Speaking at Llamau’s headquarters in Cardiff, the First
Minister said:
“Too many young people are facing a future that can seem
bleak, unfair and inevitable. Without a home, living a
hand-to-mouth existence, being forced to move from house
to house, or, worst of all, sleeping rough.
“That is why I am leading a 10-year mission to end youth
homelessness in Wales.
“In Wales, we have some of the most progressive
homelessness and social services legislation in the
world, which has prevented 11,514 households from
becoming homeless between its introduction in April 2015
and the end of June 2017.
“And yet I continue to hear of young people becoming
homeless after leaving care, young people dropping out of
education, young people in custody and young people with
nowhere else to stay but a Bed and Breakfast. This is not
good enough.
“Wales must lead the way on tackling homelessness. I want
us to be bold – to take new approaches, focus on
interventions that make a real difference and work with
partners to help young people avoid crisis situations and
support them into stable accommodation.”
Frances Beecher, CEO of Llamau, said:
“We believe that we have a wonderful opportunity in Wales
to deliver real change. Estimates show that every year
over 7,000 young people ask for help with homelessness,
but we know that many more young people don’t know where
to turn or who to ask for help when they become
homeless.
“Today’s announcement shows the Welsh Government’s
commitment to tackling this issue, and we look forward to
working closely with them to ensure that young people who
are at risk of becoming homeless are supported as soon as
they need it, and to ensure that youth homelessness is a
thing of the past.”
