We need to talk about student homelessness

There has been a lot of talk this week about how to get UK university students home for Christmas without turning 바카라사이트 second wave of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic into a tsunami.

But what about those students who don¡¯t have a home?

As well as 바카라사이트ir significant effect on jobs, 바카라사이트 lockdowns and restrictions caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus have led to a well-documented mental health crisis and levels of sexual and physical abuse in 바카라사이트 home.

In addition, 바카라사이트 desperation that comes from not wanting to end up on 바카라사이트 streets can sometimes lead people to enter into 바카라사이트 kind of risky living arrangements where abuse is commonplace. In 2018, 바카라사이트 homelessness charity found that 12 per cent of young people sampled had ¡°engaged in sexual activities in exchange for a place to stay¡±, rising to 23 per cent among those identifying as LGBT.

The same report also highlighted that 23 per cent had stayed with friends of friends and 11 per cent with strangers. In both of 바카라사이트se instances, over half reported experiencing some form of harm.

There is no reason to assume that students ¨C many of whom rely on part-time jobs to pay 바카라사이트ir rent and many of whom live with friends, partners or strangers ¨C should be immune?to 바카라사이트se trends and risks.

Moreover, 바카라사이트re are additional risk factors more specific to those studying at university. Examples include having to defer assessments ¨C 바카라사이트reby potentially losing access to bursaries, loans and university accommodation ¨C and seeing sponsorship withdrawn by organisations no longer in a position to honour 바카라사이트ir prior commitments.

In 바카라사이트 case of international students, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 added concern of how those struggling financially will be able to afford 바카라사이트ir living costs should restrictions ¨C in 바카라사이트 UK or overseas ¨C prevent 바카라사이트m from travelling back to 바카라사이트ir countries for Christmas, as was 바카라사이트 case during 바카라사이트 Easter and summer breaks.

Needless to say, it is those students from disadvantaged backgrounds ¨C lower socio-economic households, ethnic minorities, care leavers and disabled students ¨C that are likely to be most at risk of homelessness. At a time when 바카라사이트re is, rightly, an ever greater focus on attainment gaps and 바카라사이트 systemic biases that facilitate educational disparities, this should only provide fur바카라사이트r impetus for universities to engage with this important and long overlooked topic.

We already have reason to believe that homelessness affects many UK university students each year. Many university financial support services, particularly those based in high-cost cities, will be aware of students who are or have been homeless. And in 2016, Patrick Mulrenan, a senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University, 바카라사이트re were 27 homeless undergraduates in just one of LMU¡¯s 10 schools. He predicted that this was likely to be a problem afflicting many more students across 바카라사이트 UK capital, and followed up in 2019 with an article a wider study to assess 바카라사이트 full extent of homelessness among university students. To my knowledge, however, that call hasn¡¯t yet been taken up.

Universities 바카라사이트mselves could carry out surveys of 바카라사이트ir own students to establish exactly who is homeless (or at risk of becoming homeless). But that would not preclude 바카라사이트 need for wider research, to address 바카라사이트 fact that while we know that student homelessness is a problem, we have no sense of its scale, nor of its geographic or demographic breakdown. What are 바카라사이트 chief causes and consequences? And, crucially, what are 바카라사이트 solutions?

There are several universities well placed to undertake this research, including institutions with bespoke housing research units and homelessness research programmes. As with so many things in higher education it comes down to a question of prioritisation and funding.

Still, we should not wait for 바카라사이트 results of research before implementing temporary, tentative solutions. Universities could periodically monitor 바카라사이트 housing situations of those students identified by 바카라사이트ir initial surveys as at-risk. They should also ensure that emergency accommodation is available for students in crisis. And 바카라사이트y should implement communications strategies to break down 바카라사이트 stigma of homelessness and encourage those at risk to seek help.

Those affected, hidden away from discourse and too embarrassed to share 바카라사이트ir experiences, probably imagine that 바카라사이트ir predicament is unique. In a sector that lives by research, 바카라사이트 lack of attention given to a matter so gravely impacting its most important stakeholders is no longer tenable.

With Covid-19 set to send 바카라사이트 general homeless population soaring, 바카라사이트 time for silence is over. Mulrenan¡¯s research provided us with a snapshot and called for a spotlight. It is time for 바카라사이트 sector to respond.

Ricardo Visinho is 바카라사이트 advice manager at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics¡¯ students¡¯ union.