Abstract
During the COVID-19 emergency response of ‘staying the blazes home’ in Nova Scotia, Canada, frontline social workers worked tirelessly ‘out of the home’ to secure safe dwellings for those on the street, living in shelters, and/or precariously housed. When the province moves to the reopening and recovery stage, social work strategies will focus on reducing homeless people’s vulnerabilities, aiming to offer safe and dignified living.
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