One in seven who access homeless services are children

It has emerged that one in seven people who access homeless services in Ireland are children.

Today is International Day for Street Children and there are more than 800 young people under the age of 25 living on the streets in Ireland.

Focus Ireland, which offers support services to homeless people, is calling on the Government to establish better aftercare services for young adults who have been in State care from a young age.

"There's about 6,000 children in Ireland in the care of the State," said Focus Ireland CEO Joyce Loughnan.

"Once a child reaches 18 they're expected to be self-sufficient , whereas without the supports and without a family network to draw on, they're very vulnerable and very often young people become homeless after they leave the care of the State.

"So we've been advocating for the State to make available after-care support for those young adults."