Drug abuse is rising among rough sleepers

The Hard Evidence report was compiled by the charity Edinburgh Streetwork Project.

Between April and October 2000, research identified 101 injecting drug users among 446 rough sleepers in Edinburgh.

This compared to 51 drug users among 439 rough sleepers the previous year.

The report revealed that two thirds of homeless drug users were under the age of 26.

Researchers found there is no provision in the capital for women escaping violent relationships and they highlighted the absence of emergency accommodation for childless couples.

The Hard Evidence report also said that among rough sleepers in Edinburgh, 36% had significant physical health problems, 43% had mental health issues and 15% had been banned or excluded from the hostel system.

'Damaging experience'

Katie Owen, co-author of the report, said she hoped the findings would be seen "as an opportunity rather than an indictment of failure".

She said: "What we have learned is that there are many more people sleeping outdoors than was ever imagined.

"We now have much more detail about who they are, what their needs are, where they originate from and how damaging the experience of sleeping outdoors really is."

Liz Nicholson: "Review needed"

But Liz Nicholson, director of Shelter Scotland, called for an urgent review of the capital's Rough Sleepers' Initiative.

She said: "This report shows that the Rough Sleepers' Initiative in Edinburgh is failing the most vulnerable people.

"There are not enough beds, limited support and resettlement work and too few services to cope with the challenging behaviour of some very damaged people."

She said: "This is not just Edinburgh's tragedy. Hard Evidence highlights how the Scottish Executive's targets for ending the need to sleep rough by 2003 will fail unless the weaknesses in Edinburgh's homelessness strategy are addressed."

A spokesman for Edinburgh Council said he was "surprised" by Shelter's criticism.

He said the initiative had been a great success and did not see any reason why the target of ending rough sleeping by 2003 would not be met.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said increasing drugs misuse amongst the rough sleeping population in Edinburgh was a matter of concern.