Hear us, See us: children and families living in temporary accommodation/homelessness

Please join us for this Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) forum held in conjunction with our partner organisation Flinders University and to be presented by our international guest speaker Professor Monica Lakhanpaul from the University College London, UK.

One in 5 Australian children under the age of 5 years spends time with their families in homelessness. Homelessness is often defined as the lack of adequate, fixed and regular night-time residence. Temporary Accommodation in Australia often refers to families staying in motel rooms, couch surfing, caravans and sleeping in cars. Temporary accommodation is often crowded and does not meet the needs of infant and child development. In the UK, 64% of households living in Temporary Accommodation (TA) are families. The first 5 years of a child’s development is imperative for lifelong; cognitive development, health, social connection and educational attainment.

Developmentally infants and children living in TA have worse outcomes than children living in poverty. Lower access to health care including antenatal and postpartum care. Infants and mothers in the UK living in TA can be exposed to damp and mouldy housing with increased incidence of chest infection and asthma, poorer nutrition, poor sleep patterns, higher risk of mental health issues and maternal bonding. The infant’s cognitive development can be delayed and the child can develop behavioural issues.

Our research has found that infants living in Temporary Accommodation are at much higher risk of injury, illness and developmental delay. That said TA can be better than some alternatives. Some families describe having to use public toilets as facilities to help with infant bathing, or spending the days in shopping centres to use those facilities.

Our work with young people living with their families in homelessness (TA) during the pandemic found that inappropriate TA, when combined with lockdowns, impacted negatively on young people’s mental, physical, and social wellbeing. However, there were also several positives caused by lockdowns including more time for young people to spend with their families, and communities helping during periods of isolation.

This presentation will provide an insight into the growing issues of impact of TA on children, young people and their families.

OUR SPEAKER

Professor Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor of Integrated Community Child Health, University College London

The number of children living in temporary accommodation continues to rise putting children’s safety, health and education at risk. Yet, being provided with a stable, secure home is still not considered to be a child’s right. We need to take action so that no child goes hungry, is left cold or deprived of learning.

Monica Lakhanpaul is Professor of Integrated Child Health at University College London (UCL), Consultant Paediatrician and NIHR National Strategic Specialty Co-lead (Children). She works at the intersections of health, education and environment, supported by citizen science and the creative arts, to co-develop solutions with the most underserved families in society with the aim of improving their children’s health and wellbeing. She leads the CHAMPIONS project exploring the impact on children living in temporary accommodation and advocating for action and change.

She is recognised for being the first appointed Clinical Director leading the development of National guidelines for children in the UK for the National Institute of Care and Clinical Excellence (NICE), receiving the Asian Women of Achievement award in 2012 and BAME groundbreaking researcher award 2024. She has most recently been awarded a prestigious Churchill fellowship, and Honorary Doctorate in Science by De Montfort University in Leicester.

OUR CHAIR

A/Professor Yvonne Parry, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University

Yvonne’s research has the ability to integrate innovative approaches to research with practical applications that help provide outcomes with deep societal impacts that can improve health and health access for children and families. She is recognised as a global expert for her research with marginalised communities and has many distinguished theoretical publications applying research to practical health interventions. Her work in child health and development, and system/services innovation benefits children and families. Yvonne has worked since 2011 in education and research and is an internationally recognised expert in child health and early development especially with vulnerable populations.

Other event information:

Networking and light refreshments will follow the session from 6.45pm.

This is a public forum and also open to the community, everyone is welcome to attend.