A 13-YEAR-OLD boy was shipped 200 miles away from his family to live in a caravan, his heartbroken grandmother has revealed.
The youngster was allegedly moved from the south-west of England to a campsite in the north-west due to accommodation shortages.
MirrorpixA grandmother from Bristol whose grandson is currently in care and being housed in a caravan with no toilet or shower.[/caption]
MirrorpixA 13-year-old boy was sent 198 miles away from his family to live in a static caravan park[/caption]
He is one of dozens of children being put up in unregistered properties, including boats and tents, because of the housing crisis.
The boy’s woes first began when his grandmother, who was his long-time caregiver, became ill.
This was worsened when he was removed from a care home for being disruptive, The Mirror reported.
He was soon moved to a trailer in a static caravan park where he is supervised by agency carers who sleep on a sofa-bed.
The boy’s grandmother said he became “forgotten about” by the system.
“They’ve said that if he’s lucky he might get moved to a narrowboat. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” she told The Mirror.
“What he’s been most unhappy about is living so far away from me and his friends. He was in tears on the phone after he found out. He said to me, ‘They are sending me up north, Nan’.”
The woman, who cannot be named, said she’s been “so upset since he was moved”.
“He was crying and crying and I couldn’t even cuddle him. It was just terrible, absolutely terrible. He was so distressed,” she said.
“We both were. I can’t understand why these children are treated like second-class citizens. It’s disgusting.”
The boy is under the care of Bristol City Council who described the situation as a “short respite arrangement”.
A similar move is only lawful if a child has permanent accommodation elsewhere.
The boy was removed from the caravan site when his case was investigated, 15 days after the move.
Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.
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