29-07-2025
Mother and baby turned up at homeless shelter in Glasgow
The young woman turned up at the Homeless Project Scotland shelter in Merchant City with another child and a baby in her pram.
She turned to the charity for help after the council's phonelines were down and spent two hours at the shelter.
After the charity managed to make contact with homeless services, the family was found accommodation after midnight.
The council confirmed the woman and her children were found somewhere to stay, and she is engaged with children's and family services.
The incident comes after the Glasgow Times reported a 19-year-old woman was put in a hostel dorm 'full of men' when she presented as homeless.
READ NEXT:Homeless Glasgow teenager put in hostel dorm 'full of men'
Our End the Homeless Hotel shame campaign has been highlighting the plight of people forced to live in hotels and B&Bs in the city as the housing emergency in Glasgow deepens.
The Homeless Project Scotland charity is currently involved in a legal wrangle over planning permission.
The council has served notice on it to shut down as it is operating without planning permission for people to stay overnight in the basement, which has been turned into a shelter and food service area.
People come to the centre and volunteers try to get the council to find them accommodation.
If they are unable to be helped that night, then the charity has space for 33 people a night which is usually reached.
On Monday at 10.30pm, the woman presented at the shelter with her children, one in a pram, just months old.
It is unclear where the baby was born or how she became homeless.
READ NEXT:End the Homeless Hotel Shame
The charity said that at around half past midnight, after a period of support at the shelter, she was found accommodation.
Homeless Project Scotland said without the shelter, she would have been on the streets that night.
It stated: 'This mother and her baby had nowhere else to go.
'Glasgow City Council phone lines were down and no support was available.
'If our volunteer-run shelter didn't exist, this newborn and their mum would have been sleeping on the streets of Glasgow.
'This is the harsh reality.
'This is why we fight to keep our shelter open.
'Because when the system fails, we step in.'
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council, said: 'We regret there was a period of time last night when the public could not make contact with council services.
'Alternative contact details were communicated, and the issue was resolved promptly.'
