Ms Aisling O'Hara:

In terms of the models that I spoke about, the youth housing first model is what I attended last week. The basic principles are that every young person has a right to housing and that young people also have a right to housing without any preconditions.

Another important element of this model was a no-discharge policy into homeless services. Many people can get scared by hearing that but the whole point of the model is that placements may break down and there may be times when a new solution may need to be explored with a young people but that the service or the workers will stay with that young person no matter where he or she is until another solution can be found.

Another part of it is that there are no time limits. It is not like we have one or two years to sort this problem out but that there is no time limit. That is what makes this specific model that I am talking about so important and what makes it work.

There are many examples from Scotland, Canada and the UK where this modelling has worked. It is very simple. It is long-term housing for young people.