Children’s social workers become main source of homelessness referrals
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Children’s social care has become the main source of referrals to council homeless teams, as the number of reports of homelessness increases.
Since October last year all public sector bodies have a duty to refer those who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to council housing and homelessness teams.
Between January and March, the National Probation Service made the most referrals, accounting for 17.4 per cent of the 3,740 cases passed on.
But figures for April to June show an increase of referrals, to 4,340, and children’s services is now the main source, accounting for 17.1 per cent of the total.
The number of people forced to stay in temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfast and hostels has risen, up 4.5 per cent from 82,390 at the end of June last year to 86,130 at the same point this year. Of these, 71.8 per cent included dependent children.
There are an estimated 127,370 children living in temporary accommodation, according to the figures for April to June this year.
At the end of June this year there were 61,800 families with children in temporary accommodation, slightly down on the 61,570 recorded at the same point in 2018.
While the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for all homeless households has increased, the number of families with children forced to stay in such accommodation for longer than the statutory six-week limit has fallen.
From April to June this year there were 690 families with children in such accommodation for more than the statutory six-week limit, down 19.8 per cent on end of June 2018’s tally of 860.
The figures reveal that at the end of June there were 1,990 families with children forced to live in bed and breakfast lodgings.
Meanwhile, Shelter has today published its analysis of homelessness in England during 2019.
Our new report – ‘This is England: a picture of homelessness in 2019’ – used extensive analysis of official rough sleeping and temporary accommodation figures, along with social services records.
— Shelter (@Shelter) December 18, 2019
Find out more👉 https://t.co/ctVPrabywm pic.twitter.com/iT3urvwxLp
This estimates that on any given night this year there are 280,000 people who are homeless. This includes 3,937 children in need, and their families, who are living in temporary accommodation arranged by social services.
Under the 1989 Children Act councils have a duty to safeguard the wellbeing of children in need and their families, which can include providing accommodation.
