During Homelessness Week, the steps of Victoria’s Parliament were covered in hundreds of origami houses as part of a call on the State and Federal governments to construct a minimum of 6000 new social houses annually and commit to a national decade-long plan to eradicate homelessness. Photo: Facebook/MCM.
Melbourne City Mission (MCM) has launched its inaugural Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot, unearthing high rates of family violence, health emergencies, self-harm and suicide risk.
In partnership with Social Ventures Australia (SVA), the snapshot was launched at Victoria’s Parliament House this morning (7 August) by the Minister for Housing Harriet Shing, MCM CEO Vicki Sutton, Council to Homeless Persons CEO Deborah Di Natale, and Executive Director at SVA Consulting Susie King.
The Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot is the first census of children and young people connected to Victoria’s largest youth homelessness provider, MCM, and the only statewide youth homelessness service, Frontyard Youth Services.
It included 177 children and young people aged 15-24 who were homeless on 27 February.
Among the revelations were a third of young people in this group became homeless aged 16 or younger. It also found that hospital, mental health, child protection and homelessness services are at times unable to connect vulnerable children and young people to safe housing, often discharging them back into homelessness.
MCM CEO Vicki Sutton said the Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot would be a regular census of children and young people experiencing homelessness.
“We found that young people are facing violence, health emergencies and ongoing trauma with very little chance of finding a safe home and the support they need,” said Ms Sutton.
“Victoria has taken some important steps in the right direction, but there is more we need to do. These results show how to build a housing system that opens doors for young people instead of locking them out.
“The Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot will help us continue the discussion around investment and reform, keeping the voices of young people front and centre.”
SVA Executive Director Susie King hopes it will inform better decision-making and a more collaborative approach between government and the community sector.
“The snapshot shines a light on the intersecting experiences of young people across family violence, mental health and persistent homelessness, which are often treated in silos,” she said.
“Selected macroeconomic and budgetary data helps better understand Victoria’s current economic context and government spending.”
Key findings from the snapshot included:
- Overrepresentation of First Nations and LGBTIQ+ identified young people
- Four in five grew up experiencing family violence prior to losing their home
- One in two young people from this group were known to child protection
- One in two young people were admitted to a hospital emergency department for mental health concerns
- Two in three young people from this group were discharged from hospital back into homelessness
- One in two young people reported self-harm, suicide ideation or suicide attempts.
MCM notes these findings particularly concerning, given the snapshot participants were all aged 15-24:
- Two in three young people were homeless for two years or longer
- One in three young people were homeless for five years or longer
- One in three young people first lost their homes aged 16 or younger.
Earlier this year, the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing found over 11,000 unaccompanied children and young people aged 15-24 had sought assistance from homelessness services in Victoria.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact:
Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au
