Commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council, the new ‘Making Space’ service supports people in their homes who have hoarding behaviours by taking a holistic approach.
Therapies on offer from The Wallich include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and trauma-informed approaches to help people understand why they hoard and how to prevent going back to old habits. A Community Support Group has been set up for ongoing emotional and practical peer support in a non-judgmental space.
Hoarding affects people across all ages and income groups, and is usually recognised by someone collecting and storing a large number of items in their home, which get in the way of everyday tasks like cooking, sleeping in bed or relaxing on the settee. Hoarding can become a compulsion and is often linked with depression, trauma or anxiety.
Phill Stapley, Strategic Operational Lead for The Wallich, said:
“Hoarding is a complex and often misunderstood condition. It’s not about messiness or being lazy, and there are emotional and physical impacts for those affected and their families. People can often become isolated, unwell, unsafe and, in some cases, that can lead to the potential loss of their home.
We won’t come into someone’s home and begin clearing – we work with them, at their own pace, to help organise their home. As a charity who also provides homelessness prevention services, we’ve had to indirectly support people facing eviction due to hoarding. The Wallich is now so glad to be able to offer this specific service to keep people in the homes.”
Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Michelle Bateman, said:
“This fantastic service will help those that need help to ensure their homes remain safe and liveable, with those offering support really understanding the impact hoarding can have on people’s well-being.”
Since 2022, the council has received concerns of hoarding or sanitary issues about 729 households in Pembrokeshire, demonstrating the need for this service.
The Making Space initiative adds to a series of new services launched by The Wallich in Pembrokeshire, including a Rough Sleeping team, working with people on the streets, and a Conflict Resolution service to prevent eviction.
To access the service, people are referred to the Pembrokeshire Council Housing Support Gateway.