Skip to content

Download as PDF [1MB]

Chapter Three: Turning Off the tap

Key points

There is no single cause of homelessness. People at risk of homelessness typically face multiple difficulties. Underlying issues might include domestic and family violence, mental health problems, poverty or drug and alcohol addiction. Often, a single further pressure or event – job loss, eviction, poor health or relationship breakdown – can tip a person who is already vulnerable into homelessness.

People without support networks, skills or personal resilience, or who have limited capacity due to their age or disability, can quickly become homeless. Those with the least resources are likely to remain homeless longer. When a person becomes homeless, even briefly, the impact can be long-lasting.

There are four main pathways into homelessness:53

Homelessness can be prevented. Examining pathways into homelessness is important for identifying opportunities to prevent homelessness or intervene before it becomes an entrenched way of life.

It is important that efforts are directed both at preventing homelessness – by identifying people at risk and ensuring that they have access to the right support before reaching crisis point – and preventing the causes of homelessness.

Preventing homelessness involves both tackling the structural drivers of homelessness (such as entrenched disadvantage and the shortage of affordable housing) and targeting groups who are at particular risk of homelessness (such as people exiting statutory care and people in housing stress).  

The role of state and territory governments in preventing homelessness is critical.  People at risk of homelessness will often interact with multiple agencies and organisations – all of which must be involved in the national prevention and early intervention effort. These include child protection agencies, state housing authorities, criminal justice and corrective service agencies, mental health services, education, training and employment services, hospitals and Centrelink.

Community service organisations, charities and the private sector – such as banks and real estate agencies – also have an important role to play in preventing homelessness.

There are successful prevention programs in all states and territories. Many of these programs work well with a targeted population at a local level.

Enhanced tenancy support for individuals and families across all tenures

Tenancies fail for many reasons. Financial difficulties leading to rent arrears and eviction may arise from job loss, lack of budgeting skills, credit card debts and other pressures. Steep rent increases, especially for those on low fixed incomes, can trigger homelessness, as can reduction of household income as a result of relationship breakdown.

Social housing and boarding houses currently offer a ‘last resort’ housing service and as a result, people who are evicted from these tenures are very likely to become homeless and cycle though the human service and justice systems. Each year several thousand tenants leave social housing and seek crisis accommodation.54 This is disruptive and traumatic for tenants and their children and inefficient for government.

Successful tenancy support programs have been implemented for social housing tenants in some states to prevent evictions that lead to homelessness.55 These programs identify people who are in the early stages of rental arrears or about whom complaints have been made in regard to antisocial behaviour. At-risk tenants are contacted face to face by a specialist worker, who can help to develop a plan of action and refer tenants to other services, such as financial counsellors, mental health services, education and parenting programs. In some states, these programs are embedded within community renewal programs, which also aim to build cohesion and improve individual opportunities.

There are fewer programs targeting private rental tenancies, although some states and territories provide targeted assistance to establish or maintain private rental tenancies. This takes the form of means tested financial assistance with payment of bond, rental and removal costs and non-financial assistance including referrals to appropriate support services. Some states and non-government organisations have also undertaken head-leasing arrangements to support clients with high and complex needs whose tenancies are at significant risk.56

Under the National Partnership on Homelessness as agreed by COAG, state and territory governments will be encouraged to prevent evictions from all types of tenures through expanded tenancy support models to help people sustain their tenancies. Tenants in the private rental market who are at risk of homelessness will also be supported with tailored assistance including financial assistance such as bond, rental and removal payments and non-financial assistance including guidance, support and referrals to appropriate support services.

How this will work on the ground: John and Gwen
John and Gwen live in Leumeah. John is on unpaid sick leave after a work injury and they are falling behind in their rent. After discussing payment of their overdue rent the local real estate agent contacts the new tenancy support service funded by the state housing department. John and Gwen come to the office to discuss their housing situation with the housing worker. Using tenancy service brokerage funds the housing worker clears the rent arrears and negotiates a $20 a week reduction in rent with the real estate agent for four weeks until John is able to return to work. After one month John returns to work and John and Gwen are able to retain their rental home.

Compulsory rent payments for Centrelink customers in public and community housing

While Centrelink records show that up to 70 per cent or more of public housing tenants use voluntary mechanisms such as the Rent Deduction Scheme to pay their fortnightly rent, each year around 2,000 tenants in public housing are evicted.57 Once evicted, many end up sleeping rough, accessing specialist homelessness services, or staying with family and friends. This is disruptive and costly for individuals and governments and may lead to longer-term homelessness. It is also easily preventable.

