We are so grateful to St Dunstan's School for shining a much-needed spotlight on our work with young people, children, and families experiencing homelessness.

Across the country, homelessness has reached record levels. But here in Westminster, 3,800 children are living in temporary accommodation. That’s more than 126 classrooms full of children without a stable home.

For children and young people, the consequences of homelessness are particularly profound. Children in these environments may have limited access to toys, books, or safe outdoor spaces. Instability, overcrowding, and insecure housing disrupt education, damage physical and mental health, and hinder emotional development. As a result, children experiencing homelessness are at a greater risk of falling behind developmentally, they may find it harder to regulate their emotions, and they may miss out on vital early learning and social interactions.

The evidence is clear: childhood experiences of homelessness and poverty significantly increase the risk of homelessness occurring in adulthood. This cycle of disadvantage can be intergenerational.

Because there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to homelessness, we offer personalised support based on each person or family’s unique situation. By putting young people, children, and their families at the heart of what we do, we build trust and foster long-term relationships to create lasting, positive change. By doing this, in the past 12 months, the Centre has supported over 1,400 people.

We offer a wide range of services to meet the full needs of individuals and families. This includes a family centre, supported accommodation for young people aged 16-25, expert advice in housing, welfare, immigration and employment, and therapeutic support. And we provide play sessions, holiday activities and other child-led programmes to help children – who may not otherwise have the opportunity – to learn, grow, and recover from the trauma of homelessness and poverty.

Our goal is to reach people earlier – to prevent homelessness wherever possible, and where it cannot be avoided, to reduce its long-term and repeat impact.

Next year we’ll be marking 40 years doing this – and our work has never been more urgent. In January, we’ll be starting an outreach programme targeting families with complex needs, including those with neurodivergent children or those with disabilities, and parents with mental health challenges – and we have more big plans for our anniversary year in 2026.

We’d love you to find out more about us. Please visit our website to learn how you may be able to support our work. https://www.cardinalhumecentre.org.uk/