Homeless charities mark World Children's Day as they reveal hundreds helped during pandemic

Cork Outreach staff doing the street run to the homeless people in Cork recently.

The homeless charity Depaul has helped 616 children during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Marking World Children's Day, the cross-border organsiation said it had assisted 399 families, including children, living in direct provision – children been accommodated in hotels and through their accommodation based services.

Last year, Depaul had 15 babies born into its services and supported 1,088 children, an increase of 23.5% on the previous year. In addition, the charity helped 454 families through their accommodation and community-based services.

Depaul’s director of services and development Dermot Murphy said: "The welfare of children in our society is paramount. Depaul are doing all we can to ensure children are supported in what are very challenging circumstances. World Children’s Day offers a time for reflection on how we as a society treat the welfare of children.

“It is clear from the number of children and families Depaul have helped during the Covid period that homelessness among children continues to be a problem. 

We know from working with young children that the impact homelessness can have can be detrimental to their health, wellbeing and development. 

"As a society, we must do everything in our power to ensure children are being protected from the impact of homelessness.” Focus Ireland also marked World Children's Day, by launching a new Children’s Charter as part of the charity’s work to help empower all children who are homeless.

It has helped about 1,630 children in 760 families to secure a home so far this year in partnership with the State and its supporters.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: “We work to empower everyone using our services and firmly believe the voice of the child should always be heard. Our child support staff work to protect children from the trauma caused by homelessness. These staff have developed a Children’s Charter and this will help to provide a central framework to ensure children’s rights are always recognised and respected. It was great to see that many children and young people who were homeless gave vital input to this charter through drama and art workshops held in recent years by our staff. "

He added: “No child should ever be homeless and we work to help families to secure a home and I am pleased to say that all the children who helped us to develop this charter now have a home and are no longer homeless. This charter will help to guide and inform our work with over 800 children in families who are currently homeless.” 

 To hear children read from the charter, visit: