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Emergency Accommodation Leaving Home Sleeping Rough Accommodation Sleeping Rough It's not a good idea to sleep rough. It is dangerous for a young person to sleep rough on their own. If you really find that you have no choice, here are a few rules that you should follow:   make sure where you choose to sleep poses as little risk to your safety as possible   try to get hold of a sleeping bag or blankets   never sleep directly on the ground. Ensure there is some protection, with cardboard or paper, between you and the ground   if possible try to sleep on a bench rather than the ground   always eat and drink something   make sure your hands, feet and head are covered to retain body heat   never drink alcohol before sleeping as this causes dehydration and makes your body temperature drop. In extreme cases you could freeze to death. Getting help If you have been sleeping rough, or are faced with doing so, you could contact Somerset Social Services (Children’s Social Care). See Town/Area on this site. Outside of office hours the emergency social services duty team can be contacted on 01458 253241 or through any police station. Further information and advice Shelter http://england.shelter.org.uk - specialist advice from the charity for people with housing issues. Help line: 0808 800 4444 Make text larger Make text smaller Text Only Display Disclaimer