Immediate measures needed to mitigate impact of Homelessness on Children

A call has been made for an urgent and dramatic response to address family homelessness – similar to emergency measures taken during the Covid pandemic.

Speaking at a special event on understanding and responding to Family Homelessness in Dublin (6/3/25), Child and Family support organisation Treoir called for an immediate and whole of government response to family homelessness.

CEO Damien Peelo said: “A set of short, medium and long term solutions such as rent freezes, no evictions, more aggressive State purchase of private homes and wrap around supports for families threatened by homelessness are warranted.”

Latest figures from the Department of Housing (to the end of January 2025) show that there were 2,164 families accessing emergency accommodation, including 4603 children, with 57% of these families headed by one parent.

In 2024 Treoir received more than 4,000 callers to its information line who were in emergency accommodation or insecure housing.

Mr Peelo said: “We are hearing from an increasing number of families who are trying to navigate the family justice system while accessing emergency accommodation or living in insecure accommodation.

“This has been a growing trend since we started recording accommodation status in 2019. CSO figures demonstrate that the crisis for families and children is deepening despite Government's awareness of the issue.

“Homelessness and insecure accommodation must be addressed urgently because of the serious impact it has on family life in including:

• Children's development is affected both physical and emotional
• Impact on children’s education, ability to attend school, space for studying and doing homework, long term impact on educational attainment which can have an impact on further education and income generation
• Homelessness is a barrier to shared parenting, with parents who live in emergency accommodation unable to provide a safe place for access and custody
• Access to childcare is impacted if emergency accommodation is outside of catchment area
• Difficulties for maintaining employment.”

Today’s Family Homelessness event brought together lived experience and national experts to present the latest data, the issues affecting families and to discuss responses. This included presentations and a panel discussion involving: a lived experience story, Treoir, Focus Ireland, Safe Ireland, The Children’s Right’s Alliance, SVP and researchers.

Damien Peelo also highlighted the reasons for homelessness as complex, intersectional and multifaceted including:

• Relationship breakdown – many families remain living together as there is no alternative accommodation unless they move to emergency accommodation.
• Domestic violence
• Over reliance on the private rental sector
• Lack of affordable housing and or social housing
• Government building targets not being met
• Low income families and access to credit and mortgages
• Lone Parents are disproportionately in homeless services.

Further Information

Ronan Cavanagh, Cavanagh Communications: (086) 317 9731.

Treoir

Treoir is the National Information Service for unmarried parents and their children providing clear and up-to-date information free of charge to parents who are not married to each other and to those involved with them. www.treoir.ie