QUT Centre for Justice have released a Briefing Paper Series on Housing and Homelessness, which were released at a recent event jointly hosted by TJ Ryan Foundation, QUT Centre for Decent Work and Industry and QUT Centre for Justice. The event was titled, The future of housing and homelessness in Queensland. QUT Centre for Justice Director, Professor Melissa Bull joined a discussion of the policy environment, current challenges and recommendations for the future by the Member for Bancroft, Chris Whiting MP, Dr Di Johnson from the Social and Affordable Housing Program, Griffith University, and Ryan O’Leary from QCOSS.
From left to right: Dr Di Johnson [speaker – Griffith Social & Affordable Housing Program], Associate Professor Deanna Grant-Smith [event organiser], Chris Whiting MP [speaker – member for Bancroft], Ryan O’Leary [speaker – QCOSS], and Professor Melissa Bull [speaker – Centre for Justice].
The release of this series coincided with just-released census data around homelessness, with the data suggesting that the number of women and children experiencing homelessness would now be much higher than the just-released census data due to COVID ensuring more people were housed at the time of the census, population movement into the state, lack of supply of affordable housing and cost of living pressures.
The Briefing Papers found that children, young people, women, and families are increasingly experiencing homelessness, with domestic and family violence a major driver of this. First Nations people also continue to be over-represented in the data. The Briefing Papers looks at these issues, and consider different approaches to reducing the devastating impacts of this social issue.
Housing and Homelessness Series – 2023
In their paper, ‘I’ve never seen it as bad as this’: Community sector family homelessness research priorities in the current housing and homelessness crisis Dr Shane Warren and Mr Adam Barnes conclude the current housing and homelessness crisis throughout Australia reflects the failure of decades of neoliberal governance and widening social and economic inequalities.
Dr Shane Warren from School of Public Health and Social Work discussed these findings with Steve Austin during the ABC Drive Program on Wednesday 29 March 2023. Listen to that interview here. (at time point 43.10 minutes).
Professor Rebekah Russell-Bennett and Professor Melissa Bull discuss how mature women in Australia are one of the fastest-growing groups at risk of homelessness in their paper, Supporting Mature Women Experiencing Housing Stress: A Novel Strengths-Based Approach. The researchers found many common challenges including health issues, violence, debt, crisis, access to affordable homes, and in in the case of their project, the impacts of a change of circumstance like losing a job, income, or partner, can be a tipping point leading to homelessness. They describe how, with the right resources, early responders, who come into contact with women as or before they research the tipping point, can connect them to support that can to help them maintain stable and appropriate accommodation.
Read more about the Women’s Butterfly Project here.
Dr Danielle Davidson, Adjunct Associate Professor Bridget Harris and Dr Helena Menih look at the complex needs of young people experiencing homelessness and domestic and family violence, as well as the extensive barriers they face when seeking support and assistance in their paper, titled, Young homeless people and domestic and family violence: Experiences, challenges and innovative responses They discuss how some agencies have sought to overcome these barriers by adopting an innovative embedded worker model which aims to connect youth and domestic and family violence organisations in an attempt to address abuse better, bolster youth safety and increase the capability and capacity of workers.
Read more about QUT Centre for Justice here.
Read more QUT Centre for Justice Briefing Papers here.
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