Women are under-represented in rough sleeping statistics and provision, yet research, lived experience and the experiences of services tell us that women are some of the most vulnerable within the rough sleeping population. October 2022 saw the first London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, aiming to collect more comprehensive data on women experiencing rough sleeping and trial a different method of data collection.
The census is being delivered again in 2023: we will be providing further information in the coming months, via email and on this webpage.
Census dates: 25th September to 1st October 2023
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Women’s Census 2023
The census aims to bring visibility to the experiences of women who are rough sleeping and may not be represented in data, policy or services. We collect anonymised data over one week to build an understanding of women’s rough sleeping, and we use the findings to advocate for and inform change.
The census gathers data primarily through a survey conducted across a week in September with women who experience rough sleeping. We rely on and are hugely grateful to the practitioners and services across London who conduct the survey with women they work with.
Can you or your service take part this year?
The census is designed for the participation of a wide range of services and sectors. If some of the women you support experience homelessness, it’s likely that some of them might be rough sleeping and can be included in the census. Your service might be a VAWG, health, drug and alcohol, migrant support service or a community group, or another type of support provider.
With lots of types of services involved, we can get a much more representative picture of what’s happening for women who sleep rough in London, and we can also reflect the range of expert support provided to women across London.
Find out more about the 2023 census, how to get involved, and what it entails on our information sheet below.
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