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19/10/2010
Homeless Children Levels 'Very Disturbing'
A Labour TD has described the level of homeless children as "very disturbing" after fresh figures were released in a report today by the HSE.
Seanad Group Leader and Spokesperson on Children, Senator Alex White, said the figures indicated almost 800 children ended up homeless and in need of emergency accommodation last year.
The Senator said the figures reflected the failure of childcare services to intervene early enough in the lives of children at risk.
Speaking today, Senator White said: "Early intervention is crucial. Once a problem with a child or family escalates and becomes out of control, young people are much more vulnerable and likely to end up homeless. We need services to help prevent these problems before they get to this stage.
"While these individual cases have been handled by the HSE as they arise, with most of these children then being placed in some form of accommodation, the fact is that were proper preventative measures in place in the first place, a crisis could well have been avoided in many instances."
The Senator added that Ireland's childcare system had a whole range of problems, with children in state care of the HSE, but who have not been allocated a social worker.
The HSE figures revealed a quarter of homeless people were under 12, with many ending-up in emergency accommodation in hospitals and Garda stations, with one child forced to take shelter in an internet cafe.
The statistics showed the majority of homeless kids lived in Dublin.
Children’s charity Baranardos said they were seriously concerned about the figures.
Spokesperson Fergus Fingley’s said once a child is on the street, its very hard to gain stability again.
"How can we say that we are looking after these vulnerable youngsters, when we can't even provide them a caring professional to be their advocate?"
(DW/KMcA)
Seanad Group Leader and Spokesperson on Children, Senator Alex White, said the figures indicated almost 800 children ended up homeless and in need of emergency accommodation last year.
The Senator said the figures reflected the failure of childcare services to intervene early enough in the lives of children at risk.
Speaking today, Senator White said: "Early intervention is crucial. Once a problem with a child or family escalates and becomes out of control, young people are much more vulnerable and likely to end up homeless. We need services to help prevent these problems before they get to this stage.
"While these individual cases have been handled by the HSE as they arise, with most of these children then being placed in some form of accommodation, the fact is that were proper preventative measures in place in the first place, a crisis could well have been avoided in many instances."
The Senator added that Ireland's childcare system had a whole range of problems, with children in state care of the HSE, but who have not been allocated a social worker.
The HSE figures revealed a quarter of homeless people were under 12, with many ending-up in emergency accommodation in hospitals and Garda stations, with one child forced to take shelter in an internet cafe.
The statistics showed the majority of homeless kids lived in Dublin.
Children’s charity Baranardos said they were seriously concerned about the figures.
Spokesperson Fergus Fingley’s said once a child is on the street, its very hard to gain stability again.
"How can we say that we are looking after these vulnerable youngsters, when we can't even provide them a caring professional to be their advocate?"
(DW/KMcA)
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