Understanding youth homelessness in Australia
…and how you can make a difference.
Understanding the issue
Youth homelessness in Australia is a complex and growing issue that affects tens of thousands of children and young people each year. It is caused by many factors, such as family conflict, financial hardship, and violence, which often leaves young Australians vulnerable and alone.
Homelessness disrupts lives, making it harder to access education, healthcare, and other essential services.
Understanding the causes, challenges, and support available is important in addressing this issue and helping young people find a way to a safer and more stable foundation.
Are you homeless right now?
Or, are you concerned for a young person?
The scale of youth homelessness in Australia
On any given night, 47,871 children and young people aged 0-24 are without a stable home. Each year, 42,615 unaccompanied minors seek assistance from homelessness services. One in seven of these are children under the age of 12, and 23% are young people aged 12-24.
(source AIHW Annual Report 23-24)
In 2021-2022, 105,000 people sought homelessness support but were unable to be assisted due to a shortage of resources, with 300 people being turned away each day. (source 2021 ABS Census.)
These numbers demonstrate the scale of the issue and the critical need for targeted interventions to address youth homelessness across Australia.
Most homeless children and young people in Australia are not living on the streets, but are often staying in crisis accommodation, rooming houses, or are "couch surfing" with friends or relatives.
Causes of youth homelessness
So, what are the primary causes of youth homelessness? Children and young people leave home because they don’t feel safe, or their parents can’t provide a home for them. They often have traumatic experiences prior to become homeless, including:
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Domestic and family violence,
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Physical and emotional abuse,
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Sexual abuse,
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Homophobia and transphobia,
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Bereavement,
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Neglect and abandonment,
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Poverty.
Homelessness due to family violence and abuse
Many individuals seeking help state that family violence or abuse at home is the cause of their homelessness. Violence and abuse cause irreparable breakdowns in the family unit.
Parental bereavement
1 in 20 children in Australia will lose a parent by the time they’re 18 (source NCCG). If there is nobody able or willing to care for them, the child will be placed in Out-of-home Care and the agency will try to find a suitable foster family.
Financial difficulties causing homelessness
According to Homelessness Australia, 65% of people seeking homelessness support cite housing instability or financial difficulties. For independent young people, this is especially problematic due to a lack of affordable housing nationwide.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and homelessness
Homelessness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a complex issue, the historical and ongoing impacts of racism, intergenerational trauma, displacement, and marginalisation significantly increase their vulnerability to homelessness and associated mental health issues.
Homelessness for LGBTIQ+ young people
For many LGBTIQ+ young people, rejection by family and widespread discrimination in society are major factors contributing to their homelessness. Transgender and non-binary youth are at even greater risk, facing heightened challenges such as violence, discrimination, and social exclusion, both within their families and in the wider community.
Challenges faced by homeless children and young people
Homelessness puts children and young people at risk of a range of immediate and long-term challenges. Homeless children face extreme hardship, including a lack of access to food, health care, social support, mental health support and education. These obstacles are traumatising and make it incredibly difficult for young people to regain stability.
Here are some of the key challenges that homeless children and young people face:
Short-term challenges of youth homelessness
Financial hardship
Homeless children and young people face significant financial difficulties, struggling to afford necessities like food, housing, and transport. The lack of stable housing and limited access to resources make it even harder to meet essential needs.
Loneliness and isolation
The experience of homelessness often leads to profound feelings of loneliness and isolation, as young people are separated from their families, communities, and social networks.
Nearly 50% of homeless youth feel isolated, which is significantly higher than their peers with stable housing. (source Mission Australia).
Mental health issues
The stresses and trauma associated with homelessness take a significant toll on young people’s mental health. Experiencing homelessness increases the risk of mental ill-health, 41% of homeless youth report mental health challenges, compared to just 13% of those with stable housing. (source Mission Australia)
Disruption to education
Homelessness severely disrupts a young person’s education, with frequent moves between temporary shelters or living arrangements leading to school changes. This instability makes it extremely difficult for young people to keep up academically, and too easy for them to disappear out of the education system.
