More than 2000 kids face spending Xmas homeless
THOUSANDS of children face spending Christmas homeless, in temporary accommodation, in Glasgow. The number of children living in temporary accommodation in the city has increased massively in the last decade.
And families are waiting on average more than one year before they are found somewhere permanent to live.
Information from Glasgow City Council shows there were 2374 children in temporary accommodation last month and there were 911 homeless families living in temporary accommodation in the city.
Children make up more than one third of all people living without a permanent home as there were 6136 people in total in temporary accommodation.
In 12 of the last 19 years the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation in Glasgow has increased with the overall trend being upwards.
In 2002, there were 475 children in temporary accommodation.
Last year that had increased to 2385, the second highest on record and the highest since 2008, when it was 2550.
After six years of decline, down to 1000 children in 2014, the numbers began to rise again for six years in a row.
Glasgow is responsible for one in three homeless children in Scotland, where the total is 7130.
Campaigners said more homes were required for those who need them.
Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “We need to see an end to this.
“Too many people in Scotland are being held back by the lack of a proper home that would support them to flourish.
“We’re calling for the Scottish Government to build the new social homes that Scotland needs.
“Building more quality social homes in the right places will tackle the root cause of homelessness, reduce child poverty and inequality, improve health, create jobs, help Scotland meet its climate targets and support economic growth.”
Sean Clerkin, anti-homelessness campaigner, of Scottish Tenants Association, said: “It is shameful that thousands of children are forced to live in unsuitable temporary accommodation in Glasgow which will cause damage to their physical and mental well-being.
“The Scottish Government has to prioritise in its forthcoming Budget the immediate provision of thousands of socially rented homes so that homeless families have permanent homes in Glasgow so they can live normal lives.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow’s Homeless Services said: “When families with children become homeless and require temporary accommodation we work to ensure they are accommodated in one of the 1850 temporary furnished flats we lease from the city’s housing associations.
“Through our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan we are committed to reducing the length of stay within temporary accommodation for all households.
“Despite the pressures of the public health emergency we were able to make progress on that during the latter part of 2020/ 21.
“During this period as a result of a significant increase in the number of lets provided by housing associations in the city, 872 more households were rehoused than in the previous year.
“This has led to a continued reduction in the length of stay in temporary accommodation for all households between Q4 2020/21 (118 days) and Q1 of 2021/22 (98 days).”