It was truly inspiring to see politicians and professionals from across the health, education, housing, legal and VCFSE sectors come together, passionate about tackling the temporary accommodation crisis and driving tangible change through solutions that place lived experience’s voice at their heart.
It was particularly encouraging to hear the Government’s commitment to improving temporary accommodation for children and families, reflected in Minister for Homelessness Alison McGovern MP’s keynote speech at the conference.
Thank you to the Magpie Project, CARIS Families and Cardinal Hume for sharing frontline insights into supporting families in TA; to Cratus Group, Portakabin, PJ Livesey and Cornerstone Place for showcasing practical housing solutions; to Prof Katherine Brickell, Ysabella Hawkings, Thea Grattidge and Leila Baker for highlighting the particular challenges faced by neurodivergent children in TA; Siobhain McDonagh MP and Jim McMahon MP for their insight into campaigning for better temporary accommodation for families and children; and to Made by Mortals for leading a creative audio workshop that immersed attendees in the human reality of the TA crisis.
Currently, there are over 176,130 homeless children in England living in temporary accommodation. Many are living in dangerous conditions with limited support, far away from their school, GP and community. The educational attainment of children plummets when they become homeless. The barriers to healthcare increase, and children’s health and development suffer. For neurodivergent children, living in temporary accommodation can be especially challenging, yet the effects of homelessness specifically on children with neurodivergences remain significantly under-researched.
For years, the Shared Health Foundation has worked collaboratively across sectors with a singular mission – to reduce the impact of temporary accommodation and homelessness on children. We are incredibly proud of the tangible changes this work has made for families, supporting them on their journey out of homelessness.
Shared Health’s ongoing campaigning and cross-sector collaboration have led to real policy changes, most recently reflected in the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy and National Plan to End Homelessness. This progress is summarised in our video, “The story so far; Homeless families policy from the Shared Health Foundation”, which you can watch here:
The work is far from over. Join us as we continue to dare to hope and work towards the day when every child will have a safe and stable place to call home.
