Housing Crisis And Stress - a Toxic Combination

The Housing Crisis And Stress - a Toxic Combination for Canterbury Children

Cantabrians should be extremely concerned about the effect of severe housing pressures on children and their families.

A British longitudinal study looking into the effects of homelessness on children found increased risk of: “delayed development; learning difficulties; social and mental health problems such as sleep disturbances, eating problems, anti-social behaviours; and emotional problems including depression, anxiety and self-harm (Vostanis, Grattan and Cumella as cited in Chung, Kennedy, O’Brien, Wendt, 2000).”

As reported by the Press, the total number of children staying in Cholmondeley Children’s Home has skyrocketed by 41% since 2010 and first time stays have increased by 74%.

“This is a very sad indicator of our community’s ability to meet the basic needs of children” says Jackie Moore Housing Spokesperson for the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration and Operations Manager at Pathways Trust.

“Homelessness is a continuum rather than a black and white line that families or individuals cross. Research suggests that people usually move through a continuum of homelessness:

• Tertiary Homelessness –which is boarding house or bedsit type housing;

• Secondary Homelessness – those moving between friends and family or
shelters;

• And finally, Primary Homelessness – people who literally have no roof over
their head.

This is exactly what we are seeing in Canterbury right now, many of these children are currently experiencing tertiary or even secondary homelessness.”

“In the family violence sector we are really worried about what this says about the safety of our children, and the long term consequences of the housing related stress they are under” says Moore.

Eve Lafferty another Spokesperson for the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration and Service Manager at Barnardos agrees, “inadequate or even non-existent housing is a constant theme among the children and families that Barnardos supports here in Canterbury.”

“We know that the stress of poor housing or homelessness is absolutely toxic for children. It’s basic really, it’s Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, if children do not have a safe place to live and are cared for by adults who are at each other’s throats due to stress, they cannot thrive. They cannot be expected to learn, develop and enjoy their lives.”

“We are letting our children down. We must look at how we can improve the supply of housing in Canterbury in both the public and low cost private markets” says Lafferty.

“Some gains are being made, says Moore “ComCare & Vision West recently won a tender from MSD to provide emergency short-term accommodation for people with extraordinary housing needs. This will provide 8 weeks of temporary housing for 20 families & vulnerable individuals, equating to 120 families & vulnerable individuals per year – a well needed resources for the next 18 months – 2 years.”

This is exactly what we need more of and not just from Government, from all sectors” says Moore. “Let’s rally around our vulnerable children, families and vulnerable adults to find solutions. We need to prevent this damage to our children because it is so hard to repair.”

ENDS

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