Extra support workers and new accommodation for vulnerable teenagers will
be some of the child focussed measures to be introduced as part of the
National Action Plan on Housing and Homelessnes, according to the Minister
for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone.
The Minister outlined the measures in an address to the AGM of the Irish
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).
Minister Zappone said the measures would deliver for children caught up in
the homeless crisis in the short and long term.
The Minister said:
“I was delighted when the ISPCC and other frontline agencies accepted my
invitation to attend a summit on the needs of homeless children just two
weeks ago.
During those discussions we identified a number of practical measures to be
included in the National Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness to make
life easier for children caught up in the crisis.
The submissions and contributions from the agencies were practical and
focussed to deliver improvements in the lives of children in the
short-term.
As Minister I can confirm today that most of the suggestions have been
accepted and are now a matter of policy. All of the frontline
organisations who worked with us on this can take credit for the measures
in the Housing and Homelessness Action plan which will allow children to
lead less chaotic lives because of their family's circumstances. It was
genuinely a team effort, and I hope we will continue to work as a team to
end the need to use hotels as emergency accommodation. The government's
ambition is to end this in the next year and I will work with my colleagues
and with the ISPCC and other frontline agencies to achieve this.
I know that the ISPCC is keen to ensure that children in emergency
accommodation are kept safe. You have been generous in your offer to
provide training to hotel staff. The Action Plan has committed to putting
in place a voluntary safety guidance code and we look forward to working
with you and others on implementing this.
I know the society in particular had identified how children were being cut
off from schools, their friends and in some cases family members when
placed in far-away emergency accommodation.
Too often the distances to be covered can be measured in miles. As well as
dealing with the hurt and trauma of losing their homes, living in an
unfamiliar environment, they are also being cut off from family and friends
because of the cost of travel.
During one of my first meetings with the ISPCC, your CEO told us about a
scheme that had been introduced in Scotland. It was simple yet I believe
will have a very positive impact on the daily lives of homeless children
and their families. By working together - we have successfully secured a
free Leap Card scheme which when introduced will remove transport costs as
a burden for families.
Today I can also confirm that in a joint initiative with the Department of
Health we are appointing additional Child Support Workers to develop
support plans for children and families. One quarter of children who are
living in emergency accommodation need this additional support and I am
determined that they will get it. .
One immediate need is to look at the food being provided for children in
emergency accommodation – it is unacceptable that children are
malnourished. We need to support parents and children to look after their
physical and mental health. My department , in partnership with others
have undertaken to find solutions for families that do not have access to
cooking facilities. I am particularly pleased that "Healthy Ireland" has
come on board as a partner.
We know from our consultations that access to childcare is difficult for
families in emergency accommodation. Homeless families are faced with
uncertainty about where they will be living and therefore it is almost
impossible for them to pre-book a creche or preschool service. We are
arranging assistance for them to identify places and we will design a
specific scheme to ensure that they can access places.
As Minister for Children I have asked that the Department of the
Environment for ring-fenced funding to allow housing agencies to find
suitable accommodation for between 30 and 40 vulnerable young people per
year who are leaving State Care.
I really believe that this will give young people a better chance at
leading happy and healthy lives. I was particularly struck by two young
men that attended our homeless summit. Although still young, they had both
been homeless for a number of years.
They wanted very little - just a chance to have what they described as a
"normal" life. We need a plan for young people who are coming out of care
and who don't have options about living arrangements.
The fact that they have been in care indicates that they have had troubled
early lives. They really deserve a chance to have better lives.
One way of doing this is to help them with a place to live. It is easier
then to build relationships, do some training, participate in education or
get a job. We will listen to the experts like yourselves about the best
way to do this but the listening exercise will be short. I want a
programme in place next year.
I have a commitment that funding will be made available so I want it spent
next year, so that I can go back and get more for 2018 and hopefully 2019.
These are practical measures which will make a difference in both the
short-term and the long term.”