In the second stage of its "million children" campaign, which launched in April (Children Now, 21-27 April), homelessness charity Shelter highlights how living in temporary accommodation can affect children's health and education.
Its new report, Living in Limbo, says the average child living in temporary accommodation misses 55 school days a year because of the disruption of homelessness. Nearly half of 400 respondents describe their children as "often unhappy or depressed", and only a fifth of families with children aged under four are accessing Sure Start programmes.
Shelter wants the Government to introduce measures in the 2004 spending review to address these problems. It says new funding to support homeless children should be made available, and points out that uncertainty over future money from the Children's Fund makes it hard to plan services.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
