Monica Lakhanpaul - The Churchill Fellowship
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Fellow's Profile

Monica Lakhanpaul

Fellow's Profile

Monica Lakhanpaul

Impact of temporary accommodation on children - a global challenge

Fellowship

Themes
Focus

Supporting health and wellbeing of children experiencing homelessness and living in temporary accommodation

Countries
Fellowship year

2024

Locality

East Midlands

Contact

Biography

I am Professor of Integrated Community Child Health at University College London and an academic, clinician, science communicator and poet. I am also Consultant Paediatrician at Whittington NHS Trust and PPI Lead for the Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre. My work focuses on using collaborative, participatory research methods incorporating the arts at the intersections of health, education and the environment in order to optimise the health and wellbeing of underserved children, adolescents and families affected by social and structural inequalities with the aim of influencing practice and policy.

We have an increasing number of children living in temporary accommodation. This has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis has led to more children falling into poverty. Professionals supporting them are under pressure – health visitor numbers are reducing and the NHS and educational support are at their limits. Finding urgent ways to support families, improve housing conditions and tackle health inequalities to improve the health and wellbeing of children to ensure they have a healthy adulthood is crucial.

Activity

editorial

Health, Homelessness, and Hope: Children in Temporary Accommodation

Monica Lakhanpaul’s Fellowship took her to Australia to explore how different systems respond to the health and wellbeing needs of children living in temporary accommodation. Back in the UK, her work has already helped launch the In Their Own Words report in the Scottish Parliament and continues through research, media, and international collaborations. She now hopes to build on this momentum to ensure that children’s voices are heard – and acted upon – in shaping a fairer future.

By Monica Lakhanpaul, 18 September 2025

Acknowledgements

University College London, Flinders University, Children's Health Queensland Hospital, University of New South Wales

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Activity

editorial

Health, Homelessness, and Hope: Children in Temporary Accommodation

Monica Lakhanpaul’s Fellowship took her to Australia to explore how different systems respond to the health and wellbeing needs of children living in temporary accommodation. Back in the UK, her work has already helped launch the In Their Own Words report in the Scottish Parliament and continues through research, media, and international collaborations. She now hopes to build on this momentum to ensure that children’s voices are heard – and acted upon – in shaping a fairer future.

By Monica Lakhanpaul, 18 September 2025

Acknowledgements

University College London, Flinders University, Children's Health Queensland Hospital, University of New South Wales

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

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