Legal problems can be cause and consequence of ill-health and homelessness, necessitating efforts to integrate responses to these challenges. How to respond to legal issues within the context of health services for people who are homeless is though unclear. Groundswell piloted providing legal support to peer advocates (who have current or past experience of homelessness) and clients currently homeless in addition to their health-focused work. A participatory action-research design evaluated the emerging programme. Groundswell staff, both researchers and those involved in service delivery, co-led the research alongside an external researcher. Qualitative methods were used to understand the experiences of legal support. We interviewed peer advocates and volunteers (n = 8), Groundswell clients (n = 3) and sector stakeholders (n = 3). Interviews were linked to regular reflective recorded meetings (n = 7) where Groundswell staff and researchers discussed the programme and the evaluation. Data were analysed thematically. The findings focus on three themes. First, peer advocates' and clients' legal needs involve an experience of being overwhelmed by system complexity. Second, the legal support to peer advocates aided in brokering and signposting to other legal support, in the context of a supportive organisational culture. Third, support to clients can be effective, although the complexity of legal need undermines potential for sustainable responses. In conclusion, legal support for peer advocates should be developed by Groundswell and considered by other similar agencies. Legal support to people who are currently street homeless requires significant resources and so health-focused third-sector organisations maybe unable to offer effective support. Other modes of integration should be pursued. Findings also have implications for how the third sector relates to the government agencies implicated in the legal challenges facing people who are homeless.

中文翻译：

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在以健康为中心的同伴倡导背景下对英国伦敦无家可归者的法律支持进行参与式评估。

法律问题可能是健康不佳和无家可归的原因和后果，因此需要努力整合应对这些挑战。如何在为无家可归者提供医疗服务的背景下应对法律问题尚不清楚。除了专注于健康的工作之外，Groundswell 还试行向同行倡导者（他们目前或过去有无家可归的经历）和目前无家可归的客户提供法律支持。参与式行动研究设计评估了新兴项目。Groundswell 的工作人员，包括研究人员和参与服务提供的人员，与一名外部研究人员共同领导了这项研究。使用定性方法来了解法律支持的经验。我们采访了同行倡导者和志愿者 (n = 8)、Groundswell 客户 (n = 3) 和行业利益相关者 (n = 3)。访谈与定期反思记录会议 (n = 7) 相关联，Groundswell 的工作人员和研究人员在会上讨论了该计划和评估。数据按主题进行分析。调查结果集中在三个主题上。首先，同行倡导者和客户的法律需求涉及被系统复杂性所淹没的经历。其次，在支持性组织文化的背景下，对同行倡导者的法律支持有助于中介和路标其他法律支持。第三，对客户的支持可能是有效的，尽管法律需求的复杂性削弱了可持续响应的潜力。总之，对同行倡导者的法律支持应由 Groundswell 制定，并由其他类似机构考虑。对目前街头无家可归者的法律支持需要大量资源，因此以健康为重点的第三方组织可能无法提供有效支持。应寻求其他整合模式。调查结果还对第三部门与涉及无家可归者面临的法律挑战的政府机构之间的关系产生了影响。