Background
to the Research
- Studies
from NI, GB, and America have shown a link between homelessness, poor
physical and mental health and low self-esteem.
- Research
has also shown the need to address the factors that may have contributed
to homelessness, such as child abuse, domestic violence and substance
abuse, and their impact on both parents and children.
- Low
educational achievement and delayed development in children have also
been linked with homelessness.
- This
research set out to investigate the special problems that homeless
families with children face, and to assist existing services, in order
to minimise the impact of homlessness on these families.
Research
Approach
- The
research was carried out between October 2000 and March 2001 in the
Western Health and Social Services Board (NI) area.
- A number
of research techniques were employed:
- a
literature review;
-
accommodation audit;
-
semi structured interviews with key professionals;
- interviews
with parents and children who have experienced homelessness.
Main
Findings
- Homelessnes
is a major problem in the Cityside of Derry/Londonderry, with families
waiting increasing periods of time to be re-housed. Despite the availability
of accommodation in the Waterside, the number of applicants remained
high.
- In
the Derry/Londonderry area, significant numbers of children of all
ages are living in temporary accommodation, for significant periods
of time.
- Derry/Londonderry
has a large amount of statutory, voluntary and private sector accommodation.
However, it is continually occupied to full capacity, and there is
little scope to place families where their needs are best met.
- Much
of the private sector accommodation is shared, and is not considered
ideal for families. Some families find the restrictions imposed by
shared voluntary sector hostels intrusive.
- Homelessness
outside the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane districts is less common,
and waits for temporary housing are significantly shorter.
- In
districts where there is low demand for temporary accommodation, namely
Limavady and Fermanagh, no statutory or voluntary sector provisions
exist.
- In
Omagh, accommodation and support are available only to victims of
domestic violence. Strabane had one voluntary sector hostel catering
for all groups.
- Living
in temporary accommodation imposed additional strains on family life.
Whilst communal hostels could provide both personal and group based
support, together with mutual resident support, the negative aspects
of sharing facilities in HMOs was considered undesirable.
- Some
families were thought to require little support, particularly where
their stay in temporary accommodation was short (e.g. in Omagh and
Limavady). This was unlikely to be the case where stays were longer,
although the support available in self-contained accommodation was
patchy.
- A number
of problem areas in relation to children's education and family relationships
merit closer scrutiny and co-operation between statutory and voluntary
service providers.
- Physical
and mental health problems were experienced by some families, with
depression a frequent occurrence.
- Children's
behaviour was problematic, particularly within shared hostels and
HMOs.
- Most
families tried to retain children at their original schools, despite
the financial burdens of transport fares which this involved.
- Restrictions
on visitors and time away from the temporary accommodation posed difficulties
for families who felt that the rules of shared accommodation were
particularly restrictive.
- All
children (aged 5-12) spoke of the stresses imposed by communal living
and restrictive rules. Older children appeared to be more adversely
affected by temporary accommodation than younger children.
- Homeless
families' stresses come from a number of sources. The circumstances
that gave rise to their homelessness may have been traumatic, particularly
in the case of domestic violence or relationship breakdown. When coupled
with the strain of living in shared accommodation for long periods
of time, relationships within families and between residents of temporary
accommodation can become fraught.
Key
Recommendations
- A limit
should be placed on the time spent in HMOs by homeless families with
dependent children.
- An
increase in the supply of self contained temporary accommodation.
- A strategy
of improving existing hostels to reduce the sharing of facilities.
- More
consideration should be given to the location of children's current
schools when placing families in temporary accommodation.
- The
Children's Service Plan for the area should examine ways of linking
with temporary accommodation providers and ensuring services are linked
from temporary accommodation right through to permanent housing.
- A network
of floating support workers should be introduced to ensure that the
needs of all homeless families could be addressed. Consideration should
be given to contracting this service to existing voluntary sector
support providers.
|