EIGHT hundred more youngsters were living in temporary accommodation last year as the number rose for the third year in a row.
The increase comes despite a drop in the overall number of homelessness applications made to Scottish councils between April and September.
A total of 5,751 youngsters had no permanent home, up 17 per cent on the same period the previous year and the third successive hike.
Housing minister Kevin Stewart said the Scottish Government is “doing everything” it can.
However, homelessness charity Shelter said the SNP administration must produce a new strategy to reverse the upwards trend.
Adam Lang, the charity’s head of communications and policy, said: “It is deeply worrying that there are 826 more children without a permanent home in Scotland than the same time last year – a third consecutive rise. We need to deliver both a major step change in affordable housing supply, at least 12,000 affordable homes each year of this parliament, as well as a renewed local and national commitment to tackling the root causes of homelessness in Scotland.”
He went on: “While we recognise the significant financial pressures on local authorities, we call on them to protect the funding of vital homelessness service provisions.”
Councils received 17,107 applications during the period, a dip of three per cent. A total of 14,124 of these were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness, down two per cent.
On September 30, there were 10,570 households in temporary accommodation, a rise of 97 compared with one year earlier.
Statisticians attribute the fall in homelessness applications to the impact of local authorities adopting an approach to homelessness known as housing options, which focuses on prevention by exploring all possibilities to help those looking for housing.
Andy Wightman MSP of the Scottish Greens, said: “The fact that homelessness still exists, and in such large numbers, in our wealthy country is a national disgrace.”
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