Children are the main victim of housing insecurity
The housing crisis is forcing more and more families with children to live in single rooms on a permanent basis. The impact on their health and wellbeing is alarming.
A new year has begun, and 2025 will undoubtedly be marked by one of the most pressing issues of recent times: the housing crisis. According to the monthly barometer of the Spanish Center for Sociological Research (CIS), housing has become the main concern for Spaniards. Additionally, the government has announced its first institutional measures of the year, aimed at finding solutions to the housing problem. At the same time, on January 31, the eviction of Josep, a resident of the emblematic Casa Orsola in Barcelona, was halted thanks to one of the largest citizen mobilizations in the city to stop an eviction.
The sharp rise in housing prices, along with the administrative insecurity faced by many people in irregular situations, is forcing more individuals to live in rented rooms without contracts due to a lack of alternatives. Living under these conditions, without legal tenancy security, means enduring complete uncertainty and instability. While this could be considered a temporary solution for those who cannot access adequate housing, more and more cases are becoming permanent.
Forced cohabitation with strangers, the inability to establish routines, and the fear of eviction affect children's emotional well-being
The report Shared Exclusion. Living in a Room within a Context of Residential and Social Exclusion, a collaboration between the Decent Housing Observatory of the Esade Institute for Social Innovation, the Observatorio de la Realidad Social of Cáritas Diocesana de Barcelona, and the Observatorio de la Realidad Social of Cáritas Catalunya, rigorously analyzes the consequences of (barely) living in such precarious housing conditions: insecurity and instability, lack of privacy and personal space, conflicts in shared living arrangements, abuses of power, and a significant impact on emotional health.
This reality affects a wide range of people in very different ways. We often forget that there is no single profile of those suffering from this situation. They can be women, men, non-binary individuals, elderly people, young people, couples, widows, or families with children. In the latter case—though not exclusively—all these risks are significantly heightened, particularly impacting childhood and parenting.
The importance of housing for children
The lack of a stable and adequate home directly affects children's well-being. In many families living in sublet rooms, access to common spaces is restricted, severely limiting children's ability to play, study, or simply have a space for privacy and tranquility. In many cases, the room becomes the only safe refuge, affecting children's physical, emotional, and social development.
The impact of housing insecurity on children's health is alarming. The lack of stability and privacy generates high levels of stress and anxiety in children, who grow up in an environment of constant uncertainty and tension. The report includes numerous testimonies from families describing how forced cohabitation with strangers, the inability to establish routines, and the fear of eviction affect children's emotional well-being. Added to this is the exposure to conflicts between adults, which can lead to behavioral problems and difficulties in psychosocial development. Additionally, living in overcrowded conditions increases the risk of respiratory and infectious diseases due to inadequate ventilation and close contact with others in confined spaces.
Residential instability and constant moves cause schooling and social integration issues for children
Residential instability is another critical factor in the lives of children growing up in these conditions. Many families are forced to move frequently due to the lack of legal security in room rentals. This constant mobility disrupts children's schooling and social integration, making it difficult for them to establish stable social connections and leading to a sense of uprootedness that can negatively impact their self-esteem and academic performance. Forced mobility also causes interruptions in access to healthcare and education services, further exacerbating their vulnerability.
The report also highlights that these issues are more severe for single-parent families, which have fewer resources to cope with the challenges of raising children in a context of residential exclusion. According to data from the Red Estatal de Entidades de Familias Monoparentales (2024), 52.7% of these households are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, with the majority being led by women. The lack of support and the burden faced by these mothers directly affect their children's quality of life, intensifying the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In many cases, mothers living in sublet rooms face additional difficulties in balancing work and childcare, which impacts children's emotional stability and their access to developmental opportunities.
Urgent measures
Given this situation, it is essential to advance housing policies that guarantee the right to a decent and stable home for all families. Expanding public housing, regulating the rental market, and ensuring basic rights such as official residence registration are urgent measures to curb this crisis and protect children's well-being.
Housing insecurity not only jeopardizes the present of thousands of families but also mortgages the future of a generation that deserves to grow up with security, stability, and opportunities for comprehensive development. Additionally, it is crucial that child support programs include psychological and social assistance services to mitigate the impact of residential precariousness on children and their families.
