Children as young as 7 seek help as Auckland homelessness crisis deepens

Primary school-aged children are facing homelessness in Auckland, with some as young as 7 turning to support services for help. 

Youth homelessness organisation Kick Back has reported a 95% increase in the number of children and young people it supported annually, from 160 in its previous report to 312 in its latest. 

Its State of the Street report, released today, found 48 of those it supported were aged 15 or younger, while nearly a third were under 18. 

Kick Back co-founder and general manager Aaron Hendry told the Herald the organisation was dealing with increasingly young children seeking help, including some as young as 7. 

“We’ve definitely seen younger and younger kids coming through the front door,” he said. 

“I think it would shock a lot of people in New Zealand to think that we have a society where children have nowhere to go.” 

Auckland Council figures show the number of people known to be sleeping rough across the region more than doubled from 426 in September 2024 to more than 940 a year later. 

Hendry explained some of the circumstances that were leaving children without a safe place to stay. 

“Often these are kids that are not feeling safe at home or they might be in a placement of some form and they have left because they don’t feel comfortable. 

“They end up sleeping rough, maybe with a group of other young people.” 

Previously, most young people seeking help came from central Auckland, but Hendry said the organisation was now supporting more from South and West Auckland. 

Hendry said some children were too frightened to return home because of unresolved trauma, even after Oranga Tamariki had assessed their homes as safe, and without sufficient support to rebuild family relationships. 

“We’ve had social workers crying to us because they desperately want to help but don’t have options.” 

Established in 2023, Kick Back operates The Front Door, a Karangahape Rd centre providing housing assistance, food, clothing, healthcare and other support. 

Kick Back co-founder and general manager Aaron Hendry says increasingly young children are seeking help with homelessness in Auckland. Photo / Jason Dorday 

The organisation estimates the number of young people seeking help each month has risen by about 50%, accounting for differences in the reporting periods. 

Of 74 young people assessed for housing between April and September this year, 73% were sleeping rough or couch surfing, compared with 44% in the previous report. 

Family breakdowns and violence were significant contributors to homelessness, while most youth housing services accepted only those aged 16 and over. 

The report also revealed staff had encountered children sleeping rough after their families were evicted. 

Hendry said rising living costs were putting families under extraordinary strain. 

“Cost of living is almost a tame word for it, you know, it’s cost of surviving.” 

Kick Back's The Front Door centre on Karangahape Rd provides housing assistance and other support to vulnerable children and young people. Photo / Kick Back 

Hendry criticised restrictions on emergency housing, saying they were creating a “perverse outcome” where young people were pushed further away from their whānau, on to benefits and into increasingly unsafe situations. 

A report by the Auditor-General in March found the Ministry of Social Development needed clearer guidance on declining emergency housing applications, amid concerns vulnerable people were being left with nowhere safe to stay. 

“The consequences for the person who is declined support are potentially significant, and they will likely have few other options,” the report warned. 

Before Saturday’s election, Kick Back is calling for “Duty to assist” legislation requiring government agencies to help prevent homelessness and work together when children need somewhere safe to stay. 

Hendry said the consequences extended beyond the children seeking help today. 

“If this system is not good enough for my kids, it’s not good enough for any of these kids because they’re all of our kids,” he said. 

“We really believe that homelessness is a problem we can solve and we’re willing to have that conversation with anyone who will listen. Because it is solvable. 

“Homelessness is a political choice, right?”