SCOTTISH children growing up in temporary accommodation are being harmed by a “broken and biased” homelessness system, according to a new report.
The Shelter Scotland study found young people are being “robbed of a childhood” and said that action is needed to tackle the housing emergency and protect children from further harm.
Children living in temporary accommodation shared their stories for the research and told the charity about sleeping in beds covered with black mould as well as being placed in accommodation with urine-soaked carpets, dead rats and broken windows.
Latest Scottish Government figures show that as of September 30 last year, there were 16,634 households living in temporary accommodation – which included 10,360 children.
Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson said: “The findings of this research should shame us all. We, as a nation, are failing those children trapped in our broken and biased homelessness system.
“Every child in Scotland has the right to grow up in a safe, secure and affordable home.
“Experiencing homelessness as a child should not be traumatic and filled with worry, but it seems that for the 10,360 who will wake up tomorrow without a home, their problems feel never-ending.
“Temporary accommodation forms an important part of people’s rights. Everyone experiencing homelessness should be given access to temporary housing while they await the outcome of their application.
“It should act as a safety net and a first step out of crisis, rather than causing a new crisis in itself.
“What has become clear from this research is that for children, unfortunately, their experience is all too often the latter.”
Last month the Scottish Government released figures that assessed 17,424 households as being either homeless or threatened with homelessness in the six-month period from April 1 to September 30, 2024 – an increase of 4% in the same period in 2023.
She said the research shows it is now more important than ever that all levels of government need to tackle the housing emergency and protect thousands of Scotland’s children from further harm.
She added: “Children have bravely shared their experiences. Their stories don’t just demand to be heard — they demand urgent action. This is our wake-up call.”
Children who took part in the research spoke of witnessing violence and vermin, and told of experiencing isolation, ill health and financial penalties simply because their family could not find a home without the help of the local authority.
Researchers also found that living in temporary accommodation could affect children’s education and development as many had to frequently move schools, or faced long journeys to school.
The report called for increased and sustained investment for family-sized social homes, and said more emphasis should be placed on quality and suitability of temporary accommodation.
It also said there should be better support for those children in temporary accommodation.
The Scottish Parliament declared a nationwide housing emergency in May last year.
The Shelter Scotland report – In Their Own Words: Children’s Experiences in Temporary Accommodation – was led by experts at De Montfort University and University College London.
Scotland’s housing minister Paul McLennan said: “This report from Shelter Scotland shows the impact that long periods of living in poor quality temporary accommodation can have on children and their parents.
“That is why this Government is taking action to reduce the number of families living in temporary accommodation.
“Our budget for next year includes a £200 million boost to the 2024-25 affordable housing programme, taking our total investment for 2025-26 to £768 million and we are working with partners to maximise that investment.”
