There has been an alarming 225% year-on-year increase in the number of homeless children in the North West, new figures reveal.
Last week there were 149 individuals including 39 child dependents in emergency accommodation in counties Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo. At the same time last year there were 12 child dependents accommodated in the north west.
The North West Simon Community says the latest homeless figures are “astonishing” and highlight the absurdity of the State Funding granted to the charity this year.
Overall, the number of 149 individuals in emergency accommodation in September represents a 34% increase month on month (111 people in August 2022), and a massive 73% increase of year on year from the 86 people accommodated in September 2021. Fifty-four households were accommodated in the Donegal/Leitrim area this month.
In terms of support to deal with their homelessness, 39% (38 households) were provided with Supported Temporary Accommodation with social care staff, while 74% (72 households) were provided Private Emergency Accommodation with visiting support, or Temporary Emergency Accommodation with no (or minimal) support, in B&Bs, Hostels, and Hotels.
Noel Daly, CEO of North West Simon Community says “the rate of increase may come as a surprise to many but we have been warning that this would happen and calling for increased support for services for over 18 months.
“The failure of central Government to hear these calls offers little hope that the objective of ending homelessness by 2030 can be delivered upon. During 2021, our homeless prevention team supported 137 households to maintain their existing tenancy or find a new home. In January 2022, funding for a Homeless Prevention and PlaceFinder post in Donegal was withdrawn and funding applications totalling €231,000 to maintain our early intervention and homeless prevention services appear to have been rejected by the 3 Local Authorities, and the Department.
“Given the extent of the homeless crisis, my focus all year should have been on developing new services across the region, but instead it was predominantly on securing funds to keep our services operating.
“In the context of this month’s homeless figures, the grant of €10,250 awarded to North West Simon Community by Sligo County Council is absurd. This money is supposed to meet the cost of providing resettlement and tenancy sustainment support to ten people at a time over a twelve-month period. The fact that it comes after months of intensive political lobbying with the Department, The Minister and the Tanaiste in the chamber of the Dail is quiet simply bewildering,” Mr Daly said.