With Financial Support from the DAPHNE III

Programme of the European Union

2 year projectJan 2013 to Jan 2015European Partner Countries:

UK Netherlands Poland Hungary Portugal Slovenia Czech Republic Spain Romania

Project value: €1,248,000 Euros

Definition of Child: For the purposes of this study, we are using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that defines a child as "a human being below the age of 18 years.”

NB: Some of the countries who are partners in this research project have alternative domestic definitions of a child; for some this may mean that statistics which are available and which we may use, may define a child as a young person up to the age of 21. Should this be the case, this will be indicated within the research.

Definition of Homelessness: For the purposes of this study we will be using as a starting point the definition contained within Article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which asserts;

“State Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Homelessness denies each one of those rights.”

According to an Inter-NGO Program on street children and youth, a street child is;

“any girl or boy who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street (in the widest sense of the word, including unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, directed, and supervised by responsible adults.”

For the purposes of this study we shall determine that Homelessness /Houselessness /Rooflessness for children will be defined in the broadest sense according to the following definitions in order to reflect both the specific experiences of children and also the cultural dimensions and differences within partner countries in the study.

Living on the street in the widest sense including inhabiting wasteland, unoccupied dwellings, sleeping or bedded down in the open air (streets, doorways, parks, for example) using non-significant or sporadic specialized resources or housed homeless and living in the open or in non adapted accommodation.

Children who spend the majority of their time on the street or outside of the care of responsible adults.

Living in a situation where that child is inadequately protected, directed or supervised by responsible adults.

Children who run away, leave home or are thrown out, commonly referred to as ‘Runaways’: including young people who stay away from home for at least one night without the permission of their parent or carer.

A homeless child who has no home where they can be expected to live, and who may be staying with friends, in a hostel, a refuge or in a shelter or another type of ad hoc or temporary accommodation.

A street homeless child who is sleeping rough outside on the street or elsewhere in a place not designed for regular sleeping or who is living in accommodation not designed for human habitation.

Children in “roving” accommodation. Roofless according to the European ETHOS typology of “triple

exclusion” that is, social or legal or physical.

Romania – no data; discrimination within systems; increases in drug and alcohol use and smoking in young people.

Netherlands – “zwerfjongeren” refers to under 23; problems of living rather than sleeping on the street ; lack of coherent policies; links with homelessness & ADHD in boys.

Poland – no reliable data; explicit social problems & pathologies within families.

Spain – linked to poverty & the economic crisis; most institutionalised; problems of unaccompanied foreign minors, migrants and ineffective post institution resettlement.

Slovenia – no definitions or laws specific to children except for ‘parental neglect.’ Issues with Roma children.

Hungary – dictatorship; 10% live in poverty/destitution; poor knowledge; economic crisis and problems with trafficking.

Czech Republic – no data for under 18’s; repressive social measures against all street people incl. children; no professional guidelines

Portugal – Little data; lack of political will; welfare changes have hit the poorest families.

UK – 70,000 est. children in homeless households; 120,000 est. stateless children; research req. into effects of welfare regimes and effects of drugs, alcohol, trafficking & sex work.

Early onset trauma:

a) Abuse/poverty within familiesb) Institutionalisationc) Absence of role modelsd) Lack of education / lack of life skills education

UK – 36% Slovenia – 53% Hungary – 100% Poland – 50% Netherlands – 71% Spain – 6% Portugal – 45% Czech Republic – 80% Romania – 5%

22% stated that they had no help and support before ending up on the streets

19% stated that the help and support they had was poor

26% stated that the support they had was helpful

The highest levels of ‘no help and support’ was found in UK [36%], Poland [45%], Netherlands [24%], Czech Republic [30%].

[a] Sex Work (only reported in the UK)[b] Gang Membership (30% or more)[c] Committing Street Crimes [d] Having or Using Weapons on the Streets[e] Subject to Street Violence [Sexual or Otherwise] (UK & NDL score much higher)

Abuse Family Environment Early Intervention Supported Care Awareness Raising and Education Guidance and Support Poverty Reduction Attitudes and Behaviour

Being a boy

Coming from a single (mother) household / not having an appropriate role model

Truanting from school 

Having learning difficulties at school

Smoking, taking drugs and drinking

Many CRSR experience violence on the streets, but there are clear differences in this between countries (UK and NL score much higher)

On average more than 30% (and in any case considerable percentages in each country) have been in a gang whilst on the street.

The child protection system

The cumulative effect

a) Awareness raising of issues exacerbated by economic climates

b) Prevention & empowerment for diverse populations incl. stateless, immigrants, runaways or those from homeless households

c) The stable adult / role model – Netherlands “social parenting.”

d) Greater political commitment to acknowledging the links between poverty, social exclusion and resultant homelessness

Why join the Children Rough Sleepers Project Network?

Access to latest information on Children Rough Sleepers & sharing news/best practices

Access to FREE Newsletter FREE membership Access to funding information Access to FREE training/workshops Access to FREE conferences Be part of a European network of specialists, organisations &

services working together to tackle rough sleeping Be part of a ‘joined-up’ voice

Please complete your forms and hand to Paramjit Singh or Professor Kate Moss

Professor Kate Moss

Paramjit Singh

k.moss@wlv.ac.uk

P.singh6@wlv.ac.uk

With Financial Support from the

DAPHNE III Programme of the European Union