In my school, we always remember the children for whom the holidays, including the Christmas holidays, are not necessarily joyful. Where they are not necessarily running for the gate at the end of the week, looking forward to all that the holiday season has to offer.

Every night in England, thousands of children go to sleep in temporary accommodation, B&Bs, or hostels. Others have no fixed address at all. This is not a problem confined to history books or developing nations—it is happening here, now, in one of the world’s wealthiest countries.

The impact of homelessness on children extends far beyond the immediate crisis of not having a stable roof overhead. It reaches into every aspect of their development, education, health, and future prospects. As educators, policymakers, and citizens, we cannot afford to look away.

The Scale of the Problem

The statistics are stark. According to Shelter’s most recent analysis, approximately 145,000 children in England are currently homeless—living in temporary accommodation arranged by local councils or in situations that would be classified as hidden homelessness (Shelter, 2023). This represents a significant increase over the past decade, driven by rising housing costs, welfare reforms, and a shortage of social housing (Fitzpatrick et al., 2021).

Behind these numbers are individual children whose childhoods are being stolen by circumstances beyond their control. They are the pupils in our classrooms who arrive tired, anxious, and unable to concentrate. They are the families moving from one temporary placement to another, unable to put down roots or build community connections.

Educational Devastation

The educational impact of homelessness on children is particularly severe and well-documented. Children in temporary accommodation face multiple barriers to learning:

Frequent school moves: Families in temporary accommodation are often placed far from their home areas, requiring children to change schools repeatedly. Each move disrupts learning, severs friendships, and requires adaptation to new teaching styles and curricula. Cutuli et al. (2013) found that children experiencing homelessness who changed schools frequently demonstrated significantly lower reading and mathematics achievement compared to their stably housed peers. The Department for Education (2022) reported that children in temporary accommodation are three times more likely to change schools than other children, with each move associated with four months of lost learning progress.

Lack of space and resources: Temporary accommodation rarely provides adequate space for homework or quiet study. Families may be confined to a single room, making concentration impossible. Research by Harker (2006) demonstrated that 85% of homeless families in temporary accommodation lacked adequate space for children to complete homework. There’s nowhere to store books or equipment, and often no internet access for online learning—a critical disadvantage highlighted during the pandemic (Cullinane & Montacute, 2020).

Chronic absenteeism: The instability of homelessness contributes to poor school attendance. Children may miss school during moves, lack clean uniforms, or struggle with the transport logistics when placed far from their school. Shelter (2018) found that children in temporary accommodation miss an average of 55 school days per year compared to 10 days for their housed peers. The exhaustion and stress of their living situation also contribute to absence.

Psychological barriers: The shame and stigma of homelessness can be overwhelming. Children may withdraw from school activities, avoid forming friendships, and struggle to engage with learning when preoccupied by their home situation (Buckner, 2008).

The attainment gap between homeless children and their housed peers is substantial and widens over time. Obradović et al. (2009) found that by secondary school, many homeless children have fallen several years behind, severely limiting their future opportunities. Research by the Centre for Social Justice (2020) indicated that only 15% of children who experienced homelessness during their GCSEs achieved five good passes, compared to 58% of all pupils.

Health Consequences

The health impacts of homelessness on children are both immediate and long-lasting. Poor-quality temporary accommodation is often affected by damp, mould, and overcrowding, which contribute to respiratory problems, infections, and chronic illnesses. Harker (2006) found that children in temporary accommodation have significantly higher rates of asthma, skin conditions, and gastrointestinal problems, with admission rates to hospital 50% higher than for other children.

Mental health outcomes are particularly concerning. Vostanis (2002) documented that children experiencing homelessness show elevated rates of anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties, and trauma symptoms, with prevalence rates three to four times higher than in the general child population. The constant stress and uncertainty take a profound psychological toll. Buckner (2008) found that nearly half of homeless children exhibited clinical levels of anxiety, compared to 18% in low-income housed children.

Sleep disturbance is common, affecting both physical health and cognitive development (Buckner et al., 1999). Access to healthcare itself becomes problematic. Frequent moves make continuity of care difficult. Immunisation schedules are disrupted, chronic conditions go unmanaged, and developmental concerns may not be identified or addressed (Homeless Link, 2014). Parents, themselves under enormous stress, struggle to navigate healthcare systems whilst dealing with the daily crisis of homelessness.

Developmental and Social Impact

The effects of homelessness ripple through every aspect of child development. Young children may experience delays in language, motor skills, and social development (Bassuk et al., 1997). The lack of safe, stimulating environments and the stress experienced by their parents affects crucial early years development. Cutuli et al. (2013) found that homeless preschool children scored significantly lower on measures of cognitive ability, language development, and social-emotional functioning compared to housed children from similar economic backgrounds.

