There are around 177,530 children living in temporary accommodation, the highest on record.
From today (1st September), a new duty takes effect, designed to enable these children to get the support they need as early as possible, and to stop vulnerable families from falling through the cracks.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? 📚
More families are living in temporary accommodation than ever before.
When a household is forced to move into temporary accommodation, it can be disruptive for children – affecting school attendance, healthcare appointments and access to support services.
Without the right join up between key services, support can come too late and children risk falling through the cracks.
The government wants to ensure that children experiencing homelessness receive the same opportunities and support as their peers, regardless of where they are living.
WHAT'S CHANGING? 🚀
From today, local authorities will be required to notify schools, GP practices and health visiting services when a child is placed in temporary accommodation.
To help councils implement the new duty quickly and effectively:
- Guidance for local authorities has been updated.
- Nearly £1 million has been provided to local authorities across England to support operational costs.
- Guidance to schools and health services has been published, to inform them of action they could take as a result of receiving a notification
This means children staying engaged in education and ongoing connection to important health services – helping support wrap around families at the earliest stage.
HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE GOVERNMENT'S WIDER PLANS? 🏘️
The new duty is one part of the government's wider work to tackle homelessness and improve outcomes for vulnerable families.
It forms a key part of the National Plan to End Homelessness and sits alongside wider action to improve the experience of families living in temporary accommodation.
This includes £30 million of funding to reduce the use of B&Bs and improve the quality, suitability and long-term supply of temporary accommodation.
It also comes as the Prime Minister has launched a national drive to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets this winter, backed by over £442 million to deliver more housing and specialist support.
It takes total investment in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years to over £4 billion.
Reflecting on the news....
Homelessness Minister, Florence Eshalomi said:
“I know first-hand the uncertainty and upheaval that comes with not having a place to truly call home. For the thousands of children living in temporary accommodation, I know how much it can impact their school life, their ability to form lasting relationships and their sense of belonging.
“We’ve made clear that councils have a responsibility to place families in suitable, quality housing and from today, this will be matched with a new duty to inform education and health services when a child is homeless.
“This is a major milestone. Crucially, it means schools, GPs and councils all talking to each other about the vulnerable children in their community – ensuring vital support services are wrapped around them at the earliest opportunity and reducing the number of children falling through the cracks.”
Dr Laura Neilson, CEO of Shared Health Foundation said:
“I am delighted to see this notification be implemented. Education and health services want to support families living in temporary accommodation but have not known who the children are. That changes now.
“I am grateful for colleagues in government and the civil service for their hard work and for the Minister championing this legislation. This is a key intervention to reduce the impact of homelessness on children, shine a light on them, and I believe it will save lives.”
Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza said:
“Every child deserves a safe, stable home and the opportunity to thrive, wherever they live. Children often fall through the gaps between services when they move between homes or move into temporary accommodation and face disruption to their education, healthcare and wider wellbeing.
“This new duty on local authorities is an important step towards making sure schools and health services know when a child moves into temporary accommodation, so they can put the right support in place. It is vital this duty is backed by a unique ID for every child, to help services join up information and ensure children do not lose access to the support they need whenever their circumstances change.”
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