It's feared more children could become homeless due to the pandemic

In the last three years, four in ten state school teachers in Yorkshire and the Humber (40%) have worked at a school with children who were homeless or became homeless, a major study by Shelter and YouGov has revealed.

The charity says its findings show many teachers have first-hand knowledge of the damage done by the housing emergency to education – with it now commonplace to see children grappling with homelessness at school.

With the impact of the pandemic making housing inequalities worse, Shelter is warning that this desperate situation could worsen for the 1,140 homeless children living in Yorkshire and the Humber.

In the last three years, some of the most devastating effects seen by teachers with experience of working with homeless children or those living in bad housing include hunger, tiredness, absenteeism, and poor hygiene:

• 89% of these teachers reported children missing school as a key issue. This is often because children can face significant difficulties with their journey to school if they become homeless and are accommodated a long way from their former home.

• 90% reported children coming to school hungry. Temporary accommodation such as B&Bs and hostels are often not equipped with suitable or any cooking facilities.

• 96% reported tiredness as an issue for homeless children and those living in bad housing. In overcrowded accommodation children may struggle to sleep.

• 94% reported children arriving at school in unwashed or dirty clothing. This can be caused by a lack of proper or affordable washing facilities in temporary accommodation, as well as issues such as mould and damp in poor-quality housing.

Andrew Smith from Hull Homeless Community Project says sadly the outcome of this study doesn't come as a surprise: