To mark World Homeless Day, a young Teesside woman talks to PETER BARRON about finding help after nights on the streets
AS she reflects on her short life so far, Kafiya Clough admits there have been “a lot of dark places”.
But for now, at least, she's found a place where she feels safe and can try to build a future.
We met last Friday – World Homeless Day – at a homeless accommodation in Stockton.
It’s a block of 12 flats and a “crash-pad” for ‘care experienced’ young people and is managed by North Star Housing in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
“It’s so important to have somewhere like this,” says Kafiya. “I’ve slept in doorways and in gardens before and, if this wasn’t here, there would be more children out on the streets.”
According to the national charity, Shelter, there were 4,667 people sleeping rough in England when the last statistics were counted, in autumn 2024. That’s almost doubled since 2020 and is described as “the tip of the iceberg”.
Beneath that, the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation is around 170,000 – the highest since records began.
But how does a young person end up homeless in modern Britain? Behind every statistic, there's a human story – and this is Kafiya’s.
She was given the opportunity to remain anonymous but declined, insisting: “I’m an open person."
Eloquent and bright, she wants to speak out to raise understanding of the reality of homelessness, and to promote the need for the kind of support she’s found in the accomodation.
Born in Stockton, Kafiya describes her childhood as “very, very rough”, including suffering sexual abuse from the age of six.
That led to complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder.
She started self-harming and running away from home. Then, at 14, she took an overdose, leading to her being treated in North Tees General Hospital before she was taken into care in Ashington, Northumberland.
By the time she was 16, she’d returned to Teesside, still supported by social services, and, after a period in temporary accommodation, she got into a relationship and moved into a house in Stockton.
“I ended up in a terrible domestic violence situation,” she explains. “My partner broke my jaw and things got so bad with the noise and everything, I got evicted.”
Her next move was to a flat on The Headland, in Hartlepool, where she “lost all support systems”.
“I felt completely isolated for a year and still couldn’t get away from the violent relationship. I was at rock bottom,” she admits.
Her violent partner finally ended up in prison, and Kafiya was moved by social services into a two-bedroomed house in Stockton, where she found temporary happiness.
“I made it really nice, and I loved the responsibility of looking after it,” she smiles.
But then, when she was out one night four months ago, she got a call to say the house was on fire, due to an electrical fault, and her four dogs and cat had been killed.
That was when she found herself being allocated one of the 12 "crash-pad" flats.
“It’s amazing to have somewhere safe where you can get yourself together. The staff here are so lovely, and we’re all allocated a support worker," she says.
Cat McGuinness is Kafiya’s support worker, helping her manage her medication, advising on budgeting, carrying out checks on the flat to make sure it’s properly maintained, and setting goals.
“We’ve built up a proper bond,” says Kafiya. “She’s neutral and always professional but I know I can call her if I need her. I’m so grateful for the support I’ve had from North Star – I honestly don’t know where I’d be without it.”
Tenants normally have up to two years in the accommodation, with the aim of helping them to reset their lives before moving into a permanent home.
Zoe Holley, North Star's Manager of Temporary Housing, has worked in the supported housing sector for 30 years, and says the challenges are greater than ever.
"Those who have never faced adversity, or mental health issues, or drug and alcohol addiction, can't comprehend it," says Zoe.
"People make judgements about homelessness, but there are so many hoops to jump through to get universal credit, and it's so easy to get drawn into criminal behaviour.
"Most of us can take our family support networks for granted, but care experienced young people don't have that – they have the trauma of all the issues that brought them into the care system in the first place.
"Kafiya is an example of someone who's had to face complex traumas in a chaotic life. She's a very capable young person but when normality should have been playing with friends, she was facing abuse.
"We try to set boundaries and show how to live a normal life, so they can learn to be good tenants.
"I've never yet met a young person who should be written off. Everyone makes mistakes and it's about giving them another chance."
For Kafiya, there's an additional challenge to overcome because she is due to have a baby girl in February. A name has already been chosen – Adaelina – and, in the meantime, she’s also rebuilt her relationship with her own mother.
"I was scared about being a mum at first but now, with the support I'm getting, I'm dead excited. I just want to be a good mum," she says.
And yet, while Kafiya tries to look forward, the traumas of what’s behind her remain very close. On her right arm, she has a butterfly tattoo in memory of a friend who committed suicide at 19.
"You think it will never happen to you but mental health issues can affect anyone," she says.
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Kafiya knows her own future remains uncertain but it's a positive sign that her thoughts have turned to finding a way back to the education she never had.
"I like writing, photography and fashion," she says. "The stuff I write tends to be quite dark, but I never did any GCSEs, so I'd love to go to university one day.
"My life hasn't been easy so far, but I'm in a better place now. I feel more positive and things are more under control.
"I'm only young, so hopefully, I can build a better life for me and my baby."