The Australian Government will work with states and territories to introduce compulsory rent payments from Centrelink payments for tenants in public housing at risk of eviction due to non payment of rent.

Regulate residential tenancy databases and improve tenancy laws

Some private tenancy management practices contribute to homelessness.

While residential tenancy databases are a legitimate tool for reducing the risk of rent loss and damage to a rental property, they can create barriers that prevent people from accessing the private rental market. Databases are privately owned and store data about an individual’s tenancy history. They are primarily used by real estate agents to check prospective tenants on behalf of property owners.58

Many people have found themselves listed on a residential tenancy database based on information that is inaccurate or outdated. Being listed on a database can exclude a person from the private rental market and make them homeless. This is especially the case in regional Australia where the number of homes for rent are limited and there may be little or no competition between real estate agents.

At the Commonwealth level, the Privacy Act contains high-level principles that regulate the activities of tenancy databases. While the Australian Government made regulations to ensure that residential tenancy databases are covered by the National Privacy Principles in 2007, there is a need for stronger, nationally consistent state and territory regulation of residential tenancy databases if homelessness is to be prevented.59  

Nationally consistent regulation of tenancy databases will remove barriers for tenants in the private rental market who may otherwise be at risk of homelessness. It will also provide certainty and clarity to tenants – especially those who have lived in more than one jurisdiction or who plan to relocate to another – as well as to landlords, agents and property managers.

The Australian Government will finalise the development of nationally consistent regulation of residential tenancy databases by June 2010 through the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs for implementation by state and territory governments.

Most state and territory tenancy legislation permits ‘without-grounds termination’ of a tenancy agreement by a landlord. As a result, a tenant may be legally given notice and forced to leave their rented home through no fault of their own. In such a circumstance, people become homeless if they are unable to find other housing that is suitable or affordable. Tasmania is the only jurisdiction where tenancy legislation does not include provisions for a landlord to evict, without grounds or fault, a tenant who is party to a periodic or continuing agreement.

The Australian Government will review the impact of ‘without-grounds termination’ clauses on homelessness in state and territory tenancy legislation, and the lack of legislative protection for boarders and lodgers in some jurisdictions. As part of this review it will consider the impact of any proposed changes on landlords and future investment in rental housing.

Nationally consistent regulation of tenancy databases will remove barriers for tenants in the private rental market who may otherwise be at risk of homelessness. It will also provide certainty and clarity to tenants – especially those who have lived in more than one jurisdiction or who plan to relocate to another – as well as to landlords, agents and property managers.

The Australian Government will finalise the development of nationally consistent regulation of residential tenancy databases by June 2010 through the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs for implementation by state and territory governments.

Most state and territory tenancy legislation permits ‘without-grounds termination’ of a tenancy agreement by a landlord. As a result, a tenant may be legally given notice and forced to leave their rented home through no fault of their own. In such a circumstance, people become homeless if they are unable to find other housing that is suitable or affordable. Tasmania is the only jurisdiction where tenancy legislation - who is party to a periodic or continuing agreement.

The Australian Government will review the impact of ‘without-grounds termination’ clauses on homelessness in state and territory tenancy legislation, and the lack of legislative protection for boarders and lodgers in some jurisdictions. As part of this review it will consider the impact of any proposed changes on landlords and future investment in rental housing.

A policy of ‘no exits into homelessness’ from statutory, custodial care and hospital, mental health and drug and alcohol services

State and territory authorities and services have information about people at high risk of homelessness.  This information can be used to ensure that appropriate accommodation and support plans are put in place before the person is discharged and becomes homeless. Examples include young people leaving statutory care or juvenile justice, patients being discharged from medical and psychiatric settings, and prisoners being released from correctional facilities. These groups are relatively small in number, but vulnerable and often become repeat users of specialist homelessness services.60

In these situations, homelessness could be prevented by a ‘no discharge into homelessness’ policy. This is not a ‘housing-only’ response: it will mean strengthening current post-release services so a person is connected to long-term (supported) housing, to education, training and employment assistance and, where required, family counselling.

Under the National Partnership on Homelessness, state and territory governments will implement a policy of ‘no exits into homelessness’ from statutory, custodial care and hospital, mental health and drug and alcohol services for those at risk of homelessness.

Under this strategy the following vulnerable groups of people will be prioritised:

In collaboration with state and territory governments, the Australian Government will map current pathways out of these services to identify existing locally based initiatives that are successfully preventing homelessness and gaps where these prevention services are needed.

