'Focus must be on preventing homelessness', as number of homeless children tops 3,000 for first time

"We can only do so much…The Minister has to introduce the policies to prevent (these families) becoming homeless."

We should be focused on preventing people becoming homeless according to campaigners.

The latest figures show almost 9,000 people are in emergency accommodation around the country. More than 3,000 of these are children - the first time the figure of children has topped that number.