Focus Ireland and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) have worked collaboratively to produce this guidance for primary school teachers and principals who are supporting students and families experiencing homelessness. The guidance was initially published in 2019. It was later reviewed and updated in 2024 to ensure that the content remains accurate and relevant.

It may not always be obvious to teachers that a pupil is experiencing homelessness. Parents can be understandably reluctant to inform the school that they have become homeless due to the perceived stigma. Once schools are aware that families are experiencing homelessness, they are enabled to become more sensitive to the needs of pupils and the challenges they face. HomeWorks reported that, despite the lack of guidance and support at system level, schools were considered to be ‘beacons of hope’ for children experiencing homelessness.

Teachers report that they often feel helpless, powerless and ill-equipped to effectively respond to, and support, pupils who are experiencing homelessness. The purpose of this document is to share suggestions on good practice for teachers who are supporting families and children who are experiencing homelessness. Teachers fulfil a constant role in children’s lives and they are the first port of call for families who are struggling. Notwithstanding their vital role, teachers cannot be expected to meet the many challenges of homelessness alone nor can they fill the vacuum caused by a lack of funding, resources and services in the system. This document aims to highlight the reality of homelessness and its impact on children’s education as well as sharing some good practice already happening in schools. The suggestions contained within these guidelines will not suit every school context and may need to be adjusted to respond to the individual pupils in your school given your unique context. Finally, the document and the online resources sets out some of the external agencies and supports which are available for families who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

The causes of homelessness are often complex, including ‘structural factors’ like a lack of affordable housing or poverty and ‘personal factors’ like mental health issues or addiction. The rise in family homelessness over the past four years has been primarily driven by structural economic factors. The root cause of the current homelessness crisis is a broken housing system. Ireland does not have public housing stock sufficient to meet the needs of society. In response to a chronic shortage of housing, the Government has resorted to subsidising private rented accommodation for those in need of social housing. The private rented sector is also struggling with a severe lack of supply, and families who would otherwise qualify for public housing are forced into competition with the rest of the market....