Depaul UK urges everyone supporting young people to recognise when difficulties at home could put them at risk of homelessness.
Young people can be at risk of homelessness long before they leave home, youth homelessness charity Depaul UK has warned ahead of World Homeless Day on Saturday 10 October.
The charity is calling on everyone supporting young people, from school and college staff to youth workers, sports coaches and trusted adults, to consider whether changes in behaviour, attendance or wellbeing could also reflect difficulties at home or uncertainty about where they will stay.
Depaul UK, which supports young people across England, says housing insecurity can remain hidden while a young person continues attending school or taking part in everyday activities. They may be staying on friends’ sofas, moving between relatives or living in temporary accommodation or somewhere they do not feel safe.
Its education team works with schools and other educational settings to prevent youth homelessness. Interactive workshops use films and discussion to help young people understand family conflict, healthy relationships and where to seek help, with smaller group sessions for those at greater risk. Specialist training builds on professionals’ safeguarding knowledge, helping them recognise housing risks, understand young people’s housing rights and access appropriate support.
One case shows why those conversations are key. Depaul UK worker Kerry first met a girl aged 14 during a school workshop. When the girl stopped attending, friends explained that she had argued with her grandmother, her main carer, and returned to her mother’s home, where there was a history of violence.
Depaul UK referred her to Reconnect, its family support and mediation service. Working with the family revealed that she was also struggling at school and had not felt her concerns were understood. Kerry helped her access an advocate through the local authority. With her needs clearer, teachers introduced a pass allowing her to take time out of lessons and reduced her homework to a manageable level. As school became less overwhelming, tensions at home eased and she returned to live with her grandmother.
The need for earlier support is underlined by Centrepoint’s Youth Homelessness Databank, which estimates that almost 124,000 young people aged 16 to 24 across the UK faced homelessness or the risk of homelessness between April 2024 and March 2025.
Depaul UK says the difficulties that can lead to homelessness in this age group, such as family conflict and instability at home, often begin during the school years. Recognising and responding to those pressures earlier creates an opportunity to help before a young person reaches a housing crisis.
Alexia Murphy, CEO at Depaul UK, said: “Youth homelessness does not start on the streets. More often, it begins behind closed doors through family conflict, instability and growing uncertainty about where a young person will sleep or whether they feel safe at home.
“People who see young people regularly, in schools, colleges, youth clubs and community activities, can be among the first to notice that something has changed. Those relationships are important: they can give a young person the confidence to speak about what is happening and help them get support sooner.
“This World Homeless Day, we want everyone supporting young people to recognise that housing insecurity may be part of the picture. By listening and knowing where to turn, we have a greater chance of preventing homelessness before it happens.”
Possible warning signs include unexplained tiredness, anxiety, withdrawal from friends, changes in attendance and reluctance to go home. These can have many causes. Depaul UK encourages adults to listen without making assumptions and professionals to consider housing concerns within their existing safeguarding response.
In 2025, almost 15,000 young people took part in its whole-group workshops and almost 400 professionals received training. In participant feedback, 88 per cent of young respondents said they would be more likely to ask for help and 89 per cent said they would know where to turn. Among professional respondents, 97 per cent reported a better understanding of what to do and where to get support.
For anyone supporting or caring about young people, Depaul UK’s free Spot the Signs toolkit offers guidance on recognising possible housing risks, starting a conversation and seeking appropriate help. It also signposts the charity’s education workshops and professional training.