How this will work on the ground: Casey
Casey is 18 and has been living with her foster parents for the past four years. She now wants to move out of home but has no family support and hasn’t been at school for the last few years. Casey sits down with Sue – an ‘exit planner’ who works for the care and protection service. Over the next month Sue encourages Casey to make clear decisions about where she will live and how she will participate in education or employment. Casey eventually moves into Foyer-style accommodation, sharing a home with 12 other young people who are at risk of homelessness. There is live-in support and in return for the accommodation she must be engaged in training or employment.

 Additional services for up to 2,250 families at risk of homelessness

Families at high risk of homelessness need early intervention services to stabilise their housing and address the underlying issues that are putting them at risk of homelessness.

The Household Organisation Management Expenses (HOME) Advice Program, which has been funded since 2002, is one successful model which reduces the risk of homelessness.

HOME Advice is provided in partnership between Centrelink and non-government agencies. Centrelink social workers help to resolve tenants’ debt issues with Centrelink and external agencies, while workers in non-government partner organisations address the other needs of the family. This may include ensuring children are in school, organising family counselling or encouraging parents to find work or enrol in training.

The HOME Advice Program has demonstrated success in reducing the risk of homelessness: it has significantly improved housing and financial outcomes for families who use the service. 61 By 2007 the program had assisted 2,190 families, including 3,177 adults and 4,584 children. While 70 per cent of families had moved at least once in the two years before getting help from the program, 62 per cent had not moved in the 12 months since working with the HOME Advice Program.

The evaluation showed that the model works well for children in these families: school attendance had increased for all children, including Indigenous children: while 14 per cent of Indigenous children were not attending school regularly before support, this had dropped to 9 per cent after support.62

The Western Australian Government also provides tenancy support programs designed to prevent homelessness. The Supported Housing Assistance Program provides support and advocacy to assist public housing tenants, including families, to maintain stable housing. 63 Support is sensitive to the particular needs of each client and culturally appropriate support is provided to Indigenous clients.

In South Australia and Queensland, a ‘one-stop shop’ approach has been adopted to link clients, including families with a diverse range of housing options and homelessness information.  South Australia’s ‘Housing One Stop Shop’ and Queensland’s ‘Responding to Homelessness’ initiative aim to provide easily accessible entry points into the service system, supply relevant information, help clients obtain appropriate assistance and make referrals.64

Under the National Partnership on Homelessness, up to 2,250 families at risk of homelessness will receive additional assistance to keep their housing stable.

Early intervention and prevention programs delivered by states and territories will include the following features:

How this will work on the ground: Jessie and Rex
Jessie was living in a caravan with her children, aged two and four. Jessie was 19 and had been in statutory care. Her partner Rex, in his late twenties, was in gaol and had a history of being violent to Jessie.

Jessie was finding it difficult to makes ends meet. She contacted Centrelink to see if she was eligible for some additional financial assistance. She met with a Customer Support Officer to discuss her situation. The Support Officer reviewed her financial situation and assisted Jessie to claim the additional income support payments to which she was entitled.

The Centrelink Support Officer also referred Jessie and her family to the local early intervention service for families at risk of homelessness.

The service initially worked with Jessie, and then with both Jessie and Rex once Rex returned home from gaol. With the help of the service Jessie and Rex moved into a small rented house with a rental brokerage package provided by the state housing department. Over time a number of changes occurred. To address his violence, Rex was referred to a voluntary behaviour change program, which he successfully completed with support and encouragement from service providers. The service linked Jessie into a local TAFE where she did an office services course. She eventually got a part-time job. The service paid for driving lessons so that Jessie and the children could be mobile.

At a year follow-up after ceasing contact with the early intervention service, Rex and Jessie were still together and both were employed. They had successfully maintained housing and there had been no ongoing relationship violence. The children were attending school and child care.

Additional services for up to 9,000 young people aged 12 to 18 years at risk of homelessness to remain connected with families, education, training and employment.

Specific services to target young people at risk of homelessness need to be provided under this strategy. The focus of these services will be on assisting young people to reconcile with their families, where it is safe and appropriate, and become re-engaged in education, training, work and their local community. These services must link young people with support provided through Centrelink and employment service providers.

The Reconnect program is an effective early intervention model. Young people are referred to Reconnect by ‘first to know’ agencies such as schools, health services, youth services and Centrelink.

Reconnect aims to address the underlying reasons for a young person leaving home: family conflict, family separation, school related conflict, violence, poverty, drug use and mental health issues. The service providers work closely with other agencies to support both the young person and the family, and provide counselling and practical support.

