Approximately 1,990 children are unhoused this year as the school year commences, allegedly due to a shortage of available or acceptable emergency lodging places. This represents an increase of approximately 20% from this time last year, and of 2.5 times from January 20222 “alarming” scale, according to a barometer issued by the Federation of Solidarity Actors (FAS) and UNICEF France on Wednesday.
“The figures have never been as troubling with an increase in the number of children without accommodation solutions ever reached” since the foundation of this index five years ago, Adeline Hazan, the UN agency’s representative in France, told AFP.
Overnight on August 21 to 22, 3,735 family members who dialed 115, the homeless emergency number in France, could not be housed due to a lack of available or suitable locations. Among this number were 1,990 children, 480 of whom were under the age of three. These numbers do not account for the families that did not contact 115.
A group of 40 associations throughout France who deal with the unhoused population is also working to address the situation. “In ten years, the number of homeless people has doubled, there are around 300,000 in France,” according to Nathalie Latour, spokesperson for the associations. “Until now, the children were relatively protected, but now, this is no longer the ctheir situation continues to deteriorate. It is extremely worrying.”
On August 23, Minister Delegate for Housing Patrice Vergriete confirmed that an increase in emergency accommodation spots is being discussed, along with a plan to finance this increase, although no further details were provided.