Community leaders, headteachers and charities across Ealing’s seven towns have urged candidates in next month’s local elections to commit to helping children living in temporary accommodation.
An open letter, coordinated by Ealing Citizens, says 4,436 children in the borough are currently living in temporary accommodation, with some families placed in hotels or overcrowded housing far from their schools.
The group says the housing crisis is disrupting children’s education, harming health and placing heavy strain on families already under pressure.
It is asking candidates standing in the elections to support three pledges if elected: telling schools and GPs when a child is moved into temporary accommodation, ensuring basic facilities such as cooking equipment, laundry access, Wi-Fi and secure storage, and keeping children as close as possible to their schools.
Campaigners say they want whoever wins on 7 May 2026 to work with community organisations and bring in the measures within the first year of the next council term.
Daniel Coyle, headteacher at The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, said: “The fact that so many of our families live in unsuitable accommodation in one of the wealthiest cities on the planet is a national disgrace.”
Sharmarke Diriye, chief executive of Golden Opportunity Skills and Development, said: “Behind every statistic is a child doing homework on a bed, a parent choosing between dignity and survival, and a family waiting for stability.”
Michelle said: “For nine months, I was homeless. I was moved from hotel to hotel while still expected to sit my GCSEs.”
