Health

Young people that access Centrepoint’s homelessness services can be more disadvantaged in terms of health than other young people their age. The chaotic and unstable lives of homeless young people mean that poor physical and mental health is common. Sleeping out on the streets or in unsuitable B&B accommodation takes its toll on a young person’s physical and mental health. They are often not registered with a doctor and consequently have very little awareness of local healthcare services or how to live healthily.

The health needs of young people who sleep rough

Fifty percent of the young people Centrepoint works with have slept rough at some point. A significant number of the young people who come to us having slept rough suffer from mental and physical health problems, or misuse drugs or alcohol. Centrepoint's health team works with those who have slept rough across all of our services, referring them to external agencies and primary health care services, and offering support and guidance on a one-to-one basis.

General health needs

Each young person in our longer-stay services has regular meetings with their support and development worker; their personal needs are identified and addressed, either directly or with support from outside partners. The work of Centrepoint's health team also extends to healthy living advice. We work with young people to improve their health and fitness, diet, hygiene, sexual health, exercise and access to NHS services.

Mental health issues

There is a compelling body of evidence indicating that many homeless young people suffer from severely degraded mental health. Mental health problems can be one of the factors that lead a young person to become homeless, or can develop because of their experiences of being homeless. Mental health problems are eight times higher for people living in hostels and bed and breakfast accommodation, and eleven times higher for those who sleep rough, compared to the general population (Wright, 2002).

To help young people with mental health issues Centrepoint also has a dedicated mental health team. Most of the referrals are of young people with a history of homelessness due to severe abuse during childhood, as well as refugees with a history of trauma, loneliness and isolation.