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Original poster

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

61 replies

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 23/07/2019 09:41

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 Sad 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 AngrySad

OP posts:
NoBaggyPants · 23/07/2019 17:10

It’s little to do with cuts.

Then why has it got so much worse in the past eight years, when immigration from the EU (and the EU8) countries has consistently fallen?

formerbabe · 23/07/2019 17:11

And yes, I'm aware that when it's teenagers, it's more likely that they may be on the streets but the op was describing a ten year old boy.

NoBaggyPants · 23/07/2019 17:12

It's about child trafficking/exploitation/abuse.

How are so many cases being missed? Nothing to do with all the cuts to the police and social work budgets?

EverybodysTalkingAtMe · 23/07/2019 17:14

Just a point - there is no such thing as a child prostitute.

There are children trafficked in the sex trade, there are abused children, there are tragically many disappeared children across the world because of men's appetite for non consensual sex.

But a child cannot by law (or any moral code) be classified as a sex worker.

slipperywhensparticus · 23/07/2019 17:14

The cases arntbeing missed they are being prioritised...

formerbabe · 23/07/2019 17:15

Then why has it got so much worse in the past eight years, when immigration from the EU (and the EU8) countries has consistently fallen?

I don't get your point...all these young children sleeping rough on the streets? Are you saying they're from other EU countries or they're British kids?

Patroclus · 23/07/2019 17:21

Homelessness has got much, much worse in the last 8 years due to this government's policies. Thats a fact.

formerbabe · 23/07/2019 17:24

Homelessness has got much, much worse in the last 8 years due to this government's policies. Thats a fact

Yes..it's true. However, I still stand by my point that babies, toddlers and primary aged children are not sleeping on the pavements in the UK because councils have turned them away. If they were presented to the nearest council, they would be housed with or without their parents.

SaveKevin · 23/07/2019 17:26

Yes we do have children sleeping rough. Our awful winter a few years ago, there were families sleeping in the car park near me. There were homeless people dying from the cold, homeless men being admitted to hospital with frostbite. And children sleeping on concrete.
It’s haunted me ever since.

This country is a fucking disgrace.

Squeezedout · 23/07/2019 17:26

I used to work in homeless prevention and can tell you that categorically no child under the age of 16 will sleep rough in the UK unless their parents are flying under the radar and have not approached anyone for help.

Agree, there’s a huge issue with housing but what you saw is not down to the help not being available. (For the child atleast)

Paramicha · 23/07/2019 17:27

Maybe Roma, most prefer to be outside given the choice. As long as they are warm in winter no problem, we are too soft.

formerbabe · 23/07/2019 17:28

I used to work in homeless prevention and can tell you that categorically no child under the age of 16 will sleep rough in the UK unless their parents are flying under the radar and have not approached anyone for help

Absolutely

Paramicha · 23/07/2019 17:31

Pics

Can you point me towards info on Romany children in the sex trade.
It's just that we tend to look after our dc not sell them for sex.

SaveKevin · 23/07/2019 17:32

@Patroclus
I was listening to something on radio 4 about 4/5 years ago about there not being enough rooms for homeless 16-24 year olds. So this particular charity in one area were giving them tents and telling them which bridge to sleep under (so the charity could find them again).

Again this country is a fucking disgrace.

SaveKevin · 23/07/2019 17:35

I get what your saying about flying under the radar and if they aren’t here legally etc your not going to approach councils for help.

However, if I know there’s kids sleeping there, hospitals know, police and security know. Enough people know to change that.

PetrolBastard · 23/07/2019 17:35

It's obvious that homeless people are being neglected terribly. Only a couple of weeks ago, I spent a couple of hours in the street with someone who was homeless and passed out in a dangerous location. Police and paramedics refused to help him. People completely lose hope of getting into a better position and just give up.

Paramicha · 23/07/2019 17:43

Sorry pics not a challenge, I don't disbelieve but obviously interested.
Many thanks Thanks

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 23/07/2019 17:53

This is becoming more common than you would think.
If the family are EEA citizens then they would only be able to access benefits and housing if they can show they have a "Right to Reside" in the UK and are "exercising treaty rights".
This might be as a worker/self employed person or a dependant family member. Being a jobseeker is not considered a sufficient "right to reside".
See this info from Shelter.
The rules are strict and not well understood by either claimants or authorities.
I often see people who have been refused help on the lazy assumption that if a person doesn't have a current employment contract they don't have a Right to Reside. (This is untrue. You might, for example, retain worker status during a temporary period of unemployment or ill health).
I would guess that the family you saw would be in this sort of situation.
As pp have said: the buck stops with social services. They have a duty to house destitute children and most local authorities will do this by providing a BB room for the child and their parents.
However: as this costs money, they are really, really loathed to do it. A lot of council's will initially refuse to help. Often it takes a lot of pushing or possibly a judicial review to get them to take it seriously. Sometimes councils will initially tell parents that they can only help by taking the children into care. (they don't often follow through as this is far more expensive that the B&B but parents understandably don't want to take the risk.)
The best thing you could do for this family would be to give them the details of a local law centre. It may be that they never take this up, however. Some communities have a very strong (and often justified) distrust of authorities and are simply not up for the kind of protracted battle through red tape that would be required to access their rights.

Gingerkittykat · 23/07/2019 17:55

I saw a man with no legs in a wheelchair begging in my small town in central Scotland last week, and another man in Edinburgh who was obviously mentally ill in rags. There's a young girl, doesn't look more than 18 with scabs on her face too, possibly meth. She doesn't look like she is out of her teens and something has obviously gone very wrong somewhere for her to end up in such a mess.

Street homelessness was never seen in my area until a few years ago. It was common in big cities, but is definitely worse now.

I have also seen professional beggars though, what appears to be Roma women with professionally printed signs telling people about the 6 hungry kids they have.

Gingerkittykat · 23/07/2019 17:58

streetlink

A place for people to phone to put homeless people in touch with local services in England and Wales.

PerfectPenquins · 23/07/2019 18:04

It's nice to see people so naive to think there are not primary aged children sleeping rough. It's easy to get out of most group homes, sometimes if you've been moved around a bit the staff don't actually know your name or your risk factors and history.

HappyNOTdriving · 23/07/2019 18:15

No one is saying that there are no children sleeping on the streets because this thread on its own with no other evidence shows that is happening but what people are saying is that while there are many many issues that desperately need rectified young homeless children isn't one because if those children were presented to a council or ss or police or any other government body, nhs school etc office they would be accommodated that very same day!

If the system knows about them they absolutely would not ever be turned away.

The children that are on the streets are there because officials don't know about them.

HappyNOTdriving · 23/07/2019 18:17

I'm obviously not talking about teenagers onwards. They are the stuck in the middle statistic.

I was a homeless teen so know all about that!

Paramicha · 23/07/2019 18:25

Aw, you are referring to Roma from eastern europe, Phew. Awful to be happening of course, and it will be interesting to see what happens post brexit because atm under EU laws Roma are a protected race (although, not a race) but often used as such for rights.

Romany and Roma aren't necessarily the same.
There are thousands of Romany living in this country either on sites or their own homes, or part home/travel like I do.

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