To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the work he will undertake with the Housing Executive to ensure children’s human rights are not being breached by current temporary housing policies, which can result in children (i) being denied access to education due to a lack of school transport; (ii) being placed in unsuitable, uninhabitable or communal housing; and (iii) experiencing a deterioration in their mental health due to these conditions.

My officials are working with the Housing Executive to identify alternative and more sustainable options to respond to the growing and unprecedented demand for temporary accommodation.

The Chief Executive has established a Housing Solutions Task and Finish Group to address this issue and I have asked for regular updates on this work and the use of Temporary Accommodation.

As the discharge of the homelessness duty is an operational matter for the Housing Executive I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive, who has advised me as follows:

“The Housing Executive is subject to Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act and the Human Rights Act in relation all its policies and functions. The Housing Executive’s strategic approach to addressing homelessness is outlined in the Homelessness Strategy 2022-27 which was subject to an equality screening process which can be found at: https://www.nihe.gov.uk/getattachment/c674990a-3b42-450d-a7c3-337bdea94ccf/Homelessness-Strategy-Equality-Screening.pdf.

The decision regarding the suitability of temporary accommodation offered in the discharge of the homelessness duty is made in accordance with the Housing (NI) Order 1988. In determining suitability, Designated Officers within the Housing Executive will consider factors such as the individual circumstances and the needs of a given Applicant. The consideration of individual circumstances will include proximity to schools for families with children and the Housing Executive will seek to provide a placement as close as possible to facilities such as schools.

It should be noted that while the Housing Executive will endeavour to provide a placement that as far as possible, meets the needs of the respective household, any provision of temporary accommodation will be dictated by availability on a given day.”