<p>
	The development of children is being hampered by growing up in emergency accommodation, it has been claimed.</p>
<p>
	The Children&#39;s Rights Alliance, published its annual report card yesterday, giving the government a D+ grade in their performance on children&#39;s rights - the lowest in six years.</p>
<p>
	At the launch, the government was heavily criticised for how it is dealing with the homeless crisis and the rights of Travellers.</p>
<p>
	The report came shortly after it was revealed there were a total of 7,167 homeless adults and children in emergency accommodation across Ireland in January.</p>
<p>
	Chief executive of the Children&#39;s Rights Alliance Tanya Ward said children are missing out on normal childhoods.</p>
<p>
	Ms Ward said: &quot;The impact of this is catastrophic on every level from children&#39;s health, education and development.</p>
<p>
	&quot;Toddlers are experiencing delays in reaching developmental milestones, such as walking because they are living in such cramped conditions.</p>
<p>
	&quot;Children have to travel long distances to school. Families have nowhere to store or cook food and are going hungry.</p>
<p>
	&quot;Some families are forced to live in unhygienic conditions with insect infestations, mould and used syringes left in bedrooms.</p>
<p>
	Ms Ward told the Irish Independent the fall from a C grade to a D in the space of a year is &quot;unacceptable&quot;.</p>
<p>
	She added: &quot;The reason why the government were given such a low grade is because things have seriously deteriorated for children, especially in the area of child homelessness.</p>
<p>
	&quot;Progress of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill has been stalled,&quot; she said. Recommendations from the McMahon report are yet to be put into action, leaving girls and boys in Direct Provision without their basic needs met.&quot;</p>
<p>
	The Report Card reveals how just one 24-hour state service for victims of sexual assault under the age of 14 exists and is located in Galway.</p>
<p>
	The service has had to close temporarily twice in the last two years due to lack of funding.</p>
<p>
	Child victims of crime also face significant delays in accessing counselling support services.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 22nd February 2017)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/impact-of-homelessness-on-kids-catastrophic-35471572.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/impact-of-homelessness-on-kids-catastrophic-35471572.html</a></p>
