Focus Ireland has released a new report about family homelessness in Ireland. Based on in-depth interviews with 25 families who have exited homelessness, Finding a Home: Families’ Journeys out of Homelessness explores the long-term, negative impact of homelessness on children. Many families reported physical and mental health problems, relationship breakdowns, job losses and behavioural problems among children. Among the biggest challenges for children were lack of certainty, lack of play space, overcrowding, boredom and reduced socialisation. The report also found that families placed in social housing after homelessness recovered more quickly than those placed in the private rented sector, as the latter remained anxious about becoming homeless again.
