Children & Parenting
Homelessness affects Children and Parenting
Despite popular belief, children are one of the largest groups of Australians experiencing homelessness. In fact, children under the age of 18 make up 27% of people experiencing homelessness (ABS, 2012). In 2015-16, approximately 4,000 people presented to a homelessness service in the eastern region with one or more children.
Homelessness can affect children in different ways. Children don’t necessarily see homelessness as whether they have a house, but rather the level of connectedness to family, the presence or absence of fear and feelings of instability and insecurity. (Keys. C, 2009, Children and Homelessness: literature review)
Statewide Children’s Resource Program (CRP)
The Statewide Children’s Resource Program (SCRP) advocates for and assists practitioners in homelessness support and other non-government services to respond more effectively to the needs of children who have experienced homelessness and/or family violence.
Regional CRP Representatives
Each region across the state of Victoria has a Children's Resource Program Respresentative who offers flexible and tailored support to agencies. This includes regional information; training; support and resources; and promoting best practice to those working with children in homelessness and support services. They also administer the Children's Brokerage Funds.
Sector News
In Australia there are over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Homelessness Week aims to raise awareness of the impact of homelessness on Australia via national and local community events, including providing information on the importance of housing as a solution and educating communities on how they can make a difference.
Homelessness Week 2023 will be taking place from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 August.
Training
Safe from the Start is a project initiated by The Salvation Army in partnership with University of Tasmania, Swinburne University and Women’s Domestic Violence Services. A research project by Dr. Angela Spinney (Kara FVS Board member) resulted in a training program and therapeutic resource kit. Over 1000 family violence, child protection workers, counsellors, foster carers and family and children services workers have taken part in the training.
Upcoming Events
-
Thu 12-Oct-23 9:30am-11:30am (2 Hrs)
This network will provide a forum for agency updates, sharing of resource information and practice challenges, discussions around regional themes, opportunities for case discussions and the potential to invite guest speakers as well as possibilities for interagency collaboration and capacity building.
Client Supports and Activities
Uniting deliver youth support programs for young people aged 15‐25 in the Eastern Metro Region who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness and family breakdown. To access support, young people can contact us or drop into our Ringwood entry point, with youth workers available to triage calls and
presentations.
Research and Reports
In late 2021, The Salvation Army did a nationwide Social Justice Stocktake to get to the heart of what people were seeing in their local communities. From there, they built a map of social justice priorities across Australia.
Practitioner Resources
The experience of homelessness can have a significant impact on a child’s education; physical, emotional and mental health; and their sense of connectedness to their peers and the broader community.
Children issues can be compounded by a lack of access to education, health, and support, social and recreational opportunities within the community. The Homeless Children’s Brokerage Support Project has been established to enhance opportunities for children experiencing homelessness to:
-
Engage and maintain their education (including early education services such as childcare and kindergarten).
-
Reduce social isolation by enhancing access to a range of support, social and recreational opportunities within their community.
-
Provide social and emotional growth opportunities for children and provide opportunities to increase relational bonds between parents/carers and children.