Summary
Mission Australia’s Without a home: First-time youth homelessness in the COVID-19 period shows a concerning rise in young people experiencing homelessness for the first time during the pandemic. In 2021, almost one in 20 young people (4.8%) reported first-time homelessness, up from 3.9% in 2017.
The report highlights family conflict, psychological distress, discrimination, and COVID-19 disruptions as key drivers. It reinforces that early experiences of homelessness can shape long-term outcomes, making prevention and early intervention critical to ensure young people have a safe home and can thrive.
Key findings
- Rising rates: First-time youth homelessness increased to 4.8% in 2021.
- High distress: 55.5% experienced high psychological distress.
- Family conflict: Nearly half identified family conflict, with 58.1% reporting poor family relationships.
- Discrimination: 55.6% experienced unfair treatment, commonly linked to mental health, gender or sexuality.
- COVID-19 impacts: Significant negative effects on friendships (45.4%) and employment (40.8%).
- Housing instability: Many reported frequent moves and inadequate housing.