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Child Neglect
UK News

Christian charity declares crisis after 15,000 children made homeless in a year

by Aaron James

The Church Housing Trust also said the figures were "absolutely heartbreaking", and the long-term effects of homeless on children are "absolutely devastating".

The figures regard children who are in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts with their families while they are waiting to be re-housed, and not children who are living on the streets.

They also revealed that more than 100,000 children would wake-up homeless on Christmas Day this year.

Miriam Morris, Director of the Church Housing Trust, told Premier: "It's absolutely heart-breaking. These children are often living in temporary accommodation sharing a bedroom with their parents and their siblings. It means that they're moved from school to school, it means that they don't have any security, it's very difficult for them to bring friends home for play-dates.

"The long-term effects on their education and their health are absolutely devastating for them. Their parents are very likely to be living in a state of anxiety not knowing where they're going to be in the future.

"We get phone calls all the time from people who are homeless but they have no recourse to any statutory help. Street homelessness in London went up by 37 per cent last year. This is a crisis that's building and building.

"Churches and faith communities are stepping in. There are lots of churches now that run their own night shelters. Often it's the faith communities who're actually providing help for people who've got no recourse to any statutory help at all."

A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "One homeless child is one too many but time spent in temporary accommodation ensures no family is without a roof over their head.

"We have made over £1bn available since 2010, to prevent and tackle homelessness and support vulnerable households, and statutory homelessness acceptances are now less than half the 2003-04 peak.

"Our investment has helped prevent almost a million households from becoming homeless.

"Of course we recognise the need to build more homes - which is why over the next 5 years are committed to deliver 275,000 extra affordable homes - the fastest rate of delivery for 20 years."

Listen to Premier's Aaron James speaking to Miriam Morris here:

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