A powerful new report has laid bare the scale of child and youth homelessness in Aotearoa, revealing that more than 33,000 children and young people are experiencing severe housing deprivation, with Māori and Pacific communities bearing the greatest burden.

The findings have prompted renewed calls for urgent government action, with respected Māori education and social policy advocate Dr Kathie Irwin warning that homelessness is causing long-term harm to thousands of tamariki and rangatahi across the country.

The report paints a troubling picture of children living in overcrowded homes, temporary accommodation, emergency housing, garages, cars, motels and other unstable living situations. Researchers say homelessness extends far beyond rough sleeping and often remains hidden from public view despite its significant impacts on health, education and wellbeing.

Dr Irwin says one of the most striking aspects of the report is the sheer number of young people affected and the long-lasting consequences housing insecurity creates throughout their lives.

Evidence shows children who experience homelessness are more likely to face poorer educational outcomes, increased health problems, social exclusion and long-term economic disadvantage. Housing instability can also have a profound impact on mental health, development and a child’s sense of safety and belonging.

The report highlights a strong relationship between women’s homelessness and the wellbeing of children, reinforcing the reality that when mothers and caregivers struggle to access stable housing, tamariki often experience the consequences alongside them.

Advocates argue this finding should fundamentally reshape how housing policy is designed. Rather than viewing homelessness as an individual issue, they say policies must recognise the interconnected nature of whānau wellbeing and provide support that keeps families together and securely housed.

For Māori communities, the findings are particularly alarming.

Māori children remain significantly overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness and severe housing deprivation. The report points to longstanding structural inequities, including lower rates of home ownership, income disparities, housing affordability pressures and the ongoing impacts of colonisation.

Pacific children are also disproportionately affected, reflecting broader challenges around overcrowding, housing costs and access to affordable accommodation.

Dr Irwin says the findings reinforce the need for responses grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and led by communities themselves. Many Māori housing advocates have long argued that solutions must move beyond short-term emergency accommodation and focus on whānau-centred, kaupapa Māori approaches that strengthen community resilience and self-determination.

Across the country, iwi, hapū and Māori housing providers are already delivering innovative housing initiatives, but sector leaders say greater investment and long-term support are needed to meet growing demand.

The report arrives amid continued pressure on housing affordability and increasing concerns about the availability of social and emergency housing. While governments have invested heavily in housing programmes over recent years, advocates say current efforts have not kept pace with the scale of need.

Researchers argue that the evidence now leaves little room for uncertainty about the extent of the crisis.

Among the recommendations emerging from the report are increased investment in affordable housing, stronger support for whānau experiencing housing stress, better data collection, and targeted initiatives focused on the needs of Māori and Pacific communities.

Many are also calling for a shift towards prevention, identifying families at risk before they enter homelessness rather than relying solely on crisis responses after housing has already been lost.

For Dr Irwin and other housing advocates, the issue is ultimately about ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, secure and stable environment.

As policymakers prepare for the next election cycle, the report places renewed focus on one of Aotearoa’s most persistent social challenges and raises difficult questions about whether enough is being done to protect the country’s most vulnerable children.

The message from researchers is clear: homelessness is not simply a housing issue. It is a health issue, an education issue, a social justice issue and, for tens of thousands of children, a daily reality.

Until every child has a place to call home, advocates say the work remains unfinished.