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22 December 2009
Centrepoint research recommends peer mentoring to help stop breakdown of family relationships
Centrepoint the charitable organisation which aims to give homeless young people a future conducted the research
Centrepoint offer support to young homeless people, and have carried out research that shows that family breakdown is a root cause of youth homelessness. Nearly two thirds of young people housed by Centrepoint are there due to family arguments and breakdown in communication and feel this is likely to increase due to the rising level of unemployment and the extra strain this will cause.
There needs to be earlier intervention instead of trying to rebuild the family home once the young person has moved out. The early intervention support needs to be for the whole family, if levels of family breakdown and youth homelessness are to be reduced, rather than focusing on the teenager or parent as the sole problem.
To help with this Centrepoint recommends that the Government and voluntary agencies consider establishing parent peer support services (such as that used by Home Start) to help parents of teenagers and young adults.
For some young homeless people, such as care leavers and refugees, being reunited with their families is not possible. Centrepoint recommends in these instances that peer mentoring schemes should be developed so young refugees and care leavers who are more settled can advise others and encourage them to make friends, access support and build alternative support networks.
Read more here
Read the full report here
Read the policy briefing here
There needs to be earlier intervention instead of trying to rebuild the family home once the young person has moved out. The early intervention support needs to be for the whole family, if levels of family breakdown and youth homelessness are to be reduced, rather than focusing on the teenager or parent as the sole problem.
To help with this Centrepoint recommends that the Government and voluntary agencies consider establishing parent peer support services (such as that used by Home Start) to help parents of teenagers and young adults.
For some young homeless people, such as care leavers and refugees, being reunited with their families is not possible. Centrepoint recommends in these instances that peer mentoring schemes should be developed so young refugees and care leavers who are more settled can advise others and encourage them to make friends, access support and build alternative support networks.
Read more here
Read the full report here
Read the policy briefing here
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