Report on Government Services highlights need for support

The latest Report on Government Services data revealed that more than two in five people seeking assistance from Specialist Homelessness Services in NSW were unable to access accommodation in the past year.

The data, released by the Productivity Commission last week, found that 45.9% of people has unmet need for accommodation. While this figure represents a decreased from 48.8% a year ago, the raw truth of these figures is in the 19,724 people across the state who were unable to access support in their time of need.

Specialist Homelessness Services play a vital role in assisting people at risk and experiencing homelessness. 67,891 people in NSW received SHS support in the last financial year, decreasing from 68,388.

Concerningly, the number of people experiencing persistent homelessness – defined as someone experiencing homelessness for more than seven months over a 24-month period – continues to grow in NSW and Australia nationally.

The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW operates on the frontline supporting people through our Vinnies Services. In the last year, our Homelessness and Housing services supported 5,400 people, along with a further 1,900 people through our Domestic and Family Violence services.

This demand for support comes at a time that services are being stretched beyond capacity and having to turn people away.

The Society had 3,393 requests for assistance that were unable to be fulfilled last year, representing an increase of 9.5% over a period of 12 months.

This alarming trend is reflected in the latest Report on Government Services data with the average daily unassisted requests for assistance in NSW increasing by 130% during the past five years.

The Society has released our latest Pre Budget Submission, including a call for the capacity of Specialist Homelessness Services to be increased and allowing the SHS workforce to deliver best practice services.

This could by achieved through:

• Providing at least a 20% increase in SHS funding to support transition to a new commissioning and strategic pathway, including a dedicated workforce development package to build capacity to meet the needs of clients with complex needs.
  
  
• Investing in collaborative efforts to break the cycle of repeat homelessness for people sleeping rough who have complex needs by funding a $3.5 million brokerage fund to support existing and new complex case management panels.

Learn more about our Pre Budget Submission