Long-term effects of youth homelessness
The long-term effects of youth homelessness can be devastating. Many homeless young people experience low literacy, poor self-esteem, and fewer employment opportunities.
The trauma of their experiences can also impact their mental and emotional well-being, making it harder for them to break the cycle of homelessness.
Burdekin’s commitment to youth homelessness
Addressing youth homelessness requires more than just providing shelter—it requires comprehensive support that addresses the underlying causes and offers pathways to stability, with support for emotional recovery.
This is where organisations like Burdekin play a critical role. Burdekin’s work focuses on not only providing emergency housing, but also offering long-term support services that help young people overcome the challenges they face.
Burdekin was established in response to the 1989 National Inquiry into Youth Homelessness led by Professor Brian Burdekin, Australia’s first Federal Human Rights Commissioner. Burdekin's work focuses on providing tailored support for homeless youth, particularly those aged 12-24.
Our goal is to implement recommendations to address youth homelessness, offering both crisis intervention and long-term solutions through education, housing, and family support.
How does Burdekin address youth homelessness?
Burdekin addresses youth homelessness with a holistic approach. For example, in 2023 our Family Services Program, helped 45 families last year by offering practical and emotional support aimed at strengthening family relationships and reducing conflict. This support plays a crucial role in keeping families together and preventing the cycle of homelessness.
In our Youth Housing Program, 234 young people accessed safe, semi-supported housing, giving them the stability they need to transition to independent living. With housing as a foundation, these young people are empowered to take the next steps towards a brighter future.
Our Education Program saw 75% of children and young people in Burdekin’s care either return to school or begin vocational training. This achievement sets them on a path to success, ensuring they have the tools and opportunities to build a secure future.
In our Out-of-Home-Care Programs we provided accommodation and support services for children and young people aged 9 to 17 who were under the care of the NSW Minister. Additionally, young people were offered the opportunity to stay with Burdekin beyond the age of 18 through our Supported Independent Living Program, Youth Housing Program, or After Care Support.
As part of our Community Outreach Programs, we collaborated with a group of Year 10 students from Balgowlah Boys High School on the 2024 B A Game Changer Peer Education Project, which focused on gambling and gaming. The project aims to prevent underage gambling by educating young people under 18 about the risks associated with gaming.
The Beaches Youth Hub, located in Avalon on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, connected with around 250 young people each week, playing a key role in fostering resilience and building a supportive community network. Through these interactions, the Hub helped empower local youth, offering a safe space for personal growth and development.
At the City of Canada Bay libraries, we supported around 40 young people each week during the school term. A qualified Burdekin Youth Worker was on hand to offer guidance and discuss topics such as relationships, parental pressure, social isolation, and LGBTQIA+ issues. Through this, the young people formed connections, accessed therapeutic social education support, and were referred to other services as needed.
Each of these programs is a step towards breaking the cycle of homelessness and creating lasting change in the lives of young people and families across our communities.
How you can make a difference to homeless children and young people.
You can make a real difference in the lives of young people experiencing homelessness by supporting Burdekin in a variety of ways!
Make a donation
Donate to our Essentials for Life fund, to help young people access items they need, like books, spectacles, work uniforms, etc.
In-kind donations
Donating goods, such as clothing, toiletries, or household items, helps provide the essentials young people need as they rebuild their lives.
Volunteer
Whether it's helping with events, mentoring, or providing administrative support, your involvement can directly benefit young people in need.
Become a Foster Carer
By becoming a foster carer, you can provide a safe and supportive home for a young person, helping them through a crucial period of their life.
Become a Youth Worker
Working as a Youth Worker can be a rewarding way to support young people, providing guidance, case management, and practical help.
Together, we can help break the cycle of homelessness.
