More than 3,500 children in Kent are living in temporary accommodation, according to new data published by homelessness charity Shelter.

Dartford has the highest rate in the county, with one in 58 children living in short-term homes – a total of 501.

Deborah Garvie, policy manager at Shelter, said: “It’s an absolute shocking record-high now. Over 151,000 children in England are homeless with their families – and in really quite horrifying temporary accommodation.

“That works out to be one in 78 children in the country that are now growing up homeless.”

She says families can often be moved miles away with as little as 24 hours’ notice, which leads to problems with things such as schooling.

She added: “It’s very likely that you’ll be accommodated out of area which could be miles and miles from the children’s school.

“Families will then have to commute for a good couple of hours on various public transport to get their kids to school and get themselves to work.

“It’s also extremely cramped, and quite often families are having to live in one room where they’re having to eat, sleep and have children playing and studying.

“And that’s often in really grotty bed and breakfast hotels and hostels.”

Deborah says this can lead to isolation in both children and their parents if they are moved to areas they aren’t familiar with.

In many temporary placements, visitors are also prohibited. On top of this, the conditions are often criticised.

She explained: “Conditions are also often very unsafe, with problems like faulty electrics, damp, mould, structural problems and infestations.

“In terms of the impact on [children’s] health, the work we’ve done with families in temporary accommodation shows that parents are often very unhappy and depressed.

“It makes children feel very insecure. Children need a lot of security and stability but when they might have to move again at short notice it’s very destabilising.

“Then there’s the impact on schooling. Those long commutes and sleeping arrangements mean children can end up arriving at school extremely tired and it can be difficult to study at temporary accommodation as it often has no wifi – which for secondary aged children is essential.”

Children often also need to move schools if they are placed in a temporary home hours away.

Shelter has partnered with IKEA for a campaign aimed at highlighting the issues that come with living in temporary accommodation.

Deborah added: “It’s a hidden form of homelessness.

“People can see people who are living rough on the street, but when it comes to children who are homeless in temporary accommodation, they are hidden from public view.”

IKEA has launched “real life roomsets’ at four of its stores which depicts a different issue in each room.

Hiliary Jenkins, sustainability business partner at IKEA, said: “It’s quite a harrowing display that’s based on real life experiences which is really important.

“At IKEA we live and breathe the importance of home, and after reading the latest statistics we were horrified to find there are so many children in our local community living in this situation.

“I’m a mother myself, I have two small children. I know how important it is that they get a good night's sleep and that they eat a nutritious meal.

“You think about all those families that are forced to live in this really unsuitable temporary accommodation.

“One in three of these children are sharing a bed, there’s no place to cook meals or for children to play and do their homework.

“Statistics show that almost half of the people living in temporary accommodation are there for over two years.

“This is a really systematic problem that we felt we wanted to address and that we wanted to make our customers aware of.”

Both Shelter and IKEA are urging people to sign an open letter which calls on the government to “invest in a new generation of social rent homes to get families out of really damaging temporary accommodation and homelessness”. More information can be found here.

After Dartford, the number of children living in temporary accommodation in Kent are…

- One in 68 in Dover (336 total)

- One in 68 in Gravesham (365 total)

- One in 75 in Swale (442 total).

- One in 78 in Medway (818 total)

- One in 127 in Thanet (222 total)

- One in 139 in Ashford (211 total)

- One in 152 in Maidstone (247 total)

- One in 183 in Tonbridge and Malling (164 total)

- One in 256 in Canterbury (110 total)

- One in 296 in Sevenoaks (91 total)

- One in 463 in Tunbridge Wells (56 total)

- One in 600 in Folkestone and Hythe (34 total)

A Dartford council spokesperson said: “There are a myriad of reasons why families become homeless, including landlords wanting their rental properties back, increases in rent, or properties in disrepair to name a few.

“The reality is that we home those that come to us, and that includes families with children.

“Preventing any form of homelessness is a priority for Dartford Borough Council, but sometimes that simply is not possible and we therefore find suitable temporary accommodation for those families presenting to us.”