“They are tiny children living in the middle of all this anxiety and instability”

Child homelessness increased by 55% from December 2015 to December 2016, despite Government efforts to tackle the housing crisis.

The children's charity Barnardos, who work directly with families caught in the crisis, say that child homelessness in Ireland is increasing at an unfathomable rate. These first-hand accounts of parents and children living in temporary (and totally unsuitable) accommodation will move you to tears.

"I had to leave my bike with my cousin and go with my little sister and mammy to an office to say we needed somewhere to stay."

I love mammy’s reaction to me reaching my ‘first’ something: my first words, my first steps, my first day at school. I loved her smile when I cycled for the first time. I was nervous at the start, but she ran alongside me and I was going really fast, and suddenly I realised that I was doing it on my own. My heart started pounding but I felt really brave. Everyone was cheering. That felt great. But I didn’t like my first night at being homeless. I had to pack up some of my toys and put some clothes in a suitcase. I had to leave my bike with my cousin and go with my little sister and mammy to an office to say we needed somewhere to stay. The grown-ups there made us wait in a room for ages. I missed school that day. I kept crying because I didn’t know where I was going to sleep or if I’d go back home. Mammy was upset too and she wasn’t able to answer my questions. My little sister was just bored in her buggy. I just wanted to go back to my home and see my friends. Then Mammy told us we would be staying in a hotel, I was excited because we had a holiday once before and we played on the beach and we all had fun. I couldn’t wait to watch TV and explore. We’ve been at the hotel for a long time now and have even had to move to different hotels. It doesn’t feel like we’re on holiday but Mammy says we can’t go home. I don’t like living out of bags and I’d like to eat normal food again not take-aways but we’ve no kitchen so mammy can’t cook. My little sister is only small, she’s only 2 and she always wants to play with me but we can only play on the floor between the beds. I feel sad and she cries a lot. I’m sick of sharing a bed with her. We can’t even play out in the hall. I haven’t told any of my school friends that I’m living in a hotel because they might tease me so I don’t bring any of them here. Barnardos helps my mammy, and my little sister has joined their playschool. But I just want my Mammy to be happy, and to ride my bike again. And I want to find a home.

"I had to move out of my house when Daisy was only 6 months old and Daniel was 7. The first day I went down to register as homeless I was in a bit of shock. You think it couldn’t happen to you."

I had to move out of my house when Daisy was only 6 months old and Daniel was 7. The landlord’s house was being repossessed and we had no option but to leave. I was really surprised I couldn’t find anywhere else to rent. We’d been so happy there too and I had the new baby already settled. We had our routine during the day so it was a huge upheaval when we had to leave. I stayed with my boyfriend and his parents for a while but his sister already lives in that house with her two kids and we were sleeping in the sitting room so I couldn’t stay there for long. We couldn’t go to sleep until everyone else had gone to bed. That was really hard on Daniel who was always tired going to school the next day. The first day I went down to register as homeless I was in a bit of shock. You think it couldn’t happen to you, but I just couldn’t find anywhere to rent and I was finding it very stressful living with my boyfriend’s family. There were just too many of us living in that house. Barnardos helped me register as being at risk of homeless, and I got HAP approval, but I still couldn’t get anywhere to rent. You still never think you’ll be down there saying that you’re homeless and looking for help. I felt scared and angry at what was happening. I had been a good tenant, why was this happening to me. My son was being very quiet and I knew he was sad, he had even helped me pack everything we needed.

"Last week Daniel got in trouble for kicking his ball against the wall outside during the day. I’m so terrified we’ll get in trouble here, but he was only playing. He needs to be able to play, he’s only a child."

We were lucky because we got housed in an emergency unit. But I spend every day very anxious. Daisy no longer has her routines and now she has to sleep in with me. But she wakes during the night and is crying, and I can’t seem to calm her. Some of the other residents have complained and I’m terrified they’ll tell us to leave, so I just keep rocking her. Last week Daniel got in trouble for kicking his ball against the wall outside during the day. I’m so terrified we’ll get in trouble here, but he was only playing. He needs to be able to play, he’s only a child and he’s just trying to make things as normal as possible here. The stress is making it very hard for me to cope. And my boyfriend’s not allowed to be here with us as he’s not a resident so I feel like I don’t even have that support. I dread the weekends as there is nowhere to go but I always leave here and end up walking the roads or going to a nearby park. At least during the week, Daniel is in school but poor Daisy has nothing. I can’t find a childcare place for her that’s close to Daniel’s school. I know I am letting her down as she is bored. Barnardos has helped me to play more with her and try to resume some kind of routine. In my old flat, Daniel had his friends, and he was on a local football team. Daisy was doing so well. Now I’m constantly terrified. Life is so unstable and they’re both just caught in the middle of it. I don’t live any kind of life, I just exist. I’m worried about how this is affecting them. I think people forget when they hear the figures that there are tiny children living in the middle of all this anxiety and instability. I only want the best for them.