Concerns have been raised over the continued use of unregulated temporary accommodation for young people in Northern Ireland by a grieving mother who's daughter took her own life after being sexually assaulted in one.
From April 2023 to April 2024, 155 children under the age of 18 were placed in temporary accommodation across Northern Ireland, with some of these cases seeing them placed in unregulated accommodation where the staff have not undergone child protection checks.
The previous year in 2022/23, 86 young people were placed in temporary accommodation.
Read more: Concern over health trusts use of unregulated B&Bs to house vulnerable young people
Read more: NI Health Trusts should require background checks on B&B staff, grieving mum says
A Freedom of Information request by non-profit organisation Voicing the Void found that the South Eastern Trust and Belfast Trust had placed a number of young people in unregulated temporary accommodation last year. The Northern Trust said that it did not use unregulated accommodation.
The FOIs also found that of the 155 children under the age of 18 that were placed in temporary accommodation, 16 in the Belfast Trust, 51 in the Western Trust, five in the Southern Trust, 35 in the South Eastern Trust and 48 in the Northern Trust.
The temporary accommodation that was used by the different trusts includes, hotels, B&Bs, hostels, Air BnBs and refuges.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Rory Doherty from Voicing the Void said: "I am very concerned that this practice is being continued when we know how unsafe the use of unregulated temporary accommodation can be for young people.
"The trusts are aware of this issue, particularly the Belfast Trust, and we have been assured that better practices would be in place. The Northern Trust has been clear that it does not use these and it is very disappoint it continues elsewhere."
Grieving mum Lisa Arthurs has been campaigning for Northern Irish health trusts to stop housing young people in unregulated B&Bs after her daughter Gabby was left traumatised when she was sexually assaulted in one she had been placed in by the Belfast Trust.
Gabby later died from a drug related death while she was waiting for counselling and support due to her devastating impact the assault had on her mental health. She has been running her Justice for Gabby campaign for four years now where she is calling on Northern Ireland Health Trusts to establish better practice when placing young people in temporary accommodation.
Lisa said: "For four years I've been waiting for a change to the law about unregulated accommodation and seeing these figures I feel really hurt. No young person should be in these types of accommodation were they are unsafe and trusts have promised me that this would change and it hasn't in Gabby's memory.
"I believe that if gabby wasn't sexually assaulted while living in a B&B were the trust had placed her she might still be with us today. My daughter's mental health got worse after this and no help was giving in fact she would have to wait months on appointment."
A Department of Health spokesperson said: "A bed and breakfast, hotel or hostel should never be the placement of choice for any child or young person. However, significant pressures in the provision of accommodation for young people in care and young care leavers means that, on occasion, Health and Social Care Trusts have had to utilise unregulated bed and breakfast, hotel, or hostel accommodation.
"However, the Department of Health and Health and Social Care Trusts are clear that such placements should be used rarely, in emergency circumstances and only if another placement option is not immediately available, and for the shortest timeframe possible. A bespoke package of support for the young person should also be put in place. HSC Trusts are required to notify the Department of Health when they place any young person in bed and breakfast, hotel, or hostel accommodation.
"To address the current challenges which exist within Children’s Social Care, the Department has established a reform programme to focused on foster care and residential placement capacity, with the aim of ensuring that there is a range of suitable accommodation available in Northern Ireland to meet the needs of all children and young people in care, and those leaving care.
"The Department’s Strategic Planning and Performance Group is also leading on a review of leaving and aftercare services, which is examining current models of service provision for young people transitioning out of care. In addition, the findings, and recommendations of the comprehensive Northern Ireland Review of Children Social Care Services Report (June 2023), will inform future provision of accommodation and support to young people in care and care leavers."
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