Government should prioritise housing of care leavers

The government should make young care leavers a priority for
suitable housing as one in 10 resides in bed and breakfast or
hostel accommodation, A National Voice urged this week,
writes Shirley Kumar.

The survey, carried out by the coalition of non-for profit and
community groups, found that one in 10 young care leavers have been
left ‘sofa surfing’, with no place of their own. A
third felt unsafe with where they lived.

Launching its ‘No Place Like Home Campaign,’
national co-ordinator Maxine Wrigley said one possible solution was
to ring-fence Supporting People funding to provide supported
housing for young people, especially young care leavers.

She also attacked councils saying that as “corporate
parents they needed to start acting like responsible
parents.”

Wrigley wants to see better joined up working between social
services and housing which “continually pass the buck over
whose responsibility it is to house care leavers.”

Minister for housing Keith Hill said: “The emerging
children’s trusts arrangements will provide better planning
and co-operation in services for children and young
people.”

 

 

 

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