果冻影院

Today, there are a record number of 9,595 children living in temporary accommodation in the country, often stuck for years because of the lack of family-sized social homes for them to move into.

The research, co-led by Professor Monica听Lakhanpaul (果冻影院 Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health) and Dr Nadia Svirydzenka (De Montfort University, Leicester), has been commissioned by the homelessness charity, Shelter Scotland.

The study aims to put children鈥檚 voices at the centre of the research and explore how children (aged 0 to 18) live their lives in temporary accommodation, through their own words, stories, and drawings. Parents will also add their reflections on the impact of temporary accommodation on their children鈥檚 physical and mental health, social relationships, and overall development.

Professor Lakhanpaul said: 鈥淭he importance of the home on child health and wellbeing is often underestimated. There are increasing numbers of children living in temporary accommodation, but their voices are often not heard.

鈥淚t is essential that we hear from children directly, and not just their parents or carers. This project will allow us to hear from the children first hand so that we can ensure action takes place to improve their lives, experiences and future opportunities.鈥�

The research will be used by Shelter Scotland to encourage the Scottish Government and local authorities to build the social homes required in Scotland, to ensure that children and their families are able to move on quickly from temporary accommodation and into a permanent home.

It will also help to make policy recommendations on how temporary accommodation in Scotland can be improved to reduce the negative impact it has on children鈥檚 lives.

Dr Svirydzenka said: "Putting children鈥檚 experiences front and centre of a research inquiry into their experiences in temporary accommodation aims to shift how policy and systems around the child see their agency and ability to narrate their own experiences. Children need to have the power to speak to their rights for a home that allows them to be safe, healthy, and educated. It is a time we listen, or it will cost us in the future.鈥�

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: 鈥淲e know that life in temporary accommodation is disruptive to health and wellbeing, it can impact on education and relationships. With a record number of children living in temporary accommodation, this research will reveal, in the children鈥檚 own words, any positive aspects of temporary accommodation but also the significant and damaging impact that it can have.

鈥淭here is a housing emergency in Scotland, with 45 children becoming homeless every day. It鈥檚 important for us to better understand the impact that being put into temporary accommodation is having on children. A generation of children in Scotland are being stripped of their right to grow up in a secure, safe home and are unable to achieve their full potential.听 This is unacceptable.

鈥淭hose in power must understand that social housing shouldn鈥檛 be considered an expense but rather an investment.听 With more than 9,000 kids in Scotland with nowhere to call home, delivering social housing is ultimately investing in the future.鈥�

Links

• 果冻影院 Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
• 果冻影院 Population Health Sciences

Image

• 颁谤别诲颈迟:听听on iStock

Media contact听

Poppy Danby听

E: p.danby [at] ucl.ac.uk