Homelessness

Coupled with poverty, homelessness in the UK is increasing, with life-changing effects on children. It can be difficult to understand why homelessness exists in the UK - a country which is generally considered to be wealthy nation, but there are several factors present. 

Rising living costs and reductions in benefits are understood to be linked to a rise in homelessness. Lack of funds often means lack of choice, options and flexibility. Sourcing stable housing, sometimes at short notice, can be made more difficult when finances are tight. 

Local authorities are not obliged to help every homeless person in their area; there are certain eligibility requirements which must be met before the local authority has a legal duty to support. 

It is recognised that the cost of housing has risen and there is a lack of affordable housing, including a lack of social housing which is generally cheaper to rent. This means that even when someone is eligible for local authority support or they have an income which can pay for private rent, the options are often temporary or insecure, crowded, poorly maintained and far away from work, school, family and friends.

Homelessness goes beyond the traditional concept of people sleeping on the streets.

In England alone:  

• As of September 2024, 164,040 children were homeless with their families in temporary accommodation – up 21,650 (15%) in a year. 
• Between 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2024, 74 children have died with temporary accommodation as a contributing factor to their vulnerability, ill-health, or death.  Of these 74 children, 58 were under the age of 1. This figure is from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Households in Temporary Accommodation.
• More than 310,000 children (313,244) in England must share beds with other family members, due to severe overcrowding, caused by a shortage of affordable homes. This is according to a report by the National Housing Federation in April 2023. 
• The same National Housing Federation report identified that more than 2 million children are living in crowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes.

Temporary accommodation 

Temporary accommodation can mean several different things. It can include families staying in bed and breakfasts (although this has been limited by the government), reception centres (large buildings with multiple bedsits and shared kitchen/dining facilities), converted office blocks or shipping containers to name a few. 

All forms of temporary accommodation come with their own issues, such as: 

• lack of space (indoor and/or outdoor)
• poorly maintained conditions 
• issues with room heating control 
• distance from “home” (i.e., where the family base is, the children go to school, etc.)
• lack of privacy 
• limited cooking and washing facilities
• constantly being moved from one place to another
• others also placed in the accommodation might be single adults or people experiencing issues which are not supportive of a child and family-focussed and safe environment.

When families are homeless, parents can feel anger or sometimes guilt at the unfairness affecting their children. Many families do a tremendous job of minimising the impact where they can and do their best to ensure their children are well cared for and feel valued. 

Homelessness in itself is not a safeguarding matter, however, it can be a factor in children being at risk of harm due to the stresses it creates in families and the limitations it places on choice. Such harms may include: 

• their basic needs not being met (e.g., food, warmth, clothing) or otherwise being neglected
• social isolation, bullying
• the impact of stress within a household (including emotional abuse or domestic abuse)
• exploitation 
• effects on learning and development
• caring responsibilities 
• poor self-esteem and emotional health issues (in child and parent)
• a risk of substance misuse (in child and parent) 

16 and 17-year-olds 

Where 16 and 17-year-olds are homeless, there are significant associated vulnerabilities. There are duties on local authorities’ children’s and housing services to work together to establish whether help can be offered for the young person to return home or prevent the need for them to leave home.  

Any such work should run alongside an assessment of need, and if emergency accommodation is required this should be provided whilst the assessment is taking place. If the accommodation lasts more than 24 hours, then the young person will become looked after. 

There are two circumstances where a young person is not likely to be provided with accommodation by children’s services: 

1. If they are assessed as not being a child in need by children’s services. 
2. The young person is deemed to have the capacity to make informed decisions (see the Mental Capacity Act, 2005), and after being presented with all the information and potential implications of each option, decides that they do not want to be looked after by the local authority. 

In these situations, the responsibility shifts to the housing authority for the area. More information about the requirements on children’s services and housing services can be found here. 

Building partnerships with parents and carers

When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety. 

Remember:

• Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm. 
• Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness. 
• Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential. 
• Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children. 
• Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.
• Have you considered if:
  * the setting has inclusive ways for students and families to speak about homelife, so that homelessness and or living in temporary accommodation feels less stigmatised for all?
  * the signposting and information regarding income and housing support is accessible to all families, with consideration given to language, literacy, learning needs?
  * the setting always offers practical assistance to families impacted by homelessness, where possible? This might be things like donated items to support hygiene and nutrition, clothing or space and time on site for students to complete their homework.