Improving outcomes for unemployed and homeless young people: Findings of the YP4 clinical controlled trial of joined up case management
- Authors: Grace, Marty , Gill, Peter
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Social Work Vol. 67, no. 3 (2014), p. 419-437
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The YP4 study was a clinical controlled trial (CCT) of joined up services for young people experiencing both homelessness and unemployment in Victoria, Australia. The joined up service delivery (J group, n = 222) participants were offered intensive client-centred case management, involving direct provision of a range of services as well as the brokering of additional services. The standard services (S group, n = 174) participants remained eligible for standard services. Access to the Australian Government income support agency's (Centrelink) administrative data provided a retention rate close to 90% over the three annual data collection points of the study (baseline, 12 months and 24 months). Both groups improved their circumstances over the two years of the trial. The results showed no statistically significant treatment effects. The effect for employment earnings was approaching significance (p =.06) with J group increasing their employment earnings to a greater extent than S group. The findings and their implications for the implementation of joined up case management, future policy and practice, and future homelessness research is discussed. © 2014 Australian Association of Social Workers.
Client-centred case management : How much makes a difference to outcomes for homeless jobseekers?
- Authors: Grace, Marty , Gill, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Social Work Vol. 69, no. 1 (2016), p. 11-26
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Case management has become the predominant model for attempting to improve outcomes for young adults experiencing both homelessness and unemployment. However, there is little evidence-based knowledge about how young adults respond to case management, and how much intervention is needed to be effective. This Australian study utilised quantitative government data to investigate the effects of the amount of case management on key outcomes. With a purposive sample of 224 people aged 18-35, this study compared four different amounts of YP4 case management service received over a three-year period. Participants were categorised into four groupings depending on the number of case management contacts they received: 0-5, 6-20, 21-40, and 41-156. The findings show some significant group variations over the course of the trial in the areas of employment and accommodation. Participants who received 20 or more contacts had significantly better accommodation and employment outcomes than those who received fewer contacts.