One in five social workers (21%) working with children have seen their service remove a child from their family in the past three years where unsafe or inappropriate housing was a key contributing factor, according to new figures.

“Unsafe housing conditions” can include maintenance issues, problems with mould, damp, insect or vermin infestations or cramped living spaces.

The report, based on a survey by the Social Workers Union, also showed more than three-quarters of social workers (78%) strongly agree that housing conditions are a concern for people they support, while more than a third (36%) strongly agree that over the last three years, the number of people they help who live in unsafe or inappropriate housing conditions has increased.