Policy context

Youth homelessness is a primary driver of material deprivation, making it much more difficult for children and young people to access the basic essentials of nutritional food and personal hygiene, have a consistent education, access public services, build supportive relationships, and experience social opportunities.¹

These experiences do more than cause immediate stress; they damage a child’s long-term capabilities and educational and career prospects, trapping them in a cycle of social exclusion.² Experiencing youth homelessness is linked to homelessness in adulthood.³

Homelessness for children and young people occurs through the following pathways⁴:

• being part of a homeless family (usually due to poverty or intergenerational homelessness)

• leaving the family home with one parent (typically with the mother to escape violence or abuse)

• leaving the family home independently (often to escape violence or abuse in the home)

• exiting care or the youth justice system.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) manages the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection (SHSC) which collects data about people who are receiving support from specialist homelessness services funded by the Australian Government and State and Territory governments. This collection reports on people who are currently homeless and those at risk of homelessness and receiving homelessness support.⁵

Social housing provides affordable rental accommodation for vulnerable individuals and families on low incomes who are unable to access or maintain suitable housing. Social housing includes ‘Public housing’ and ‘Community housing’ and plays a critical role in preventing youth homelessness and housing stress, particularly for young people.⁶