Support for Homeless Youth
End Youth Homelessness Cymru (EYHC) is a national coalition led by Llamau. The aim of this national campaign is to end youth homelessness in the next 10 years.
Llamau is a non-profit organisation based in Wales who aim to end homeless for young people and women across the country. Founded over 30 years ago, the charity’s first aim was to provide safe accommodation for homeless teens.
NYAS is thrilled to be partnering with a values-led organisation that is fighting to eradicate homelessness. Sharon Lovell, Chief Executive of NYAS Cymru, chairs the EYCH sub-group to end youth homelessness for care experienced children and young people.
Youth Homelessness: The Facts
- 33% of care experienced young people become homeless in the first two years after leaving care.
- 25% of all single homeless people have been in care at some point in their lives.
- 48% of people who are homeless in Wales first became homeless before they were 21.
- 73% of people who are homeless living in Wales have been homeless more than once.
Care experienced young people are more likely than their peers to find themselves homeless or living in vulnerable housing. The scale of the problem is not reflected in official figures.
Many young people are hidden homeless, sofa surfing, sleeping out of sight in squats and staying in abusive relationships with no alternative to housing. As a result, homeless teens are often far more common than initially reported.
Imagine a World Without Homelessness: Supporting Llamau
NYAS is happy to support the priority of the EYHC steering group. We want to understand and reduce the links between the care system and youth homelessness across Wales.
The EYHC’s latest report, ‘Don’t let me fall through the cracks: Homelessness amongst Care Experienced Young People in Wales’, makes 13 key recommendations. The primary aim of each recommendation is to ensure that care experienced young people are given effective early intervention support that can help to reduce youth homelessness. The research report has been co-created alongside young researchers.
Alongside these recommendations, the report features 10 golden rules. These are principles endorsed by care experienced children and young people themselves which must be followed by corporate parents when placing a child or young person in temporary accommodation.
For a broader comparison of policy and practice that affects care experienced young people across England and Wales, you can read NYAS’ first Across the Border briefing. This report examines how the UK and Welsh Government can learn best practice from each other. Through this collaboration, we hope to ensure that there is effective homelessness prevention support for care experienced young people that is easily accessible across both nations.
Every child and young person deserves a safe and loving home. It is unacceptable that any child in care ends up homeless - it is time to act.
Get Involved
You can explore NYAS’ full range of current campaigns, as well as our previous campaigns, to see the impact our efforts are having on policy and legislation for children and young people in care across England and Wales.
If you want to support our campaigning efforts, or have an experience you want to share with us, feel free to get in touch with our friendly NYAS team.
Still Have Questions?
If you have further questions about this campaign, please get in touch with our policy and research team and they will be happy to help.
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