Homelessness report reveals 'risk' to children in Scotland

Poor-quality temporary accommodation is posing a "significant risk" to the wellbeing of homeless children in Scotland, according to a new report.

The number of children staying in temporary homes has reached a record high of 10,360, according to Scottish Government statistics.

The figure has increased by almost 150 per cent since 2014.

Researchers at De Montford University and University College London found evidence of "consistently poor housing experiences", with children and young people describing living with mould, overcrowding, poor maintenance and vermin. Many experienced issues like sleep disturbance, with one 15-year-old disclosing that they would "fall asleep in class" as a result.

As many as 15,474 children in Scotland experienced homelessness last year, according to official records.

Shelter Scotland, which commissioned the research, said the findings prove that "childen are being harmed by a homelessness system that is supposed to help".

Some spoke of witnessing violence or experiencing isolation and ill-health related to their accommodation.

Alison Watson, the charity's director, said: "We as a nation are failing those children trapped in our broken and biased homelessness system. Every child in Scotland has the right to grow up in a safe, secure and affordable home. Experiencing homelessness as a child should not be traumatic and filled with worry but it seems that for the 10,360 who will wake up tomorrow without a home, their problems feel never ending.

"Temporary accommodation forms an important part of people’s rights. Everyone experiencing homelessness should be given access to temporary housing while they await the outcome of their application. It should act as a safety net and a first step out of crisis, rather than causing a new crisis in itself. What has become clear from this research is that for children, unfortunately, their experience is all too often the latter. 

"This research shows clearly that it is now more important than ever that all levels of government need to tackle the housing emergency and protect thousands of Scotland’s children from further harm."

The Scottish Government said it is "determined to reverse" the increase in children in temporary accommodation and ministers are "taking decisive action to ensure no one need experience the trauma of being homeless".

A spokesperson said: "The key to tackling homelessness is delivering more homes and we have a strong track record in doing so having supported the delivery of 135,000 affordable homes since 2007. That’s 47 per cent more per head of population than England and 73 per cent more than Wales.

"We are also targeting funding in areas where housing capacity needs to be increased most. This includes £42m to the five local authorities with the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures to increase supply through buying back properties and bringing long-term empty homes back into use."