Shelter UK launches the million children campaign
15 April 2004
Shelter UK today unveiled the biggest campaign in its history aimed at ending the devastating impact of the housing crisis on over a million children in Britain.
The campaign is being launched with the publication of Toying with their future, a major expose which reveals for the first time that over a million children who are growing up in overcrowded, unfit or emergency housing, suffer from serious health problems, poor education and have their future blighted.
Amongst its key facts are that one in 12 children in Britain are more likely to develop diseases such as bronchitis, TB or asthma because of bad housing (2) and children who are homeless lose out on a quarter of their schooling (3).
Shelter is now calling on the Government and the devolved administrations to commit to ending bad housing for the next generation of children. To achieve that aim, Shelter is launching its million children campaign today at media conferences in London and Glasgow.
Speaking at the London launch (at which families whose children have suffered because of their housing problems will be available for interview) Adam Sampson, Director of Shelter said:
"There is a hidden housing crisis in Britain and over a million children are suffering the devastating consequences on their health, their education and their chances in life. It is time for housing to be put back up the political agenda along with education and health, where it belongs. That's why in launching the million children campaign today Shelter is calling on the public to support, and Government to commit, to ending bad housing for the next generation of children."
http://england.shelter.org.uk/home/home-624.cfm/pressreleaselisting/1/pressrelease/68/