Last month, when the Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield said 16- and 17 year-olds in care should not be put in danger by their accommodation, you’d be hard pressed to find someone that disagreed. But to follow the Commissioner’s suggestion and ban unregulated accommodation would be to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Here's what needs to be done instead.
As more expectant mothers are finding themselves without a roof over their head, the right support has never been more vital. This not only ensures the health and well-being of the mother but of her child as well. We’re here to guide you through your options and the services available to help you through this crucial time.
Guest author, Tara Self, Forensic Mental Health MSc graduate at King’s College London, discusses the findings of a systematic review looking at the links between homelessness and offending behaviour among young people.
Centrepoint’s new report, A Year Like No Other, has reflected on the impact of the last year on vulnerable young people, looking at youth unemployment, homelessness, poverty and mental health, and assessing the impact of the government’s policy interventions during the pandemic. Here, Deputy Service Manager Emily Cretch talks us through the research, and reflects on how the past year has been for her and her team.
Financial benefits, housing support and access to government employment programmes are all key to helping homeless people gain their independence. However, for the homeless, benefits – and the process of claiming them – can sometimes seem confusing. That’s why we’re here to help with our handy guide to your entitlement.
As recipients of the lowest amount of Universal Credit, young people have been left struggling to make ends meet for decades. When the weekly £20 uplift is removed at the end of this month, many vulnerable young people will be forced to compromise between food, bills or rent – an impossible choice that will make it even harder for homeless young people to move forward with their lives.
More than 50% of the young people Centrepoint supports come from a Black, Asian and ethnic minority background. As such, our hope this Black History Month is to initiate conversations that will help foster a fully inclusive culture at Centrepoint. Here, Digital Campaigns and Mobilisation Officer, Pooja Singh, sheds light on the challenges of being young, Black and homeless, from the perspectives of Centrepoint’s frontline staff.
Our legal team make up a vital part of the service we offer young people at Centrepoint. For those seeking legal support, it can be incredibly difficult to attain without financial aid, and so many often go without. Centrepoint is here to help change that. Nabila, a legal administrator coming to the end of a secondment with the Legal Team, tells us about what she has learnt during her time with the department and the important service they provide.
Centrepoint’s goal is to help vulnerable young people become independent enough to live a good life that they can thrive in. And we are open to all homeless young people, regardless of their geographical circumstances. Whether they’ve been kicked out of their family home in London or have travelled to the UK as an unaccompanied minor, we’re here to help.
Eurydice Belezika, Peer Research Coordinator and former Centrepoint resident in London, talks about her experience of conducting research and campaigning to support disadvantaged young people.
