{"id":2002,"date":"2024-09-16T13:53:40","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T13:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hosting2.northumbria.ac.uk\/ukhp\/?page_id=2002"},"modified":"2026-09-01T10:21:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T10:21:05","slug":"advice-for-professionals","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hosting2.northumbria.ac.uk\/ukhp\/advice-for-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Advice for Professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Home<\/a> \u203a Help & Advice<\/a> \u203a For Professionals<\/div>\n

Advice for professionals<\/h1>\n

People in many job roles encounter hoarding behaviours \u2014 housing officers, social workers, fire safety teams, NHS staff, police and environmental health officers. This page provides resources to support effective, trauma-informed practice.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Understanding hoarding disorder<\/h3>

Hoarding Disorder has three key symptoms: the accumulation of large quantities of possessions; significant difficulty discarding them; and severe clutter that prevents normal use of living spaces.<\/p>

Important: a severely cluttered property does not automatically mean the occupant has a hoarding disorder \u2014 they may have reduced mobility or other conditions. Alternative explanations should always be considered.<\/p>

Assessments and tools<\/h3>

Professional assessment tools including the Clutter Image Rating Scale and Hoarding Rating Scale for use in casework.<\/p>

View assessment tools \u2192<\/a><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Recommended reading<\/h3>\n

For professionals<\/p>\n

Frost, R.O., & Steketee, G. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Hoarding and Acquiring.<\/em> Oxford University Press.<\/div>\n
Tolin, D.F., Frost, R.O., & Steketee, G. (2014). Buried in Treasures.<\/em> 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.<\/div>\n
Fay, L. (2024). A pragmatic approach to chronic disorganization and hoarding: using the DESIRE method.<\/em> Jessica Kingsley Publishers.<\/div>\n
Edwards, L.J., & Drummond, L. (2025). Everything you need to know about hoarding.<\/em> Cambridge University Press.<\/div>\n

For people who hoard and their families<\/p>\n

Cooke, J. (2021). Understanding Hoarding.<\/em> Sheldon Press.<\/div>\n
Paxton, M. (2022). Keep the memories, lose the stuff.<\/em> Portfolio.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Frameworks, protocols and practical tools<\/h2>\n

Policy and guidance documents for practitioners. Listed here for reference; use alongside your own organisation’s procedures and local safeguarding pathways.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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National Tools<\/h3>\n
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Hoarding Fire Safety Checklist<\/h3>\n

Two-page checklist covering fire safety, access, amenities and hazard mitigation, with details on pre-entry planning, engagement and hazard reduction.<\/p>\n\nVIEW HERE \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Self-neglect policy and practice<\/h3>\n

Research briefing on effective practice with adults who self-neglect, including hoarding, drawing on serious case reviews and practitioner findings.<\/p>\n\nVIEW HERE \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Local Frameworks<\/h3>\n
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Westminster Hoarding Practice Handbook<\/h3>\n

City of Westminster, 2026<\/p>\n\n

Practitioner handbook covering fire risk, environmental health powers, mental capacity, Care Act eligibility, hospital discharge and legal escalation.<\/p>\n\nVIEW HERE \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Multi-Agency Hoarding Framework<\/h3>\n

Nottingham City & Nottinghamshire<\/p>\n\n

Practitioner guidance including a three-level action framework tied to Clutter Image Ratings, referral forms and panel templates.<\/p>\n\nVIEW HERE \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n

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Hoarding Protocol<\/h3>\n

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, 2016<\/p>\n\n

Multi-agency hoarding protocol with agency roles, referral routes and assessment tools.<\/p>\n\nVIEW HERE \u2192<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Across the UK<\/div>

Current UK initiatives<\/h2>

A directory of current initiatives taking place around the country to help people who hoard. Last updated: February 2026.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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INITIATIVE <\/p><\/th>

DESCRIPTION<\/p><\/th>

LEAD<\/p><\/th>

ORGANISATION<\/p><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

B.I.T<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Support group based on the Buried in Treasures workbook<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Ian McPherson<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Royal Borough of Greenwich<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Provider Framework<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Cleaning\/clearing services using trauma-informed approach<\/a><\/p><\/td>

-<\/p><\/td>

Norfolk County Council<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Safe Habitable Homes<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Multi-agency task force<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Rachel Omori<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Norwich City Council<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Sheffield Mind Magpies<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Intervention and support<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Jon Friend<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Sheffield Mind<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Safe Spaces<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Person-centred support<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Rosemary Leach<\/p><\/td>

Lightbulb (Leicestershire)<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Southend Hoarding Alliance<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Multi-agency initiative<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Maxine Nutkins<\/p><\/td>

Southend-on-Sea City Council<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Grant a Smile<\/strong><\/p><\/td>

Support for hoarding<\/a><\/p><\/td>

Melody Waterworth<\/p><\/td>

Grant a Smile<\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n <\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home \u203a Help & Advice \u203a For Professionals Advice for professionals People in many job roles encounter hoarding behaviours \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2002","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nAdvice for Professionals - 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