A recent review of Reconnect showed that 79 per cent of young people reported an improvement in their overall situation as a result of Reconnect and 69 per cent reported improvements in their family relationships. 65

The review also showed that 90 per cent of young people were living in stable accommodation when they finished using the service and that 50 per cent of young people had an improved connection with employment, education, training and the community.

Under the National Partnership on Homelessness up to 9,000 young people aged between 12 and 18 years will be assisted by early intervention and prevention programs delivered by state and territory governments in partnership with not-for-profit providers.

These services will have the following features:

How this will work on the ground: Ben and his family
Ben lived with his mother and stepfather. When Ben was 14, after many years of family conflict, the relationship with his family broke down. He began missing school and was staying at a friend’s house. His friend’s mother contacted a service that specialised in providing early intervention support to young people at risk of homelessness.
                            
A worker from the service approached Ben through his school and offered to meet him at a nearby coffee shop. Other meetings followed, and Ben gradually revealed why he had skipped school and left home. He spoke about his feelings of anger, the family dynamics and his difficulties at school. The worker contacted the friend’s family to check on Ben’s safety and to see if they could continue to provide ‘time-out’ accommodation for Ben.

Another worker met with Ben’s mother and stepfather, working with them to identify the source of conflict and to explore their approaches to parenting. As a result of joint counselling sessions, Ben and his parents reached an agreement about how conflict would be dealt with in future, and Ben moved back home.

Support for people with mental health or substance abuse issues to maintain their housing in the community

People with severe mental health issues who are homeless or at risk of homelessness require continuing case management and support.66

There is strong evidence that better outcomes are achieved for this group by coordinated approaches which cross traditional service system boundaries and bring together clinical and community care.67

The Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) in New South Wales successfully delivers services to people with mental health issues through a partnership between NSW Health, Housing NSW and the non-government sector.  Clients are provided with accommodation and tenancy support, clinical care and rehabilitation and personal support. Culturally appropriate services are provided for Indigenous people.68

The failure to provide more of these integrated services for people with mental illness significantly impedes their ability to achieve better social and economic outcomes.

New or expanded services need to be delivered to provide community support for people with a mental illness to enable them to continue to live in the community. Particular effort is required to develop new approaches in working with Indigenous people so that the service system is better able to meet their needs. The services must link specialist homelessness and housing services with the mental health system.

The Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) program, established by the Australian Government under the COAG National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006–2011, is an example of an effective service model for this group.

This program provides intensive community support for people who have difficulties in everyday functioning due to severe mental illness. People are referred to PHaMs by hospitals, general practitioners and community mental health services, as well as other community service agencies. Carers, friends and neighbours also refer people with mental illness to PHaMs. PHaMs services play a critical role in linking specialist mental health services, mainstream agencies and specialist homelessness services.

PHaMs helps people with mental illness build social networks, gain employment, learn how to better manage their illness and live independently. PHaMs teams work to stabilise people’s housing, particularly where people might be at risk of losing housing due to debt, lack of living skills or difficult behaviour. The teams also work with people who are homeless, securing them accommodation. While the program has had some success in reaching Indigenous people, it is estimated that there is a greater need in this population group than is currently being met.

The Australian Government, working with state and territory governments, will provide around $20 million under the fourth round of the PHaMs Program in early 2009 to deliver additional community based mental health services to difficult to reach groups of Australians such as people who are homeless who would benefit from mental health services. Up to 1,000 disadvantaged Australians will benefit from these additional community based mental health services.

In addition, under the National Partnership on Homelessness new or expanded services will be delivered by state and territory governments in partnership with not-for-profit providers to assist people with mental health issues to maintain their housing and participate in the community.

These programs will have the following features:

How this will work on the ground: James
James was referred to the local mental health service by a concerned neighbour. After James was stabilised on medication he was referred to an intensive community support program. The worker had a lot of contact with James in the first few weeks – establishing that James had had a previous episode of mental illness, wanted to get well again and stay in his unit. He was also interested in getting another job having lost his job six months before.

The worker helped James develop a plan to stay in his unit, including ways of managing his rent, the upkeep and relationships with neighbours. The worker assisted James to renegotiate his tenancy with the property manager. James agreed to keep seeing the mental health team and attended a support group. James retained his housing and his capacity to manage his illness improved. The worker helped him get a job through a specialist employment service provider.

Reducing violence against women and their children and making it safe for victims of domestic and family violence to return to their home

The Australian Government is strongly committed to reducing domestic and family violence. The National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children is developing a National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (National Plan), which will be presented to the Government for consideration in early 2009.

