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On 25 November Bishop Debbie, a passionate advocate for families, health, and education, visited Thomas Deacon Academy alongside Peterborough Citizens to shed light on the urgent housing and homelessness crisis affecting the city’s most vulnerable residents.
In February 2023, Peterborough Citizens conducted an extensive listening campaign, engaging over 10,000 residents to identify the city’s most pressing issues. Housing and homelessness emerged as the top priority. Through further conversations with families across Peterborough, a shocking revelation came to light: approximately 400 children are living in temporary accommodation, yet only 3.6% of these children are known to their schools as being homeless.
At the heart of the visit was the story of a family from Thomas Deacon Academy, whose lives were upended due to the father’s ill health and subsequent homelessness. The family was placed in a Travelodge without access to laundry or kitchen facilities. What was meant to be a six-week stay turned into five months, after this they were moved three times and asked to change schools three times in three years.
Kelly Joiner, Character, Pastoral and Community Engagement Lead at Thomas Deacon Academy reflected on the challenges faced by the family:
"We began noticing changes in the children, who were usually upbeat and well-dressed. They started arriving late and out of uniform. I felt a deep sense of guilt realising we could have supported them sooner had the local authority informed us of their situation."
Peterborough Citizens is calling for systemic change. They urge local authorities across the region to:
1) Notify education providers when children are declared homeless.
2) Ensure homeless children have access to automatic free school meals.
3) Provide a greater level of support than stated in the Home to School Transport Policy to encourage children's attendance at school.
Bishop Debbie Sellin listened intently to the family's story, offering compassion and insight, and was moved by their situation. Hearing stories like this help her speak with greater power at a wider level.
"It’s through stories like these that we understand the profound impact of housing insecurity on education and family life," Bishop Debbie said. "I am committed to highlighting these issues to help bring about meaningful change."
This visit highlights the power of collective action and the importance of partnerships between community organisations, schools, and leaders like Bishop Debbie.