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‘Shocking’ new data reveals rise in unexpected child deaths in temporary accommodation to 55
A further 21 unexpected child deaths in temporary accommodation have been uncovered by new research that ramps up the pressure on ministers for a more urgent response to tackling the housing crisis.
Analysis by the National Child Mortality Database took the known number of infant fatalities in this type of housing to 55 in the four years to March 2023.
It follows a report from the Households in Temporary Accommodation All-Party Parliamentary Group last year which showed that 34 children had died in shelters for people who are homeless since April 2019.
Dr Laura Neilson, chief executive of regional community support body Shared Health Foundation, described the latest figures as “unbelievably sad”.
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“As clinicians, politicians, local government and citizens, we must act now to prevent any more of these tragedies,” she added.
The government last week issued updated guidance stating that accommodation was unsuitable for households unless it had “adequate space for a cot” for each child aged under two.
Under previous rules, councils did not have to take account of children under one when choosing the size of temporary accommodation.
Sleeping with babies could in some circumstances be a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome, particularly when co-sleepers smoke or have consumed alcohol or drugs.
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh, chair of the APPG, said the latest guidance was welcome but warned that it would “only save lives if it is actually implemented”.
The charity Justlife Foundation has urged the government to go further and create a homeless families taskforce to tackle the issue of child mortality.
This should bring together officials from various government departments as well as third sector chiefs and those who have lived experience of temporary accommodation, it said.
“The loss of 55 lives, equivalent to two classrooms of children, serves as a stark indictment of our housing crisis,” said Simon Gale, chief executive of Justlife.
“Despite the gravity of the situation, we have yet to treat it as the emergency it is. This should serve as a wake-up call and we are urging the government to establish a taskforce to comprehensively address this systemic failure.”
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: “These findings are completely shocking.
“Our guidance to councils is clear that all temporary accommodation must be safe and suitable for families with babies and have enough space for a cot. We will continue to work with the APPG and councils on this important issue.”
Additional research published last week revealed that, in London alone, spending on temporary housing for homeless households reached £90m per month in 2022-23.
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