Module/Subject Title: SSC3813 Social Policy Contemporary Implementation
Assignment Title: Homelessness in Ireland
No of Words: 1070 (not including references)
Homelessness is an ever growing concern in Ireland, most notably Dublin. Poverty and social
exclusion are among the issues that cause a person to become homeless. There are various
different services for the homeless in Ireland, each with their own policies implemented to try and
eradicate the rise in homelessness in Ireland. This essay will attempt to describe four European and
Irish policies implemented for the youth and adult homeless sector in Ireland.
Youth Homeless Strategy
In June 2011, a new policy was introduced called the Youth Homeless Strategy. The main aim of this
policy is to: "to reduce and if possible eliminate youth homelessness through preventative strategies
and where a child becomes homeless to ensure that he/she benefits from a comprehensive range of
services aimed at re-integrating him/her into his/her community as quickly as possible,"
(www.dohc.ie). Specific steps were implemented to try and accomplish this goal. The report placed
emphasis on giving support to communities, schools and the youths themselves along with their
families. The policy viewed youth homelessness as a multi-faceted issue that needs to be dealt with
promptly, concentrating exclusively on the child. The policy was structured upon the basic principles
of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which was sanctioned in Ireland in 1992. This was
fundamentally a ‘bill of rights’, compromising of basic human rights concerning every aspect of a
child’s life.
There are twelve objectives that stem from the main aim of this policy. Four of which have been
constructed to implement the strategy. They are as follows:
1. The health board has responsibility for the implementation of the Youth Homeless Strategy.
2. Various information points will be set up to help...