Domestic violence is in the news again and is more prominent in government attention to legislation and practice. This study brings domestic violence back down to the personal level – to women (and men) who experience it, and housing staff who are faced with the daily reality of deciding whether or not to help.

My decision in the mid-1990s to explore housing association practice in the context of the ‘enabling’ or ‘strategic’ role of local authorities proved to be prescient. The world of social housing continues to fragment. Local authorities may now deal with homelessness ‘in house’ or contract it out to a diverse range of housing associations and companies: relatively ‘new’ stock transfer associations and arms-length management organisations or ‘older’ housing associations, some organised in complex group structures. The provision of longer-term support when required also continues to be difficult to obtain despite the current emphasis on ‘inclusivity’ in housing management services and the as yet unknown long-term impact of the new Supporting People funding arrangements.

Chapter One sets out the study's particular context in more detail. The historical background to the development of the homelessness legislation and changing practice is described in Chapter Two. The local authority's ‘enabling’ role is explored in Chapter Three, especially as it relates to homelessness and domestic violence. The work of one local authority is described in detail – the chapter looks at the impact of legislative change, policy development and practice issues. Together, these three chapters provide the detailed background for understanding the role of housing associations.

Three housing associations then take centre stage for the remainder of the book (Chapters Four to Eight). Each chapter looks at association work from different perspectives: senior staff, frontline staff, and women who have been rehoused. Organisational change and current management practice are evaluated for their potential impacts on applicants and tenants who have experienced domestic violence. The reception service, the processes of applying for housing, housing assessment and housing allocation – as well as longer-term housing management – are all considered. Women's experiences and views of the three associations form the penultimate Chapter Seven. Their day-to-day lives provide a counterpoint to some of the attitudes of professional staff expressed in the earlier chapters.