MLRC welcomes the public awareness campaign for rough sleepers, 3/10/13

• If the person you see sleeping rough requires medical attention, or if you think that person is aged under18, contact the emergency services – 112 or 999.

• For any other rough sleepers you see sleeping on the streets, in doorways, parks, bus shelters, sheds, cars, etc., you can report the location online at the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive’s website click here.

You will be asked to enter the:

• Location – street address and area of city (required);
• Approximate time you saw this person at this location;
• Name (if you happen to know);
• Gender;
• Approximate age;
• Any other detail you remember which might assist in recognising this person;
• Your name and e-mail (required).

This report will be passed onto the Regional Contact and Outreach Team (RCOS), who will try to locate the rough sleeper quickly.  They will encourage and assist the rough sleeper to move into temporary accommodation and to access the homeless services as staff identify the supports that person requires.  People who are sleeping rough may not be known to the services or may not know how to access the available services. The goal of the RCOS and the DRHE is to move homeless people into temporary accommodation and access services to gain the supports needed to move into long-term housing and independent living.

MLRC welcomes this online reporting service as members of the public are often unsure as to what to do or how to help when they see people sleeping rough. Although it is known that some rough sleepers choose not to engage with the homeless services, the longer that person sleeps rough the more vulnerable he or she becomes to long term homelessness and the greater their risk of ill health, addiction and violence/abuse.

Homeless people in the Dublin City Council area can contact the Central Placement Service (CPS) on a 24 hour Homeless Helpline – 1800 707 707.  The Service will assess the person’s situation and inform them of their options.