Children and Homelessness in Western Australia: A Call for Urgent Action
The housing crisis in Western Australia has left thousands of children and young people facing the profound impacts of homelessness. During Homelessness Week 2024, VCI hosted a unique workshop Spotlight on Children During Homelessness Week 2024 - Valuing Children Initiative thanks to grant support from Shelter WA and Lotterywest—to explore these impacts.
Bringing together frontline service workers and individuals with lived experiences of homelessness, this workshop uncovered the emotional, educational, and social toll that poverty and housing instability take on young lives.
This workshop, part of VCI’s End Child Poverty campaign launched in April 2024, captured firsthand accounts and perspectives to drive legislative action from the Australian Government. Participants shared stories of the distressing realities children face without stable housing, including missing school, anxiety, isolation, and insecurity. Support workers highlighted how the lack of safe homes leaves children and young people without the stability needed to thrive.
From these powerful conversations, the workshop produced Letters to the Ministers Cards, Posters on Children and Homelessness in WA, and Storytelling Cards—bringing real voices and experiences to the forefront.
The report outlines critical insights from this workshop, asking the vital question: What happens to children when stable housing isn’t available? Key themes emerged:
Participants conveyed their messages for those in power: “We are hopeful. We are angry. We demand better. We want real, actionable change.”
Read the full report to see the personal letters, stories, and calls for change, bringing to light the faces and realities behind homelessness.
