Over 1,000 children under the age of eight are homeless this Christmas - study

More than 1,000 children under the age of eight are homeless this Christmas, the majority of them in Dublin, according to a study carried out by Focus Ireland.

The homeless charity has analysed the age profile of 307 families who entered emergency accommodation between March and October this year.

The preliminary report studied a sample of 630 children.

Almost two thirds of those were under the age of eight and almost 40% were aged four and younger.

Focus Ireland said if that was applied to the total number of homeless children in Ireland, it indicates 1,037 are aged eight and under. The charity said it had conducted the first analysis of the age profile of homeless children in Ireland.

The final report to be published next month will also examine the travel times between emergency accommodation and schools.

Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy Mike Allen said the findings were shocking and highlight parents with young children are much more vulnerable to homelessness than parents of older children.

“The huge number of very young children is deeply shocking,” Mr Allen said.

“We held a major international conference on family homelessness in Dublin earlier this year, and from this we expected to find a very young profile for the children in homeless families, but the huge number of very young children is deeply shocking,” he said.

“It is little over a year ago that we put the rights of children in our constitution.

“But when you think of these 1,000 very young children living in emergency accommodation at Christmas, it reminds you of how much more we have to do to make that a reality.”

Responding to the Focus Ireland report, Environment Minister Alan Kelly echoed Mr Allen’s comments, saying it was unacceptable there are 1,000 children under the age of eight who are homeless.