Almost half of teachers work with children who have experienced homelessness

22 December 2023 , 00:01

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Shelter says teachers are witnessing the 'horrors of homelessness' (Image: Getty Images)

Teachers are on the frontline of the housing emergency with almost half working with kids with experiences of homelessness, a new poll reveals.

Charity Shelter said they are witnessing the “horrors of homelessness” with kids missing days in the classroom, hunger and exhaustion.

The survey by YouGov for the charity Shelter found 49% of teachers in England's state schools say a child they teach or interact with, or attends the school they work at, were homeless or were forced to live in temporary accommodation in the last 12 months.

Of those teachers, a devastating 91% say housing-related issues are resulting in children coming into the classroom tired. A further 86% say kids had missed school due to living in bad housing or experiencing homelessness.

Shelter warns the housing crisis is "inflicting untold damage on children's education as teachers report missed school days, hunger and exhaustion".

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Shelter's Chief Executive Polly Neate said: “With 1 in 84 children homeless in England right now, the immense damage being inflicted on their education is a national scandal.

"An alarming number of teachers are bearing witness to the horrors of homelessness and bad housing that families tell our services about every day. Appalling stories of children falling asleep in class because they don’t have their own bed, and parents filled with worry because they can’t even cook a hot meal in their grim hostel without a kitchen.”

The latest statistics, published by the Government in November, showed there were 138,930 children in temporary accommodation - a form of homelessness - in England at the end of June. This is a record high since the measure was first recorded.

A Department for Levelling Up spokesman said: “All children deserve a safe and decent place to call home. Since 2010, we have delivered over 684,800 new affordable homes, including over 171,100 homes for social rent and our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme is delivering even more.

“We’re making the private rented sector fairer through the Renters Reform Bill, which includes abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions so tenants have greater security in their homes. And we’re spending £1 billion to tackle homelessness and get families into permanent accommodation.”

Shelter has urged the public to support its winter appeal to help offer advice and support to families this Christmas and in the future.

Ashley Cowburn