ONLINE LEARNING
Responding to Hoarding Behaviours in Housing and Community Settings
This practitioner-focused course provides a structured understanding of hoarding disorder and practical guidance for effective, ethical intervention.
A framework for assessment, intervention and sustainable change using the HIIM™ model incorporating the DESIRE method as an operational pathway.
Professionals working in housing and community services regularly encounter situations involving severe clutter and hoarding behaviour.
These situations can create significant challenges involving risk management, tenancy sustainability, safeguarding and community safety.
Yet many practitioners feel they lack a clear framework for assessing these situations and responding proportionately.
This course provides a structured approach to understanding hoarding behaviour and implementing effective, ethical interventions in housing and community settings.
OUR APPROACH
Many hoarding courses focus at the level of awareness or understanding. This course takes a different approach. The aim is not simply to increase awareness, but to help practitioners respond more confidently, proportionately and effectively in complex hoarding situations. This course integrates:
Behavioural science
Differential assessment
Environmental assessment
Ethical decision-making
Structured intervention frameworks
Hoarding situations can be challenging. This course recognises that hoarding disorder is complex - working with deeply embedded behaviours, influenced by a range of emotional, environmental and social factors.
The aim is to provide practitioners with a structured framework for assessing and responding proportionately, so that interventions are more thoughtful, ethical and sustainable. This course will help you develop the knowledge and tools to do exactly that.
Your Pace,
Your Place.
Course Level: Intermediate – Advanced For practitioners who encounter hoarding-related situations in their professional role and want to develop a deeper understanding of assessment and intervention.
Who This Course Is For?
This course is designed for professionals who encounter hoarding-related situations in their work, including:
Housing and tenancy sustainment
Environmental health
Health and social care
Social work
Fire and rescue services
Support services
Specialist practitioners
If your role involves assessing risk, supporting tenants or coordinating responses to clutter and hoarding situations, this course will provide a structured framework to support your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Course Provide a Structured Framework for Practice?
This course goes beyond awareness training.
You will learn how to apply the:
Hoarding Integrated Intervention Model™ (HIIM)
an integrated framework that combines behavioural understanding, environmental assessment and ethical intervention.
DESIRE™ method - operational pathway
a structured process that guides practitioners from assessment through to sustainable change.
These frameworks provide a staged structure for navigating complex hoarding situations.
What Makes This Course Different?
This course was developed Linda Fay, founder of hoarding academy and behaviour change scientist. Linda is the author of A Pragmatic Approach to Chronic Disorganisation and Hoarding – using the DESIRE Method.
Drawing on almost fifteen years’ of frontline practice working with complex hoarding situations across housing, social care and community services, this course translates practical experience and behavioural science into a structured framework for practitioners.
Reflections from learners who have completed this course.
“I hope to be able to have better conversations with my patients with respect to how to manage their possessions. I also want to help STOP all deep cleans.”
“I now have a better understanding and a much stronger basis for adopting a harm reduction approach.”
“I will ensure to include service users in all decisions I make relating to them and I will work in partnership to assist them.”
“I have been impressed with Linda’s knowledge on the topic of hoarding, and her generosity and skill in translating and communicating academic knowledge and complex ideas into something that is practical and relatable to practitioners.”
~ Kerry Musselbrook, Iriss Hoarding Taskforce Programme Lead