SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
It follows the latest edition of the Department for Communities’ Homelessness Bulletin which has revealed that as of November 2024, 5,378 children were living in temporary accommodation across the North; the majority of which were children aged nine and under.
This represents a 121% increase within the last five years.
Said the Foyle MLA: “This situation is completely unsustainable not only in terms of expenditure but more importantly, the thousands of young lives hampered by living in such unsuitable circumstances.
“Without somewhere to sit to do their homework, no kitchen facilities to cook a healthy meal or space of their own to play and foster learning development.
“The majority of those impacted are under the age of nine meaning children are growing up in hotels and B&B- it is outrageous young lives should be built on such unstable footing.
“A whole generation of families are unable to put down roots, make neighbourly connections or form the building blocks of a safe and thriving community.
“One mother who recently presented to my office after being made homeless, remarked that her son’s only worry was how Santa would find them this year.
“The sad thing is that homelessness isn’t reserved for the poorest of the poor but a very real threat for many families, including those living in the private rented sector.
“Promised reforms haven’t been enacted and many others, such as rent controls and bans on no-fault evictions have been quietly swept under the carpet by this Executive. The long awaited Housing Supply Strategy, published last week, is as weak as water.
“This is a housing emergency and must be treated as such, especially when child poverty rates continue to grow.
“Poverty is a cycle that once entered is almost impossible to escape, leading to the very real risk that these children will face reduced opportunities as they grow into adulthood, particularly in areas like educational attainment.
“This situation was allowed to fester when we had no Executive in place and when we had, the scale of the problem and the impact on lives, has not been recognised by ministers or department officials who appear so far removed from the reality of what is unfolding in our communities.
“That inaction has created a system that cannot provide the basics; a roof over one’s head and food on the table.”
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