Spotlight counts are a way to include count data alongside partner agency intelligence. This can be particularly effective for areas with people sleeping in a mix of urban and rural locations, or where there are a few hotspots with fluctuating numbers of people sleeping rough that require counting for accuracy.
All spotlight counts must take place after midnight. This is to take into account the night-time economy of the area. It may therefore mean that certain outreach shifts cannot be used as a spotlight count due to the timings of these shifts. Starting after midnight is required to avoid counting people who are part of wider street activity but have somewhere to stay and will not bed down for the night.
Except for starting after midnight, coordinators can decide to what extent a spotlight count follows the count process detailed above. At least one independent partner will need to attend the estimate meeting in order to be ‘assured’ by Homeless Link (please see ‘involving independent partners’ above. While involving independent partners in the spotlight count itself will lend that evidence more credibility, this may have resource implications for the independent partner and is therefore optional.
Please note, spotlight counts should only be used alongside other data sources – only choose the evidence-based estimate including a spotlight count approach if you are confident that there will actually be a range of different evidence sources (e.g. intelligence from park rangers or about rural sites, or from a day centre about hidden sites), as well as the spotlight count, from which you can arrive at an accurate snapshot figure. Otherwise, you should consider using a count-based estimate instead.
Follow the evidence-based estimates guidance, above, for the estimate meeting to take place after your ‘typical’ night chosen and include the spotlight count as one of your data sources. The spotlight count will need to take place on the ‘typical’ night you have chosen.
Pre-count activity
Please note that ‘pre-counts’ by outreach or police teams on the evening of the ‘typical’ night chosen should not be used, as they create a risk of disruption. See the ‘pre-count activity’ section above for further information.
Common issues to consider in your planning
- Changing approach. Areas are able to change approach but this should be led by intelligence. Homeless Link must be updated if you have changed approach as this can affect how the data needs to be assessed by a Homeless Link Quality Assurance Verifier.
- Further quality assurance. This is the additional assessment that takes place where a local authority has had to make a last-minute change of approach.
- Are you a RSI-funded area? If so, this should not have any effect on the annual snapshot estimates.
- Post-estimate meetings. Estimate meetings must not be held prior to the chosen ‘typical’ night. This will not provide accurate data, as you cannot predict who will be rough sleeping on the ‘typical’ night ahead.
- Evidence for estimate meetings. If you choose an evidence-based estimate, including a spotlight count approach the estimate meeting should discuss intelligence and evidence. If no additional information or data sources are discussed then essentially your approach will be an unverified count. Make it clear to partner agencies what evidence should be prepared and shared by them prior to the estimate meeting.
- Cross-LA coordination. We advise local authorities coordinate their date with neighbouring local authorities to avoid duplication of individuals being counted. However, we do not advise that you coordinate your choice of approach with neighbouring local authorities. Please read the section on the different approaches to choose the correct approach for your local authority.
- The timing of your spotlight count. Spotlight counts will not be verified if the count starts before midnight.
- The day of your ‘typical’ night. In previous years, Thursdays have been a popular choice of day to carry out the snapshot estimate. However, for some areas, there is a busy night-time economy on this night. Please consider if your area has a busier night-time economy on the day you have chosen, and if so, choose a different day.
- Pre-count activity. See the section on pre-count activity above.