Counting the Homeless in Australia

Homelessness is an issue which stems from a large range of external factors which by themselves are difficult to address. One such contemporary factor in NSW regarding homelessness is the affordability of adequate shelter with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting the median price in Sydney to be $1.15 million. This has made it harder for individuals to afford homes which are adequate as per the requirements of article 11

“One diverse population that has continued to increase over the quarter of a century is composed of people who are homeless” (Baggerly & Zalaquett, 2006, p.155). Homelessness has become a growing problem in society because more and more people are finding themselves to be homeless and not knowing where to turn. Many people do not

Homelessness is all our responsibility. Waking every morning in a warm bed in a secure house for some Australians is only a dream. Every day more and more people are becoming or are at risk of becoming homeless as the global economy crumbles away and monetary resources become harder to find. What is homelessness: the Australian Government Department of Health (2005) defines homelessness as a person who is without a conventional home. Homeless Australians have become disconnected from family and friend and has few, if any resource and very little prospect of achieving financial independence without Government assistant. This assessment will talk about Australia’s history with homelessness, it will go onto to talk about the Government’s role

Homelessness is often accompanied by many other problems such as mental disorders, substance abuse issues, isolation from family and friends, and poor general health. Often time’s people that suffer from homelessness experience a lower quality of life than those who have a place to call home.

The United States of America is the place known to many as the land of the free, home of the brave, and the place to start a better life. With any place that has good qualities, some have not so good qualities. The homeless population in the United States is at a staggering high, and many individuals are suffering because many lack employment/financial resources, housing resources, support from family and friends, and others negligence; such as natural disasters or fires. Homeless individuals may have no other choice than to live on the streets, trains, and alley ways to name a few places where homeless people seek shelter. The history of homelessness, social problems, demographics, common clinical

Homelessness is a prime concern for numerous countries across the globe, including the most advanced ones. Though the population of homeless people tends to be higher in developing countries, it is still a concern in developed nations. Homelessness is a state where someone lacks regular shelter. The term includes people who do not have a home and sleep on the streets, as well as those whose basic nighttime residence is a homeless shelter or other improvised form of housing. Such people lack the capacity to acquire or maintain sufficient nighttime shelter. Individuals and family units become homeless for many reasons. Assessing these causes can help to mitigate the issue.

Homelessness is described as ‘The state of having no home’, however, it is much more than this. A home isn’t a place to sleep, it is where you feel comfortable, a place where you feel safe and protected; And although so many of us have the luxury of having a place we can call home, many don’t, in fact over 0.5% of people are homeless on any given night, while this may not seem much to you, however accounting for Australia’s population, over 255,657 people are homeless on any given night. This number is even more concerning when you discover that people under 18 years of age make up 27% of the homeless population to make matters worse over 17,845 children under 12 years old were counted as homeless. Image if your son or daughter slept every night on a park bench, wondering if they would have any food tomorrow, fearing for their safety; how would that make you feel.

Youth homelessness in Australia is classified as someone that does not have a roof over his or her head or a stable and secure place. The main factor causing youth homelessness are domestic and family violence which mainly affects women. A home is not just having shelter it is a feeling of being safe, secure, and having privacy. Primary homelessness is people without any sleeping arrangements and are sleeping under bridges, in malls, or deserted buildings. Secondary homelessness is people that move from place to place they can be in hostels, staying with friends and family, boarding houses, and homelessness services. Tertiary homelessness is people that are living in boarding houses for a medium to long term (Huttstcentre, 2013).

When an individual is without sufficient or permanent housing, they are defined homeless. In Essingham, a small rural town in Australia, youth homelessness is an unavoidable and rapidly worsening problem causing many adverse health and safety concerns. Leading contributors of this epidemic such as domestic and family violence, housing affordability, financial difficulties, inadequate or overcrowded dwellings and relationship or family breakdown cause approximately 10,394 Essingham residents to be regarded homeless each year (Stimulus, 2018). Of this figure, 60% are regarded as youth citizens (under the age of 24) and are unable to adequately care for themselves, therefore increasing health and safety risks. To

What is it, why is this important? Homelessness is a rising issue throughout the world with an estimated of 100 million people homeless worldwide. In Australia the 2011 Census showed that in five years the rate of homelessness increased by 8% from 89,728 to 105,237. The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that when a person does not have suitable accommodation alternatives they are considered homeless if their current living arrangement is in a dwelling that is inadequate; or has no tenancy, or if their initial tenancy is short and not extendable; or does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations. There is no one reason why someone is homeless as it can be a result of a number of complex issues.

Homelessness experiences serious violation against human rights, essentially where sustainable and conventional shelter cannot be maintained. From early on, it has influenced the spiritual, legal and economic aspects of Australia, forever changing the culture of our history. As a consequential issue, homelessness has not been minimised, currently affecting our modern society, especially influencing our younger generations.

The Problems and causes of homelessness are closely intertwined, with many of the problems of homelessness also sharing common source with the causes of homelessness. Narrative comments are included. There are three central themes that are highlighted in the cases. Mental health plays a large role in the cause and problem of homelessness as displayed by Stephanie’s experience as “her parents asked her to leave home. Stephanie had suffered from anxieties and bipolar”. Abusive relationships are also experienced frequently amongst the participants illustrated by Lauren and her children as it is noted “her husband was manipulative and abusive to her and the children”. Exposure to drugs is another theme of homelessness demonstrated by Elle’s

Homelessness is a problem virtually every society suffers from. There are many things that cause people to become homeless, such as unemployment, relationship problems, and being evicted from ones domicile either by a landlord, friend or even a family member. However, with every cause there must be an effect. Some of the effects of one becoming homeless, besides the obvious change of lifestyle, are various health problems which often times may lead to death.

There are a growing number of social problems existing within the Australian society and unfortunately, research does not need to prove this. All it takes is a stroll down the main street of some suburbs to realise the extent of social problems within society. Homelessness is a rising trend that is affecting people of all demographics. Homelessness is more than just a simple disadvantage; with usually many underpinning factors which contribute to it, such as domestic violence, financial stress, mental illness and drug use.

Homelessness is increasing more every year. In fact, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, over 640,000 people experience homelessness every