Understanding and Tackling Hoarding

The Northern Ireland Frontline Network are hosting an online interactive training session for frontline workers that will provide a structured step by step process to tackle all types of hoarding.

Aim

This course will provide a good understanding of the difference between hoarding and extreme clutter (both can look the same) and the reasons why hoarding or extreme clutter can build to the extent of jeopardising tenancies and resulting in homelessness.

The course provides a structured step by step process to tackle all types of hoarding (including hoarding disorder) from first visit to bringing the property back to an acceptable level (Level 3 in Clutter Image Rating), within a realistic timescale.

Key points:

• Significantly increased fire risk
• 2-5% of population have a tendency to hoard
• £35,000 – average cost of a hoarded property to social landlord
• “Forced” clear-outs don’t work
• Support, understanding and a structured, time-limited approach is effective

Content includes:

• Hoarding disorder and hoarding as a result of other mental illness, brain injury or learning disability
• Treatment options, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Understand how to use consistent hoarding assessments and photographs to identify clutter-levels
• Setting overall goal and agreeing actions/pledges – within strict timescales
• Explore the benefits of multi-agency responses and identify key partners

About the trainer

Jack runs Respect My Stuff Ltd, providing training and consultancy on tackling hoarding and extreme clutter. For 13 years he was principal trainer on hoarding and mental illness for the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and has been a regular speaker at safeguarding events on self-neglect and hoarding. Jack has a housing background with a professional diploma and BA Hons in Housing. He is a Fellow of the CIH.

He has researched world-wide best practice in understanding and tackling hoarding and developed a proven system of dealing with hoarding in a practical and timely manner. In 2019 Jack founded Dehoarding South West CIC; a community interest company for South West England providing teams of dehoarding practitioners and clearance operatives working long term with referred hoarding customers to greatly improve their quality of life and make their homes safe for themselves and others. He also has a respected and successful team providing a ‘dehoarding’ service in Northern Ireland.