You think homelessness is bad, and then you see a street homeless child in the park

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

On my way back from walking DDog last night in the park, just as we were leaving at dusk I saw a boy of about 10-12 enter the park and then approach a family camping in the park and sit down with them - presumably it was his own family.

It's a city centre park, and we have a big problem with homelessness in this city, most of whom stay in tents. They definitely weren't there for fun It was never this bad before the cuts.

I rang 101 to report it as a safeguarding concern, but as I was fairly sure the boy wasn't being held there against his will they wouldn't even do a welfare check. Apparently they'll pass the info onto the council (homeless outreach / social services). They'll probably be camping elsewhere before the council gets to them.

I hope he's OK. It says something about this country when we can't even ensure pre-teen children have a roof over their heads

The situation you saw is not good but the reasons behind it could be very complex and not straightforward. We have plenty of housing in this city but there's a persistent group of a couple of dozen who prefer to camp because they refuse to pay rent, the police are at a loss what to do too. Actually in decent weather a good tent on a site with amenities could be better than a lot of temporary housing, but in a random park is not appropriate.

Are you in the UK?

Sorry but 10 year d children don't sleep rough in the UK.

Even if the council refuse to house the family, they would have to house the child.

They may have to house the child - doesn't mean his parents are accessing that !

formerbabe You are so very wrong. That's not how that works.

there's a persistent group of a couple of dozen who prefer to camp because they refuse to pay rent, the police are at a loss what to do too

With adults presumably. The police and council would not be at a loss to do with a child. The child would surely be removed and placed in foster care if they could not be housed with their family.

@differentnameforthis

Then if they have no obligation to house the parents, then surely the child would be removed to foster care?

What LaurieFairyCake said .

To have the child homed , for their good, has to go via Social Services and if Mum or Dad have not asked for help , none will be forthcoming there. As OP points out , they may actually be on the move nightly as well. Tough one.

Yes, I'm in the UK, in one of the big cities.

I'm fairly certain that there was a 10-12 year old boy sleeping rough last night. I presume social services were not aware as I presume that they would have to take him into foster care in such circumstances and / or find the family emergency housing to keep him with the family.

Judging by the apparent level of English (the boy stopped to stroke my dog on his way to the tent), I think they may be recently arrived from Eastern Europe, and hence not know how to access help.

It's not right that a child (or anyone for that matter) should be sleeping rough, but more than that I dread to think what he's being exposed to - I've found used needles in that park, seen more than a few spice zombies and others who clearly have substance misuse problems.

It says something about this country when we can't even ensure pre-teen children have a roof over their heads

I can't see how it says anything about the state of the country in light of your update. So, a family arrive from another country with children, don't make themselves known to the authorities and sleep in a park...the parents are completely irresponsible and at fault. I have no doubt that if the authorities knew, something would be done to house the child at the very least.

I’ve contacted the police numerous times about this in London as they often use the children or a baby to beg.

I’ve been told every single time that they know exactly who I’m talking about and that they have flats, one family had a flat in Soutth Kensington but they set up camp in order to beg as it is a highly profitable business for Eastern European’s.

You have to be careful as I have taken them food or offered to buy the women and children take away food but the paymasters will become very aggressive and demand money. Which of course I do not give.

How is this our country at fault? What a ridiculous post.

@Fibbke successive governments from both parties have not successfully tackled the problem.

@Fibbke successive governments from both parties have not successfully tackled the problem

What specific problem are you talking about?

Yes, we have a housing crisis but primary aged children do not sleep rough in the UK.

If they do, it's because they are flying beneath the radar of the authorities.

If they do, it's because they are flying beneath the radar of the authorities.

I agree

Are you in Manchester op ? Are these people begging ?

It's really tough. A baby died in my city a few years back - the parents were homeless and had been sleeping rough on one of the coldest nights of the year. They had hidden the fact that they were homeless though.

Sorry but 10 year d children don't sleep rough in the UK

That's naive.
There are street child prostitutes (as in, 4, 5, 6 year olds) being openly bought and sold on certain streets in the UK (a simple google will verify that), of course there are homeless kids that aren't dealt with. The authorities literally aren't even dealing with the sex trade in small Romany children.

It’s little to do with cuts. Unfortunately this is very common. The families are being controlled by gangmasters who don’t want or allow them to be housed - because then there goes their income stream. They are bought passports and travel tickets and told where to go when they arrive here. They are invariably completely unskilled and speak little to no English and are thus unemployable by anyone but the gangmasters who arrange for them to come here.

What we need told doing is preventing these vulnerable people with no employment prospects from being brought into the UK - mostly from Romania and Bulgaria - in the first place. Except we can’t do that.

@PicsInRed

But those people are operating illegally and presumably hiding from the authorities.

If you turned up at any council offices with a young child and nowhere to sleep that night, I can pretty much guarantee they will find somewhere for that child to sleep...even if they have to be separated from their parents and put in foster care.

The issues you are talking about are very specific and are about child abuse and exploitation rather than the housing crisis.

Are you in Manchester op ? Are these people begging?

Not Manchester.

They certainly weren't begging while I was there, and I would have remembered seeing a child beggar (and reported it) if I had seen them before.

Some people really dont have a blooody clue. Heads stuck up a combination of their ase, Love Island and their supposedly 'high powered job'

My mate had to sleep in a tent for 4 months waiting for house. Oh and hes one of those dreadful foreigeners.

Im sure that prick and his shitty Wodehouse act whos been put in charge will sort this out.

17 year homeless mentally ill children given tents to sleep in. Oh but he probably has a phone doesnt he etc.

inews.co.uk/news/uk/cornwall-council-homeless-boy-tent-sexual-assault-mental-health/

Some people really dont have a blooody clue. Heads stuck up a combination of their ase, Love Island and their supposedly 'high powered job

What are you on about? If there are small children sleeping rough on the streets in the UK, that is nothing to do with the housing crisis or government cuts. It's about child trafficking/exploitation/abuse. If they were taken to their nearest council offices, they would find them accommodation. Not saying it would be perfect or lovely.. it may be in a shitty b & b or even foster care, but they would not be sleeping on the pavement.