The Government's proposed package of support for young people at risk of homelessness should include long term housing solutions, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF).
Ruth Kelly is announcing a national network of supported lodging schemes for young people, including access to mediation services to help them return to their family home. The Federation, representing England's housing associations, believes this will be a great help for many young people. But thousands of other young people fleeing violence or abuse are unable to return to the family home because their personal safety would be at risk; for them, mediation is not an option - they need affordable, decent accommodation.
Fahmeeda Gill, policy leader for supported housing and care at the NHF, said: "Supported lodging with mediation is great for the young people who are able to benefit from it. But for many young people, family breakdown is irreconcilable - especially when they have suffered violence or abuse. We need more hostels to provide refuge for young people who find themselves on the streets, and we are glad to see Ruth Kelly's commitment to providing them. But we also need better move-on accommodation. These young people don't want to end up in a B&B, they want a decent affordable home, and these are in increasingly short supply. Ruth Kelly has made a positive step towards preventing youth homelessness today. We'd like to see it complemented by other agencies, such as the Youth Justice Board and Supporting People administering authorities, to put together a truly comprehensive package of support for young people. We also need to see a wider commitment from the Government to ending the country's acute affordable housing shortage in next year's Comprehensive Spending Review."
