Hoping for a home
Question
I'm 17 and my friend, who's in my class at school, got kicked out of his house and his step dad was abusing him. He doesn't want to go to a foster home and I don't want him to either. But he does need help and I don't know what to do. He's been staying with me for the past month. Please help.
Answer
It's clear both you and your friend have had a tough time recently, but there is help available for your friend.
If your friend is unable to stay with you for much longer he could make a homeless application to the council. The council may want to explore the possibility of him going back to his parents, but cannot force him to if it is unsafe. Your friend should tell the council about the abuse he experienced. If he doesn't feel ready to do that or would like to talk through his feelings with a counsellor first he can call Careline, a confidential crisis telephone counselling service on 020 8514 1177.
If he does make a homeless application the council will decide whether he is in a priority need category. Most young people aged 16 and 17 are a priority. If he does fall into a priority need group then the council normally has to provide somewhere to live while it looks at his situation in more detail. There are exceptions for people who are not entitled to help due to immigration status or those who have been in care. If your friend has been in care, the responsibility for helping him may lie with social services rather than the council.
If he's 17 like you, then he may also be entitled to help from the social services department of the council. This help should be available if the council decides he is a 'child in need'. The law doesn't say exactly what help social services should give young people and different councils have different rules. It will depend on your friend's personal situation, what is available in his area and how much it costs. He should be given a range of services to help him with any problems he's experiencing. Social services help for young people can include different types of support from help finding housing, to employment advice, to emotional support.
Many young people have problems getting help from the council or are sent from one department to another without getting help. If you need help dealing with the council you can talk to an adviser at your local Citizens Advice Bureau or housing aid centre.
He could also phone Shelterline, a free, confidential, national housing advice phoneline, on 0808 800 4444. And if you or he would like to speak to someone about other services for young people in your area you can call Get Connected, a free, confidential, national phoneline for young people, on 0808 808 4994 between 1pm and 11pm daily.
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Question answered by Shelter
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