{"id":1323,"date":"2012-04-12T14:12:12","date_gmt":"2012-04-12T14:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/?p=1323"},"modified":"2017-11-15T14:13:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T14:13:36","slug":"vulnerability-homeless-children-comes-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oco.ie\/ga\/news\/vulnerability-homeless-children-comes-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Vulnerability of Homeless Children comes through in their own words"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhen you\u2019re in care for that first time, you\u2019re all over the place \u2026 and \u2026 one thing that needs to stay the same is the place you stay in \u2026 You get depressed over it because you feel \u2018Does anybody care?\u2019 \u2026 You don\u2019t feel like someone is caring over you. And no matter how old you are \u2013 people don\u2019t admit it, but it\u2019s true \u2013 you need someone to care for you \u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Child who participated in the\u00a0Children\u2019s Ombudsman\u2019s consultation<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe vulnerability of being homeless was one of the most striking things to emerge from the consultation with homeless children undertaken by my Office\u201d, said Emily Logan. The Ombudsman for Children made her comments on the publication of her report Homeless Truths: Children\u2019s experience of homelessness in Ireland at the Aviva Focus Ireland event to mark International Day for Street Children today (Thursday).<\/p>\n

The Ombudsman for Children\u2019s Office (OCO) is the independent national human rights body with responsibility for promoting and monitoring children\u2019s rights in Ireland. Part of the Ombudsman for Children\u2019s statutory mandate set out in the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002 is to consult children on matters of concern to them and to highlight their views.<\/p>\n

The children who took part in the consultation spoke candidly on matters such as accessing homelessness services through Garda Stations; placements; accommodation; activities during the day; and relationships with professionals and peers.<\/p>\n

Emily Logan added: \u201cNone of the children were focused on buildings or physical structures, rather what having a home represented \u2013 dignity, self-esteem, feeling safe and secure. This is what really mattered to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Ombudsman for Children I have a responsibility to encourage public bodies to consider children\u2019s rights and welfare when developing policies and practice. Considering the views of children, actual service users, can only enhance such policies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also have a statutory obligation to hold the State to account for the way it provides services to children. At present my Office is holding over a systemic investigation on the provision of homeless services by the HSE. When I initiated this investigation last year the HSE responded by saying they were taking steps to mitigate the situation. On this basis I made the decision to suspend the investigation to allow the HSE to make these improvements while providing my Office with regular updates on progress made. This process is ongoing.<\/p>\n

Emily Logan concluded: \u201cAs the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights observed, significant problems of homelessness and inadequate housing also exist in some of the most economically developed societies. The issue of youth homelessness is a very serious one that can have a profound, life-long impact on the individual. It is up to us in Ireland in 2012 to decide how we proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n

ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notes to Editors:<\/h2>\n