contributions her presentation revealed the vital importance of timing research to coincide with policy making cycles. Professor Isobel Anderson of Stirling University explored the links between housing and equality, offering a rather concerning conclusion that significant investment and growth in social housing
is unlikely to materialise as it did in the post-war period (see p34). Professor David Mullins of Birmingham University considered the impacts of his research on self-help housing in England. He also found the timing of research and the fit with current policy direction to be particularly important.
The conference incorporated six parallel sessions, and whilst it would be impossible to effectively summarise the findings, it is possible to discern four cross-cutting messages for Welsh housing research and policy.
1. Ask the right questions
In relation to older people’s home and neighbourhood environments, Dr Sarah Hillcoat-Nalletamby of Swansea University described how studies tend to focus on levels of satisfaction, resulting in a policy direction which encourages people to remain at home for as long as possible. By exploring people’s attitudes towards their home and neighbourhood environments in terms of their dislikes about these environments, Dr Hillcoat-Nalletamby offers an alternative perspective on the prevailing policy direction. Researchers and policy makers must clearly concern themselves with asking the right questions.
2. Listen to the users and prospective users of services
Several research presentations highlighted the importance of listening to and engaging users and prospective users of services. For example, Dr Jacqueline Campbell of Shelter Cymru introduced the forthcoming Service User Standard Framework for housing and homelessness services and Catherine Boswell of Cardiff Metropolitan University outlined how engagement with young people from a disadvantaged area resulted in the rejection of a proposed sweat equity scheme. Simon Inkson, an independent housing consultant, and Julie Nicholas of CIH Cymru, presented the findings of research with prospective consumers of co-operative housing in Wales. The study provided new insights into the clear demand that exists for such housing and the study indicated how this alternative form of housing development should be delivered. It is clear that listening to and engaging users and prospective users of services is important to achieving well informed findings.
3. A distinctive Welsh policy approach can more effectively meet the housing needs of vulnerable people
Robert Joyce of the Institute for Fiscal Studies presented an excellent paper examining the early impacts of housing benefit reforms. His study revealed how initial impacts of reforms appear to primarily fall upon tenants. Given the impacts of Westminster-led reforms, it is reassuring to hear that a distinctive Welsh policy approach might effectively protect some of Wales’s most vulnerable people. For example, Julie Nicholas of CIH and Vicki Hiscocks of Cardiff Metropolitan University discussed the willingness of Welsh Government to intervene in the private rented sector and Simon Hoffman of Swansea University considered the prominence and positive impacts of human rights in Welsh Government policy development.
4. Beware of discrepancies between policy intention and policy in practice
Whilst rejoicing in the potential for research in Wales to inform a distinctive and more socially just policy agenda, the final message is to beware of the potential disjoint which can emerge between research recommendations, policy intentions and the subsequent practices that emerge. Dr Bob Smith and Dr Pauline Card of Cardiff University reflected on the difficulties experienced in translating plans for the social housing regulator in Wales into practice, whilst Helen Taylor of Cardiff University identified the compromises that emerged between Welsh Government’s housing white paper and the recently announced Housing Bill for Wales (see p32).
This brief synopsis of the Welsh Housing Research Conference cannot do justice to the rich material that was presented. Two articles from the conference feature in this edition of the Welsh Housing Quarterly and copies of presentations can be downloaded from the Welsh Housing Research Network website: www.wiserd.ac.uk/housing-network
Dr Peter Mackie is lecturer in the School of Planning and Geography at Cardiff University and chair of the WISERD Housing Research Network