Social workers at Bermuda?s Department of Child and Family Services fear that the Island?s housing crisis is negatively affecting a number of children and the Department doesn?t have necessary emergency housing to shelter homeless families.

Maureen Bell, the in-take co-ordinator for the Department, said most of the cases referred to them involve lack of supervision or a lack of permanent residence for children.

?The housing crisis has made the problems we face more intense and multifaceted,? she said.

Yesterday, the Department investigated a tip that a mother was living in a tent with a new-born baby.

The social workers, Terri-Lynn Richardson, Lisa Talbot and Pari Nolan-Trott, said they face similar situations on a regular basis.

In fact, a lack of housing is the second most prevalent issue they face. They said that many children in Bermuda are bouncing from house to house or living in cars and tents because of the spiralling rents.

One of the main problems the Department faces is that Bermuda does not have any emergency housing for mothers and their children. The Department prefers not to split families up but when a family has nowhere to live there are few options.

Once the social workers have exhausted resources such as the Bermuda Housing Corporation they look to other emergency housing such as the Salvation Army which does not accept children so they must sometimes be placed in foster care.

Ms Bell said the Island needs emergency housing.

Without such facilities the Department of Family Services faces an uphill battle when dealing with homeless families.

Bermuda?s high cost of living also causes other problems for families, children are being left unsupervised because parents must work two or three jobs to meet rent payments.

Child neglect is the most common issue the Department deals with, surpassing the number of cases involving physical or sexual abuse or a parent with a substance abuse problem.

Recently they had a case where a five year old was left at home to take care of a one year old child and a baby because the mother was working.

They have also had cases where young children are working until 10 p.m. packing groceries to help pay the bills.

?Their job should be going to school, not earning money.? Ms Talbot said.

Another common neglect issue is that young children are being left alone early in the morning and must walk to school because their parents have to get to work. ?It?s hard if the parent has to be at work at 8 a.m. in Hamilton and doesn?t live in a central parish. Their children then have to fend for themselves in the morning.? Ms Richardson said.

This causes more problems, which were recently highlighted in Children left unsupervised are arriving at school improperly dressed and not fed.

Former teacher Michael Charles spoke out in October and said that teachers around the Island are digging into their own pockets to feed these children and some have spare uniforms on hand for the children to change into.

The social workers commended the teachers for their compassion and efforts but said they should also reporting these cases to Family Services so the Department can step in and see how it can improve the family?s situation.

The women all said they loved their jobs and feel a sense of accomplishment when they can help a family improve their situation, but stressed that more resources need to be allocated to ensure children aren?t suffering because of the Island?s housing crisis.