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UK homelessness charity St Mungo’s commissioned Stay! (Together), a free children’s book written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Alice Larsson. Told through the experiences of two people and their dogs, it is designed to help families discuss homelessness and the role pet-friendly accommodation can play.
UK homelessness charity St Mungo’s has commissioned a free children’s book to help families talk about homelessness with young children. Stay! (Together), written by award-winning author Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Alice Larsson, draws on the experiences of Arwa and Benny, whose dogs remained sources of companionship while they faced homelessness.
The illustrated digital book follows Arwa and her dog Jacko, and Benny and his dogs Brandy and Casper. It tells their experiences through the dogs’ perspectives and is intended to introduce children to homelessness in an age-appropriate way. St Mungo’s says the stories also show how a lack of pet-friendly accommodation can complicate efforts to find support and rebuild a stable life.
Arwa was reunited with Jacko in 2021 after being separated from him when she fled to London in 2018. In 2022, after losing her flat and struggling to find accommodation that would accept her dog, she slept rough rather than leave him. St Mungo’s outreach team later helped her access a pet-friendly women’s service; she subsequently moved into her own home through the Housing First scheme, according to the charity’s account.
Benny first experienced homelessness in 2006. He has said Brandy helped him find stability and supported him in staying substance-free for 13 years. After Brandy died in 2019, Benny struggled with grief and his mental health. He later found companionship with Casper and, with St Mungo’s support, secured a stable home. The book can be downloaded free from the charity’s website, which also offers a narrated version voiced by St Mungo’s ambassador Kerry Godliman and alt-J musician Gus Unger-Hamilton.
Why Pet-Friendly Housing Matters
The book links a family conversation about homelessness to a practical barrier described by St Mungo’s: people may be reluctant to accept accommodation or support if it means being separated from an animal they consider family. The charity says pets can provide companionship, comfort and stability, while a shortage of accommodation that accepts animals can make it harder to access help.
St Mungo’s cites sector estimates that 10% to 25% of people experiencing homelessness have a pet, while stressing that there is no official UK-wide count. It also says that only 21% of the 960 homelessness accommodation services listed in the Homeless England database reported accepting dogs. Those figures point to a potential gap in provision, though they describe dogs and listed services rather than every type of accommodation or pet across the UK.
For parents, the project offers a specific way to approach a subject that may prompt difficult questions. St Mungo’s commissioned research among 1,363 UK adults in October 2026. The charity reports that 24% of parents surveyed found it difficult to discuss homelessness with children in an age-appropriate way. The book is presented as a conversation starter, not as a substitute for broader information about homelessness.
children's book about homelessness
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The Stories Behind the Book
Arwa’s story includes displacement and separation from her dog before the two were reunited. When she later faced homelessness, she said she would not give Jacko up to obtain accommodation. St Mungo’s account says its outreach team connected her with pet-friendly support and that she later moved into her own home through Housing First. Her experience is one person’s account, shared in the book to illustrate the choices that can arise when services do not accept pets.
Benny describes his dogs as a source of purpose and safety during difficult periods. Brandy’s death affected his wellbeing, and he later formed a bond with Casper. These accounts are the book’s real-life basis; they do not establish that every person experiencing homelessness has the same experience or that pets alone resolve housing insecurity.
The research findings cited by St Mungo’s also indicate why the charity chose a story format. It reports that 92% of surveyed parents believe books are useful for introducing social issues to children, 87% say animal stories can help children process unfamiliar experiences, and 85% find stories told from an animal’s perspective particularly engaging. These are survey responses, not a measure of how the book affects children after reading it.
“I would rather be homeless with my dog than without him.”
— Arwa, whose story with Jacko is included in the book
What the Research Cannot Show
The charity’s survey findings describe the views of 1,363 UK adults surveyed in October 2026. The source report does not provide further detail here about the survey method, sample selection or margin of error, so the figures should be read as the results reported by St Mungo’s rather than as a definitive measure of all UK parents’ views.
The estimate that 10% to 25% of people experiencing homelessness have a pet is cited as a sector estimate, not an official national count. The figure on dog-friendly services is based on the 960 services listed in the Homeless England database; the source does not say how many accept other animals or whether every service in the wider UK is represented. It is also not clear how many families will download or listen to the book, or whether it will change children’s understanding or attitudes.
How Families Can Access It
Families can download Stay! (Together) for free from the St Mungo’s website and can access its narrated version there. The charity has not provided a stated end date for availability or details of any planned print edition in the source report.
Willis hopes the stories will prompt children and parents to discuss homelessness with compassion and curiosity. St Mungo’s says it provides pet-friendly accommodation wherever possible. Whether the book leads to further changes in accommodation provision, or how its impact will be evaluated, has not been announced.
Key Questions
What is Stay! (Together)?
Stay! (Together) is a free illustrated digital children’s book commissioned by St Mungo’s. Written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Alice Larsson, it draws on the experiences of two people facing homelessness with their dogs.
Where can families get the book?
The book is available to download for free from St Mungo’s website. The charity also offers a narrated version voiced by Kerry Godliman and Gus Unger-Hamilton.
Who are the people and dogs in the stories?
The book follows Arwa and Jacko, and Benny and his dogs Brandy and Casper. Their experiences are used to explore the companionship pets can provide and the difficulties of finding accommodation that accepts them.
Why does the book focus on pets and homelessness?
St Mungo’s says pet-friendly housing can affect whether someone is able to accept accommodation while staying with an animal they consider family. The book uses animal perspectives to help families approach homelessness with children, though its impact on readers has not been independently measured in the material provided.
Source: rss
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