Housing woes affecting children
Homelessness, overcrowding and substandard housing in Cork city is adding to poor child development outcomes.
That's according to a new report that was undertaken by the Young Knocknaheeny (YK) Area Based Child programme.
The report found that 50 per cent of families in the Infant Mental Health Home Visiting Programme reported housing related issues. These issues include substandard housing conditions, homelessness, or a risk of homelessness.
Young Knocknaheeny Manager Katherine Harford said: “Between January 2018 and January 2019, a total of 60 families engaged in the YK home visiting programme and 29 of those, including 60 children, reported homelessness, overcrowding, sub-standard housing or housing-related issues.
“Because of this, much of the support provided by the home visiting programme is spent navigating, advocating and liaising for families at inter-agency level in relation to housing, welfare and health services.”
The findings also suggest that parents’ health suffers as a result of their housing situation. Fear of homelessness and overcrowding can have a traumatic effect leading to financial difficulties as well as physical and mental health issues. These effects on parental health can have a knock-on effect on children, resulting in what the report refers to as ‘toxic stress’' which can directly impact a child’s development.
This is compounded by the effects the physical environment can have on children. Ms Harford said: “The findings also show that children are experiencing health difficulties such as respiratory illness due to damp and mould in unsuitable accommodation.”
The report says that these health difficulties interrupt school attendance, and disrupt children’s ability to engage fully in education. Long commutes, lack of quality sleep, and poor nutrition can also contribute.
According to Ms Harford, the report recommends that high quality home building, community design, and supports are crucial. She continued: “Having the security of a home within vulnerable communities is fundamental for child and family programmes to be able to intervene and best improve the parent-infant relationship and child development outcomes.”
Chairperson of Young Knocknaheeny Interagency Consortium Group, Senator Colette Kelleher believes that the response to these issues will require supporting services on a local level.
Senator Kelleher said: “We need to support these everyday services by providing them with the right information and personnel with the knowledge to help all involved to navigate the complex and traumatic situations.
“Equally, this report highlights the need for wider collaboration and partnership working across servicers. Collaboration, both locally and nationally, will allow services, statutory, community and voluntary alike, to do their work usefully.”
For further info, and to view the report, visit youngknocknaheeny.ie.