Unicef France, the Samu social de Paris and Santé Publique France publish Monday, October 10 a report on the number of homeless children and the consequences on their mental health. “It’s a blind spot in public policy”, denounces on France Inter the president of Unicef France Adeline Hazan. According to this report “about 42,000 children are homeless, that is to say on the street, in hotels, social hotels or in hostels”.
“This summer, on one night in August, there were about 1,600 children sleeping rough.”
Adeline Hazan, President of Unicef Franceat franceinfo
These are not official figures, but observed in the field by “humanitarian organizations and the Federation of Solidarity Actors”she says.
Adeline Hazan wants “carry a cry of alarm” on the situation of these children in “this World Mental Health Day”, because “The link between mental health and housing is paramount”. She explains that homeless children may be subject to “anxiety, insecurity, disturbed family relationships”with “risks of tension and violence”.
SAVE THE DATE
This October 10, on the occasion of the #WorldMentalHealthDay, @UNICEF_france and @SamusocialParis publish a new report “Growing up without a home”: when homelessness jeopardizes #Mental Health children. #In my head pic.twitter.com/noe03Ortg9– UNICEF France (@UNICEF_france) October 3, 2022
According to UNICEF France, “These disorders that start in childhood can persist into adulthood”. The president of the NGO assures us that many children living on the street cannot go to school because “often town halls do not accept children without an address”. “And if they manage to go to school, she adds, they will not be able to learn in satisfactory conditions”.
The president of Unicef France deplores “lack of action” from public authorities “to counter this totally unacceptable phenomenon”. Adeline Hazan believes that “the authorities are totally unaware of the situation”. She says sorry “that public authorities do not take this problem hard by promoting proactive housing policies”. Adeline Hazan thus recommends the implementation in social housing of “absolutely priority reception policies for families with children”.
“There must also be a development of the profession of child psychiatrist”adds Adeline Hazan, a profession considered to be little “attractive” currently. She also calls “childhood professionals to work together” and regret the absence “transversality between professions”. According to Adeline Hazan, currently “on one side we have school teachers, on the other social workers, on the other school nurses, when there are any, and then child psychiatrists”.
The president of Unicef France also deplores “a crisis situation in child psychiatry”. “There are a third less child psychiatrists” compared to twelve years ago, notes Adeline Hazan. She claims that he “today it takes between six months and two years for a child to benefit from a consultation in a medico-psychological center”.