Social isolation is common. Children in temporary accommodation often lack space to play or invite friends home. The stigma of homelessness and frequent moves prevent the formation of stable friendships (Moore, 2007). Participation in extracurricular activities becomes impossible due to cost, transport difficulties, or lack of parental capacity.

The trauma of homelessness can affect attachment relationships and family dynamics. Parents, dealing with their own stress and shame, may struggle to provide the emotional support and consistency children need (Gewirtz et al., 2008). This can have lasting effects on children’s capacity to form relationships and regulate emotions.

The Poverty Trap

Homelessness both results from and perpetuates poverty. Families lose possessions during moves, face additional costs for temporary accommodation, and find it difficult to maintain employment (Shelter, 2019). Children miss out on normal childhood experiences—birthday parties, school trips, new clothes—deepening their sense of exclusion.

The economic consequences extend into adulthood. Zlotnick et al. (2012) found that children who experience homelessness have lower lifetime earnings, poorer employment prospects, and are themselves at higher risk of homelessness. The cycle perpetuates across generations unless actively broken. The Institute for Public Policy Research (2018) estimated that childhood homelessness costs the UK economy approximately £370 million annually through reduced educational attainment, increased healthcare costs, and long-term welfare dependency.

What Schools Can Do

Schools are often the one constant in homeless children’s chaotic lives. They can provide stability, support, and advocacy (Anooshian, 2005):

• Designated staff: Appoint a homelessness lead who understands the issues and can coordinate support across the school. The Children’s Society (2019) found that schools with designated homelessness leads were significantly more effective at supporting affected pupils.
• Practical assistance: Provide breakfast clubs, after-school study spaces, uniforms, and equipment. Remove financial barriers to participation in trips and activities (Power et al., 2014).
• Trauma-informed practice: Recognise that challenging behaviour may reflect underlying trauma. Provide emotional support and access to counselling services (Cole et al., 2005).
• Advocacy: Work with local authorities to minimise school moves. Prioritise school place stability when families are rehoused (Department for Education, 2022).
• Discretion and dignity: Ensure support is offered sensitively, protecting children’s privacy and dignity (Moore, 2007).

Policy Responses Needed

Whilst schools can mitigate some impacts, addressing child homelessness requires systemic change:

• Increased social housing: England needs a substantial programme of social house building to address the fundamental shortage of affordable homes. The National Housing Federation (2019) calculated that England requires 145,000 new affordable homes annually, yet only 57,000 were delivered in 2022.
• Welfare reform:Housing benefit levels must reflect actual housing costs. The benefit cap and two-child limit particularly affect families at risk of homelessness (Fitzpatrick et al., 2021). Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2021) found that the freeze in Local Housing Allowance rates has pushed an additional 500,000 families into poverty.
• Prevention:Early intervention programmes can help families at risk avoid homelessness. This is both more humane and more cost-effective than managing crisis situations (Crisis, 2018).
• Temporary accommodation standards:The quality of temporary accommodation must be regulated and enforced. Single-room placements for families with children should be prohibited except in genuine emergencies (Local Government Association, 2017).
• Priority need: All families with children should be automatically classified as priority need for housing assistance (Watts et al., 2018).

A Moral Imperative

Child homelessness in England represents a profound failure of our social contract. We have allowed housing to become unaffordable, social housing stock to decline, and welfare support to erode to the point where thousands of children lack stable homes (Stephens et al., 2018).

The consequences extend far beyond housing policy. We are damaging children’s education, health, and development at crucial stages. We are creating a generation scarred by insecurity and stress. The economic costs alone—in healthcare, educational support, and lost productivity—vastly exceed the investment needed to prevent homelessness (Bramley et al., 2015).

More fundamentally, this is a question of what kind of society we wish to be. Do we accept that children should suffer through no fault of their own? That their life chances should be so profoundly limited by circumstances beyond their control?

As educators, we see daily the impact on individual children. We know their potential, their aspirations, their essential humanity. We see what they could achieve given stability and support. We also see what homelessness steals from them.

The solutions exist. What’s required is political will and societal commitment to prioritise children’s wellbeing over other considerations. Every child deserves a stable home, a quality education, and the opportunity to flourish. In my school, the vast majority of our students will, indeed, be running for the gate on Friday, excited at what the two weeks hold. But, all of them?

Homelessness is by no means the single threat to children’s flourishing, but it matters. Until we ensure this for all children, we are failing in our most basic duty to the next generation.

The question is not whether we can afford to address child homelessness—it is whether we can afford not to.

References

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