Pregnant and homeless - Leitrim mother shares struggle in emergency accommodation

A pregnant woman from Leitrim has shared her experience of living in emergency accommodation, hoping to raise awareness of what mothers and families are facing across the county.

Seven months pregnant and already caring for a toddler, she has been in emergency accommodation for the past seven months after the house she was renting was put on the market and she was required to leave.

“I want to raise awareness mostly about the homelessness situation in Leitrim, especially what mothers and families are going through. I don’t think people understand the full extent of it and how hard it is,” she said.

She currently lives in a single room with her two-year-old daughter, without access to cooking or laundry facilities. As a result, she cannot prepare meals for herself or her child and relies entirely on shop-bought food. This has become particularly challenging since receiving a recent medical diagnosis.

“I’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It’s increasingly difficult to manage my dietary requirements from just shop-bought food.”

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The confinement of living in one room, she says, has also affected her mental wellbeing and her daughter’s development.

“My toddler has spent most of her second year living in emergency accommodation and I feel incredibly guilty about that. She spends most of her days confined to a small room. She has regressed with her feeding, she mainly wants milk, yoghurt or biscuits,” she explained.

She also raised concerns about the condition of the accommodation, describing issues with damp and black mould in the bathroom.

“There’s no latch on the window so on cold nights I have to tie the window closed in order to try keep some of the heat in,” she said.

Preparing bottles for her daughter, and soon for her newborn, is another ongoing concern, as the only water supply is from the bathroom.

“I don’t have any counter space. I wash my daughters bottles in a basin in the bath with the hot water from the bath, which in itself isn’t as hygienic as I’d like it to be.”

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She said she has “tried everything to get help,” contacting doctors, staff at Leitrim County Council, TDs and social workers. She has also obtained a letter from a child development professional stating the environment is unsuitable for a child and has applied for housing through the Choice Based Lettings system, but has not yet secured accommodation.

Her priority, she said, is stability and safety for her children.

“All I want is a safe home where I can cook meals and prepare for my new baby coming. I don’t think any mothers or pregnant women should have to live like this. I know there are other mothers and pregnant women in Leitrim going through the same situation as myself.”

When contacted by the Leitrim Observer, Leitrim County Council said it does not comment on individual cases but confirmed that pregnancy is not considered a category for prioritisation.

Housing allocations are made in accordance with the Scheme of Letting Priorities Policy, which does include homelessness.

The Council stated: “Persons entering temporary emergency accommodation are sign posted to the Resettlement Tenancy Sustainment Support worker with Focus Ireland, who provide support and advice to individuals and families seeking to exit temporary emergency accommodation.”

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The statement added that temporary emergency accommodation with cooking and laundry facilities is offered to families, though it is not always accepted if individuals or families wish to remain in a particular area where such facilities may not be available.

“Depending on factors such as the applicant’s area of choice, the availability of suitable Private Rented accommodation, the availability of Local Authority housing stock and estate management factors, the average time in temporary emergency accommodation can vary from 6 to 18 months.

“At present the demand for social housing support is high making the expeditious delivery of appropriate housing solutions difficult.”

The Council also noted that quality assurance for commercial accommodation providers, such as hotels and bed and breakfasts, is based on assessments carried out by Bord Fáilte.

“Where Leitrim County Council is made aware of a medical condition prior to an applicant entering emergency accommodation, every effort is made to place them appropriately with our temporary emergency accommodation providers.

“Leitrim County Council engage with the Health Service Executive and all the key stakeholders on a monthly basis through the Homelessness Action Team, where supports and solutions for all individuals and families in Temporary Emergency Accommodation are considered,” the statement concluded

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