In 2024, over 43,000 children and young people aged under 24 presented alone to homelessness services. Of those who needed a crisis bed, only half were able to access one due to lack of funding and resources. We have no official data to know where they ended up. Based on reports from homelessness services and other sector colleagues, it is likely they went back to couch surfing, returned to an unsafe home, or slept rough.  

Together, we can end child and youth homelessness. We know what the solutions are. And there are many great people and organisations across our country who are committed to work with young people so they can access secure housing and work on their goals and aspirations. But to do this, we need coordinated action from all levels of government and adequate funding.  

Shelter NSW’s purpose is to advocate for everyone in Australia to have access to a safe, secure, affordable home. Based on the 2021 census, almost a quarter of people experiencing homelessness across Australia are children and young people. And this is likely an underestimate, as many young people ‘fly under the radar’; couch surfing with friends and avoiding contact with the service system. For far too long, the specific needs of children and young people experiencing homelessness have not been adequately considered in policy design and service delivery. And funding for specialist services has been woefully inadequate.  

We will not be able to end homelessness for children and young people without a greatly increased number of social and affordable housing homes. Our main priority, as always, remains investment from all levels of government into a long term, at scale supply pipeline of social and affordable housing. But we also need to design a policy and service system that meets the specific needs of children and young people experiencing homelessness.  

This is why, on Youth Homelessness Matters Day 2025, Shelter NSW calls on the Australian Government and state governments to make ending youth homelessness a national priority by developing a targeted plan and adequately funding the services needed to achieve this. We stand with our peak body counterpart, YFoundations, and every other person and organisation who cares about ending youth homelessness.