Understanding Youth Homelessness in Dublin City Key findings from the first phase of a longitudinal cohort study Paula Mayock and Krizan Vekic Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College, Dublin November 2006 Office of the Minister for Children St. Martin’s House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4 Tel: 353 1 242 0000 Fax: 353 1 664 1929 E-mail:
[email protected] Web: www.omc.gov.ie Copyright © Minister for Health and Children 2006 Department of Health and Children Hawkins House Hawkins Street Dublin 2 Published by The Stationery Office, Dublin ISBN 0-7557-7450-7 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder. For rights of translation or reproduction, applications should be made to the Department of Health and Children, Hawkins House, Hawkins St., Dublin 2, Ireland The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Office of the Minister for Children. CONTENTS Acknowledgements iv Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Overview of Youth Homelessness 3 Youth homelessness in Dublin 4 Legislation and policy 5 Services for ‘out of home’ young people in Dublin city 6 Chapter 2: The Study 9 Data collection methods 10 Access and recruitment 11 Ethical considerations11 Data analysis 12 Study sample 12 Chapter 3: Becoming Homeless 13 Pathways ‘into’ homelessness 14 The first night out of home 16