THE COUNCIL to Homeless Persons says a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found that more than 90 per cent of requests for long term housing by women and children experiencing domestic and family violence were unable to be met by homelessness services.

“These findings reinforce the need to invest in strategies and programs to increase affordable housing options, keep women and children safe in their homes, or when that is not a viable option, relocate them as soon as possible,” says Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) CEO Jenny Smith.

“Of the 520,000 Australians who accessed specialist homelessness services between 2011-12 and 2013-14, 187,000 – or one-third – were adults and children seeking assistance as a direct result of domestic and family violence.

“One-quarter of these clients were children under the age of 15.

“Homelessness services are groaning under the weight of demand from women and children seeking a safe home.

“There is no acceptable reason why family violence should inevitably lead to homelessness, yet that is the reality for thousands of Australians.”

“Following support from homelessness services, around 6 in 10 clients experiencing domestic and family violence were in stable accommodation at the end of the three years examined.

“However, a lack of housing options means that 20% of domestic and family violence clients ended their support without shelter, couch surfing or without tenure, and a further 20% were placed in uncertain short term accommodation.

“There is simply not enough housing available to support these people through what is imaginably the hardest time in their lives. We need government support and investment in affordable housing options if we’re to have any chance of reducing family violence related homelessness in this lifetime.”

CHP’s 2016-17 pre-Budget Submission calls for investment in; Safe at Home programs ($31.1m) to keep families housed, rapid rehousing ($39.7m) to get people back into housing quickly and re-connect them with supports, and a state-wide affordable housing strategy to increase the housing options available to people of all income levels and circumstances.