The current housing and homelessness crisis impacting all Australian states and territories is highlighting the complex range of social, economic and environmental factors impacting families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness.
This paper reports on the findings of two focus groups that were conducted in late 2022 with representatives of Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS), housing providers and Academics to explore the rise of family homelessness and how social and economic policy responses have been inadequate. Neoliberal approaches to housing and homelessness policy from successive governments over the last four decades have had dire consequences for families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness.
This research addresses the question: In light of the current housing and homelessness crisis in Queensland, what are the community sectors’ priorities regarding family homelessness research? Specifically, this paper explores the consequences for families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness in the current crisis and the considerable pressures exerted on the under-resourced housing and homelessness sector. It is argued that families are often an under-researched and profiled cohort of people that experience homelessness.
The research argues for an alternative critical social work and human rights approach to housing and homelessness and that more policy attention and research needs to be directed towards supporting families.