"We had nowhere to go" : exploring children's experiences of homelessness using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

The magnitude of the issue of child homelessness tends to be muted because homeless families rarely live on the streets; when living in temporary accommodation, families can be invisible to the public eye (Hallett, Miller & Skrla, 2015). In comparison to the vast quantitative research that has examined pathways to homelessness, and the impact of homelessness on health, social and educational outcomes, the experiences of homeless children have received little attention, especially in the UK. The aim of this thesis was to conduct sensitive child voice research with homeless children, to explore how they make sense of their experiences, and their education. This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to allow for an in-depth exploration of children's lived experiences. Four participants, aged 12-13, living in temporary accommodation with their families each participated in one semi-structured interview; one interview took place virtually due to the outbreak of the global pandemic. Children were asked questions about the places they have lived and about school. Data was analysed according to the six stages recommended by Smith, Flower and Larkin (2009). Findings indicated that children made sense of their relationships with their families, and through comparisons to their lives in the past. Participants' experiences of school were polar, with factors relating to the distance they lived from their schools and experiences of feeling supported and cared about by adults impacting on their school experiences, and their sense of belonging. The research highlights several opportunities for developing Educational Psychology practice, and school support, to better meet the needs of homeless children. In light of the limited field of research this thesis contributes to, there are several directions for future research.