Councillors demand action on growing number of children in homelessness
A dedicated strategy is needed to address the rising numbers of children in homelessness, a council meeting has heard.
A draft Homeless Action Plan for local authorities in Dublin was discussed at a Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) meeting on Monday.
Labour Party councillor Martha Fanning demanded the implementation of the Youth Homelessness Strategy.
“We reached the heart-breaking milestone of over 16,000 people living in homelessness, out of whom 5,000 are children,” she said.
“We need to implement the Youth Homelessness Strategy to help reduce that figure.”
Drafted in 2022, the strategy has been piloted by some councils to assist young people exit homelessness through financial, educational and health-based support.
Aoife Flynn Kennedy, Senior Housing Professional for DLRCC, said the council had successfully introduced the strategy on a pilot basis through the Supported Housing for Youth (SHY) project.
“It’s actually been hugely successful for youth facing homelessness,” Ms Kennedy said.
“We’re hoping we can now turn it into something more permanent and we’re working with different departments on that.”
Many councillors urged the council to seek more funding for schemes like tenant in-situ to help families with young children.
“This is a homeless action plan in the same way a fire brigade is a plan to fight fires,” Green Party councillor Oisín O’Connor said.
“It very clearly states we're not going to end homelessness by 2027 within this plan. So it’s already kind of defeated before it starts.”
The call for more funding was supported by Independent councillor Anne Colgan, who added: “There are children who are going to be scarred for the rest of their lives.
“For the 5,000 children in homelessness, that’s already affected their mental and physical health.”
Labour councillor Lettie McCarthy said more has to be done to ensure children who were already in homelessness and emergency accommodation are supported.
“What is being done to ensure we protect their right to develop, particularly in the case of babies?,” she said.
“Are we offering them the opportunity to develop and grow in these homes?
“It is their right to learn, to speak, to walk, to crawl and to engage socially. These are being restricted for children, particularly the ones in emergency accommodation.
“We have a duty to protect them,” she added.