The National Plan will set out a strategic framework for reducing the incidence and impact of domestic and family violence and sexual assault against women and their children. The Australian Government will spend approximately $15 million in 2008-09 under the Women’s Safety Agenda to take a lead role in eliminating domestic violence and sexual assault in the Australian community.

The National Plan will, over time, reduce the incidence of domestic violence which will have a long-term impact on homelessness amongst women and children.

Until now there has not been sufficient effort made to support women to stay safely in their own home. In the shorter term, homelessness for women and children can be reduced by improving support for women and children to stay in their own home where it is safe and practical. To keep these women and children safe, the perpetrator of the violence should be removed. Supporting women and children to stay in their homes safely means there is less disruption to their lives. Victims of family violence should, where possible, stay in their own community accessing their support and social networks. Children can attend the same schools and maintain their after school activities, social connections and friendships.

Under the National Partnership on Homelessness expanded models of integrated support to enable women and children experiencing domestic and family violence to remain at home safely will be delivered by state and territory governments in partnership with not-for-profit providers.

Some states and territories have already introduced ‘safe at home’ models that take this approach. The strategy over the next decade is to build on existing programs as well as develop new ones where they are needed.

Based on evidence of best practice approaches, the service models will have the following features:

It is important to note that these measures are only appropriate for women and children where a thorough, professional risk assessment indicates this is a safe option. Women and children considered at medium to high risk of further violence from their partner, even with a current court order, will not be able to remain safely in the family home. Crisis accommodation remains an integral part of the national homelessness response. People unable to stay in their own homes need to make a speedy transition from crisis accommodation to safe, secure long-term housing.

How this will work on the ground: Millie and her children
The domestic violence outreach service works closely with police when a domestic violence incident is reported. Millie called police following an assault on her by her husband Mick. Mick had left the house and was staying with his mum. Police took action to protect Millie and her children with an interim protection order. They also referred Millie to a ‘safe at home’ outreach service.

The service immediately followed up on Millie’s legal and housing needs through a home visit. They assisted Millie to make an application to Legal Aid for a lawyer who would assist her to sort out family law matters relating to Mick’s contact with the children and child support. They liaised with the police prosecutor about obtaining long-term protection from further violence through the court system.

The outreach worker also discussed Millie’s housing situation in detail. Millie and her children had lived in their rented home for six years and the children had an extensive social network in their local neighbourhood. Mick had family he could stay with. Millie felt that with legal protection and some changes to her home she would feel safe to stay there. The service organised for the lease to be changed to her name and for a locksmith to change the locks and secure the windows and sliding door. Millie and the service worker also worked on a safety plan with the domestic violence liaison officer at the local police station.

Enhancing Centrelink’s role in homelessness prevention

Centrelink has a critical role to play in preventing homelessness. Centrelink provides income support payments to 6.5 million people, many of whom are disadvantaged, vulnerable and socially excluded. Centrelink is a key ‘first to know’ agency and is well placed to identify people who are at risk of homelessness and to refer them to appropriate support services.

Centrelink data shows that around 90,000 of its clients change their address three or more times a year, and that 82,000 families are spending more than 50 per cent of their income on rent. Centrelink has introduced a ‘flag’ to identify clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to improve and tailor the service it provides to this group.

The use and expansion of the vulnerability indicator flag on Centrelink’s system will ensure participation failures are not applied inappropriately to vulnerable individuals, including jobseekers at risk of homelessness. The flag will inform Centrelink staff that the client needs active follow up, generally from a Centrelink social worker, to ensure that they are receiving the support they need and are able to meet any obligations arising from their income support payment. It will also enable Centrelink’s business practices to change to better meet the needs of vulnerable clients.

There will be an increased focus on the needs of young people and their families by Centrelink’s social workers. Social workers will work directly with children and young people under 18 years of age who have applied for Youth Allowance Unreasonable to Live At Home. These workers will work together with state and territory youth homelessness prevention services and focus on family reconciliation where possible.

The Australian Government, through Centrelink, will make weekly payments available to its most vulnerable customers including people who are homeless.

Some Centrelink customers have difficulty budgeting their fortnightly income support payments to last over a two week period. Whilst the amount paid is the same through weekly payments, more regular payment reduces the need for urgent payments and can help customers budget to meet their expenses more readily.

Where we will start

Return to top

Chapter Four: Improving and Expanding Services to End Homelessness

Chapter Two: The White Paper Vision