Shelters Turn Away Teens

The Age

Tuesday April 8, 2008

By Dewi Cooke, Social Affairs Reporter

THOUSANDS of homeless young people are being turned away from shelters every night because of a shortage of beds, a new report says.

The National Youth Commission report says around 22,000 Australian teenagers have no permanent roof over their heads and urgent action is needed.

It says the numbers of teenagers left homeless every night has more than doubled since former human rights commissioner Brian Burdekin delivered his landmark report on child homelessness in 1989.

The new report, to be released today, labels the current number a "disgrace". It also criticises services provided by state, territory and federal governments.

"We are a prosperous country, we have a stronger economy than we've had for many, many years, unemployment has reached record lows, and yet we have this problem that - through neglect - has been allowed to continue," said the inquiry's commissioner, Associate Professor David Mackenzie. "We've just not done anywhere near the sort of things we need to do."

It was reported that one in two young people are turned away from emergency shelters every night because of a lack of available beds.

Melbourne CityMission told The Age that at one of its shelters last year the turn-away rate was about five in six, with 101 young people accommodated out of a possible 600 referrals.

Family and relationship breakdown were found to be the most likely causes of homelessness, followed by financial or housing problems.

The housing affordability crisis affecting the general population is also flowing down to young people, the report warns, and will result in more people becoming homeless.

The report says the cost of "doing nothing" can be felt in the strain on health and welfare services, with homeless young people experiencing a higher prevalence of mental illness than the general population, higher occurrences of drug and alcohol problems and wider contact with police and the criminal justice system.

The report recommends an extra $100 million in youth homelessness funding over the next three years and estimates that an extra $1 billion will be needed over the next 10 years.

It calls for a national housing affordability strategy with special attention to the needs of young people, for the setting of an aspirational goal to reduce youth homelessness, and for greater investment in early-intervention programs.

Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek said she would look closely at the report. "It will inform the development of the Government's white paper which will set out a new, ambitious approach to ending homelessness over the next decade."

? Victoria will receive $29.5 million of the Federal Government's $150 million election pledge for new homeless housing. Ms Plibersek said this would equate to 118 new homes. Funding would be provided over three years.

VOICES OF THE HOMELESS

?"A gang of guys tried to rape me while I was sleeping on a park bench. A friend helped me get away. Since that night I cannot sleep outside without a horrible sense of fear." 17-year-old female.

?" Sleeping rough made it hard to stay on at school, so I eventually dropped out." 15-year-old youth.

?"The feeling of hopelessness, like you're not worth anything." 17-year-old female.

?"The Department of Human Services does not listen to anyone . . . they believe a crazy mum over a teen when they don't know the story . . . until I get a glass bottle smashed over my head . . . then they wake up." 21-year-old male.

?"The price of private rentals is too high . . . and they don't usually accept you. I feel embarrassed being homeless because you get dirty looks and people never seem to understand." 20-year-old female.

SOURCE: Australia's Homeless Youth, National Youth Commission