Growing up Poor: Britain's Hidden Homeless Kids
Duration: 1 x 46'
Play Trailer Play Screener Contact SalesNarrated by Sheridan Smith OBE actress and singer and directed by BAFTA-winning director Jezza Neumann, this heartfelt film looks at children growing up and struggling with poverty, homelessness and overcrowding.
Spending time with three boys, from the same school, the programmes explores how their families lives have been impacted by a perfect storm of reduced benefits and spiralling costs of living, leaving them as some of Britain’s most vulnerable children.
Kai, Qasim and Yaqub, attend the same school on the edge of Luton. During the pandemic the partial closure of the airport – the biggest source of jobs in the area – hit the town hard. Schools across Luton found families were struggling more than ever.
Kai shares an over-crowded two bedroom house with five others: his mum, step dad, sister and two brothers.
Kai’s mother is bidding for a bigger council house but has been on the waiting list for eight years. Even though his mum has a full-time job as a care
co-ordinator, after paying for housing, utilities, transport and debt repayments, Kai’s family are left with barely enough money to live.
Kai’s family would struggle without the help they get from the school.
The lack of sleep and constant worries over eviction have taken their toll on Qasim’s education too.
Qasim lives in temporary accommodation with his three brothers, two sisters and their dad, Faahid.
As a single dad of six children including twins not yet in school Faahid can’t go back to work, so they live on support. After bills, Qasim’s family are left with barely anything, the equivalent of two high street coffees, and for this they need to buy food, clothing and anything else they need.
Qasim’s 13-year-old sister Naila isn’t only worried about the bills. The family were evicted from their last house with just a week’s notice from their private landlord. She’s haunted by the fear that the same could happen again.
While the end of the school year is welcomed by the kids, for their parents it means 6 weeks of no free school meals… for Kai, Qasim and Yaqub the Farley Junior Academy pastoral care team ensure they receive food and support over the summer holidays.
For Channel 4
Also in this genre
The Titan Sub Disaster: Minute by Minute
Britain's Child Drug Runners
Retreat: Meditations From A Monastery
Michael Palin In North Korea
Ross Kemp: On the NHS Frontline
Fake Homeless: Who's Begging On The Streets?
Paul O'Grady's Little Heroes
Bring Back the Bush: Where Did Our Pubic Hair Go?
Sheridan Smith: Becoming Mum
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Sex In Strange Places
Growing Up Poor: Britain's Breadline Kids
The Knowledge: The World’s Toughest Taxi Test
Stacey Dooley: Down The K-Hole
Hannah Spearritt: Me & Breast Implants
Living with the Boss - Format
Life On The Psych Ward
Face The Consequences - Format
The Beckham Feud - Truth & Lies
Prince Andrew and Scandal in the Royal House of York
Inside the Bruderhof
Jasmine Harman’s Renovation in the Sun
The World’s Worst Place To Be Disabled?
Stacey and the Lockdown Babies
Heal Me In The Name Of Jesus
Stacey Dooley: Face to Face with The Bounty Hunters
National Trust: My Historic Home
Born On The Breadline
School of Hard Tricks
Stacey Dooley: The Young And Homeless
Britain’s Refugee Children
Poundland: How Do They Really Do It?
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Kids Selling Drugs Online
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Mums Selling Their Kids For Sex
Kashmir's Torture Trail
Dr Xand's Con or Cure - Format
Stacey's Lockdown Heroes
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Gypsy Kids In Crisis
Farther And Sun, A Dyslexic Road Trip
Living With My Supersized Pets
The Beckhams' Billions: How Did They Get So Rich?
Prison, My Parents And Me
How To Be A Young Billionaire
Historic Homes at Christmas
Prisoners' Wives: Visiting Hours
School of Hard Tricks - Format
Stacey Dooley: On The Psych Ward
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Spy Cam Sex Criminals
Anorexia, My Family and Me
Doom Scroll: Andrew Tate & The Dark Side of the Internet
Deliveroo: How Do They Really Do It?
Britain's America's Cup Challenge 4K
Our Soldiers: Return To Civvy Street
of
Format Info
Growing up Poor: Britain's Hidden Homeless Kids
Narrated by Sheridan Smith OBE and directed by BAFTA-winning director Jezza Neumann, this heartfelt film looks at children growing up and struggling with poverty, homelessness and overcrowding.
Series Duration: 1 x 46'
Resolution: HD
Genres: Human Interest