A young homeless woman, who left State care six months ago, feels “scared” because the priority status on her housing application has been put “on hold” by Dublin City Council.
“Sophie” (20), who is using a pseudonym to protect the identity of younger siblings still in care, is one of 42 care-leavers in the capital whose right to be prioritised on the housing list has been paused while the council conducts a “review of the administrative process for managing care-leaver priority applications”.
The council says a dearth of suitable one-bed dwellings and an increase in care-leavers applying for social housing, as well as concerns council social workers are duplicating the work of Tusla social workers in processing care-leavers’ housing applications, has forced the current review.
In care since the age of 13, Sophie describes a traumatic childhood. She was with a foster family for two years before residential care placements.
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Sophie transitioned from a residential care placement to aftercare when she reached 18. In aftercare she was accommodated in B&Bs and other forms of accommodation, all supervised by aftercare workers.
While in aftercare she says “you were told you will be housed, to work with them and you will be a priority for housing because you are in care. You are given the impression you will be able to start your life”.
She is on the housing list and has been since age 18. She has also been looking for private-rented housing with the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). She has had many viewings but believes she is “judged” negatively by prospective landlords as a care-leaver.
Last September she could not face a move to a fourth supervised aftercare placement and felt “pressurised” into leaving, she says. She is now “sofa-surfing” and has slept rough.
Following contact with Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan, and his enquiries, she discovered her priority on the housing list had been paused. “I am desperate right now just to get my priority back,” she says.
Mr Doolan was “shocked” at the move and the fact it was implemented without councillors being informed first. “Behind each application for care-leaver priority is a young person who very often has been let down time and time again. It is hugely important that this matter is sorted out urgently.”
In a statement to Mr Doolan, the council said: “The allocations section is flagging a clear risk that we will no longer be prioritising the applicants who already are, or are at serious risk of becoming, homeless after leaving State care”.
A council spokesman told The Irish Times the outcome of its review of the administration of care-leaver priority applications will be reported to the council’s housing committee in March. The 42 care-leavers’ applications “will be promptly processed” after that.
Sophie says she is “scared”. She has completed her Leaving Certificate, plans to study youth work and work with children in care, but cannot focus at the moment.
“Being homeless, you have no sense of security. We all know, from the get go, we are just a number in their system”. She has a relative in prison who, she says, “has a four-digit number ... I want to be more than just that.”
“I have done everything I was asked. I have told them everything, I went to every housing meeting, I went to viewings every week. I have had trauma since I was born, been in homes, been tossed around and I am still lost in the system. A blind eye was turned to so much physical and emotional abuse and it feels like it’s still happening,” she adds.
