Homelessness duration and accommodation for children under 16 years attending ED
| Variable | Homeless n=3138 | ||
| n | % | 95% CI | |
| Homelessness duration if age ≥1 year | |||
| Documented | 560 | 23.5 | 21.8 to 25.2 |
| ≥1 year* | 439 | 78.4 | 74.8 to 81.6 |
| Accommodation | |||
| Emergency† | 2273 | 72.4 | 70.8 to 74 |
| Care of relative | 271 | 8.6 | 7.7 to 9.7 |
| Family hub‡ | 264 | 8.4 | 7.5 to 9.4 |
| Direct Provision§ | 179 | 5.7 | 4.9 to 6.6 |
| Drug rehabilitation | 63 | 2 | 1.6 to 2.6 |
| Child residential home¶ | 30 | 1 | 0.7 to 1.4 |
| Women’s refuge | 25 | 0.8 | 0.5 to 1.2 |
| No fixed abode | 16 | 0.5 | 0.3 to 0.8 |
| Prison with mother** | 16 | 0.5 | 0.3 to 0.8 |
| Child detention centre | 1 | 0.03 | 0.01 to 0.2 |
*Homelessness duration for ≥1 year was presumed if a patient attended ED on more than one occasion with a homeless address over the period of at least a year.
†Emergency homeless accommodation provided by local authorities in commercial properties.
‡Family hubs are designated congregate emergency homeless accommodation for families.
§Direct Provision provides accommodation and living expenses to asylum seekers in Ireland.
¶Children in one residential home were not allowed to stay onsite during the day and thus effectively homeless.
**In Ireland an infant may live in prison with its mother until 12 months of age.
ED, emergency department.