Homeless ChildrenHomeless Children

Sara WillcoxSara WillcoxKaty MiltonKaty Milton

Jasmin BeckerJasmin BeckerEmma DahlqvistEmma Dahlqvist

Ana FreitasAna Freitas

Children Under 18.Children Under 18.

We all agree that homeless children We all agree that homeless children do not have a ‘HOME’ in the do not have a ‘HOME’ in the traditional sense in society.traditional sense in society.

DefinitionDefinition

SwedenSweden

Not having a permanent home.Not having a permanent home. Not be able to create social relations.Not be able to create social relations. No figures.No figures.

PortugalPortugal

Homeless children are connected Homeless children are connected with the concept of street children with the concept of street children and, like and, like SwedenSweden, homeless families., homeless families.

Mainly found in the capital city, Mainly found in the capital city, Lisbon.Lisbon.

Connected with migration.Connected with migration.

GermanyGermany

Street children are those who are homelessStreet children are those who are homeless The official definition: Street children are The official definition: Street children are

all those under 18 who are absent from all those under 18 who are absent from their home without official permission of their home without official permission of their parents for an unknown time.their parents for an unknown time.

Teenagers who spend all their time on the Teenagers who spend all their time on the streets but still sleep at home do not streets but still sleep at home do not belong to this group.belong to this group.

Children who run away only for a few days Children who run away only for a few days and then return home do not belong to this and then return home do not belong to this group.group.

EnglandEngland

Homeless children are all those who Homeless children are all those who run away or are thrown out of home run away or are thrown out of home or care - this tends to include those or care - this tends to include those who stay away for one night.who stay away for one night.

statisticsstatisticscountrycountry Total populationTotal population

(in million)(in million)Number of Number of homeless homeless childrenchildren

SwedenSweden 10 10 No figures of No figures of children on their children on their ownown

PortugalPortugal 10.410.4 2500 to 50002500 to 5000

(includes street (includes street children)children)

GermanyGermany 8282 1500 to 2500 1500 to 2500

(every year)(every year)

The UKThe UK 6060 about 100.000about 100.000

(= total number of (= total number of runaways every runaways every year)year)

Reasons for child-Reasons for child-homelessnesshomelessness

Reasons everywhere:Reasons everywhere:- poor relationships, boundaries issuespoor relationships, boundaries issues- rejection and feeling pushed outrejection and feeling pushed out- split family issuessplit family issues- violence and abuse, negliganceviolence and abuse, negligance- being in troublebeing in trouble

Reasons in certain countries:Reasons in certain countries:- school issues (the UK, Portugal)school issues (the UK, Portugal)- whole family is homeless (Sweden, Portugal)whole family is homeless (Sweden, Portugal)- leaving care/ abuse in care homes (the UK)leaving care/ abuse in care homes (the UK)- gambling parents (Sweden)gambling parents (Sweden)- unaccompanied young migrants (the UK)unaccompanied young migrants (the UK)

Problems which homeless Problems which homeless children have:children have:

poor healthpoor health danger of getting in contact with prostitution, danger of getting in contact with prostitution,

drugs, violence, abuse…drugs, violence, abuse… don’t go to schooldon’t go to school missing chances and opportunities for future lifemissing chances and opportunities for future life lack of securitylack of security being marginalizedbeing marginalized lack of social skillslack of social skills hunger, thirst, not enough sleep, coldhunger, thirst, not enough sleep, cold danger of criminal behaviour to earn moneydanger of criminal behaviour to earn money

A project for homeless children in Germany:A project for homeless children in Germany:

Situation of street children:Situation of street children:

- live mostly in big cities, - live mostly in big cities, anonymous, are mobileanonymous, are mobile

- expect normality, look expect normality, look for safety, hope to go to for safety, hope to go to school, do an school, do an apprenticeship, get flat apprenticeship, get flat and workand work

- are on street because of are on street because of lack on alternatives and lack on alternatives and desperationdesperation

- wish to get away from wish to get away from streetstreet

project of “Offroadkids”:project of “Offroadkids”:

- Cross-regional street Cross-regional street workwork

- centres in Berlin, centres in Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund and Hamburg, Dortmund and CologneCologne

- have a free emergency have a free emergency and contact phone and a and contact phone and a own care home for own care home for teenagersteenagers

- want to give case want to give case concentrated help (over concentrated help (over local)local)

- concentrate on - concentrate on developing perspectives developing perspectives together with the together with the children on the streetschildren on the streets

Social answers in PortugalSocial answers in PortugalHomeless children Homeless children

Social services are informedSocial services are informed

Family No family Family No family

Know and analyse go to care homeKnow and analyse go to care home

Stay with family go to care homeStay with family go to care home

Social answers in PortugalSocial answers in PortugalHomeless families Homeless families

Non governmental Institutions Social Non governmental Institutions Social Services Services

Albergues Nocturnos do PortoAlbergues Nocturnos do Porto

Space for families Search for Social responses Space for families Search for Social responses

Respect for the families Respect for the families

England - CentrepointEngland - Centrepoint

National CharityNational Charity Aim: to improve the lives of socially Aim: to improve the lives of socially

excluded young homeless peopleexcluded young homeless people How? Accomodation based services, How? Accomodation based services,

counselling, education, multi-agency counselling, education, multi-agency partnerships, development of local and partnerships, development of local and government policygovernment policy

Specialist programmes include prevention Specialist programmes include prevention of homelessness and ‘Resilience’ building. of homelessness and ‘Resilience’ building.

Anti-oppressive practice?Anti-oppressive practice?

SwedenSweden

Sweden are not supposed to have any Sweden are not supposed to have any homeless childrenhomeless children

Report to social servicesReport to social services There is a big question mark over the There is a big question mark over the

number of homeless childrennumber of homeless children Falling through the safety netFalling through the safety net The problem is now being acknowledgedThe problem is now being acknowledged Solutions are being discussed Solutions are being discussed

Comparative Analysis – DiscussionComparative Analysis – Discussion

Commonalities and differences: Commonalities and differences:

- - Social services are responsible for young homeless Social services are responsible for young homeless people but how they deal with them variespeople but how they deal with them varies- The concept of young homeless people varies across The concept of young homeless people varies across countries but with some it is connected with the concept countries but with some it is connected with the concept of street children. of street children. - In all countries poverty is a consequence of In all countries poverty is a consequence of homelessness, in some it is also a reason.homelessness, in some it is also a reason.

- There are various common reasons for homelessness - There are various common reasons for homelessness but some countries have their own specific reasonsbut some countries have their own specific reasons

- Different visions of the problem create different forms of - Different visions of the problem create different forms of intervention.intervention.

Questions for discussion:

Should those working with homeless children engage with them on the street to build a relationship or is it better to get them off the street and work with them in a safe place?

What is the philosophy/attitude of organisations working with young homeless in your countries? Is there an antioppresive approach?