Homeless mums fear their babies will be taken into care

Homelessness charity A Lending Hand says more and more children are being taken into foster care at birth due to a lack of accommodation and the ability to provide a safe environment for the baby. Picture: iStock 

Growing numbers of new mothers are giving birth while living in fear their babies will be taken off them by social services because they are homeless.

Figures from the Department of Housing show that, in September, 16,614 people were living in emergency accommodation, almost a third of them children.