Shelter’s blueprint to end
child homelessness
We have campaigned for more than 40 years for a decent home for all. We work closely with the governments of England and Scotland, which have now made a serious commitment to cut the numbers of children in temporary accommodation across the UK.
This is real progress. But still, tens of thousands of very vulnerable children will spend their childhoods without a home.
We must tackle this sheer waste of children’s lives.
That is why we have created Keys to the Future. In Spring 2007, we began to establish six ground-level projects to support vulnerable homeless children and prevent youth homelessness. Keys to the Future has already reached more than 3,700 children, young people and their families.
Creating lasting change
These projects are pioneering solutions for the Government to prevent child homelessness and tackle its worst effects. They coordinate with a programme of national action to create lasting change.
Our dedicated legal and policy teams campaign for improvements for children and young people to be fixed permanently in law, policy and practice. Our national telephone advice service provides free advice and information to professionals in Children's Centres working with families who are experiencing housing problems and have children under the age of 5.
Keys to the Future will leave a legacy of lasting change: a fairer legal framework and permanent improvements to the way children are treated and supported.
Through Keys to the Future we will create a real future for generations of children to come.
The British Medical Association warns that long-term homelessness is as damaging to health as smoking.
Compared to their peers, homeless children have six times as many speech and stammering problems.
- Keys to the Future is a Shelter project. Visit the Shelter website.