Homelessness 003-06010050

In line with a zero tolerance approach to harm of children, if a staff member in the course of their duties observes behaviour, which raises concerns about a child or young person's safety, Services Australia sets out specific steps that must be taken. Follow the agency's Risk Identification and Reporting model when identifying and responding to child safety concerns. See Risk identification and management of threats to the safety or welfare of a child for more information about this model and the agency's commitment to the safety of children and young people.

Services Australia defines 'homelessness' as someone:

• without conventional accommodation (for example, sleeping rough, squatting, living in a car), or
• who lives in, or moves frequently between, temporary accommodation arrangements:
• for example, with friends or extended family, emergency accommodation, youth refuges

Services Australia defines 'at risk of homelessness' as someone:

• lives medium to long term in a boarding house, caravan park or hotel, where accommodation is not covered by a lease
• lives in accommodation which falls below the general community standards which surround health and well-being:
• such as access to personal amenities, security against threat, privacy and autonomy
• is facing eviction
• lives in accommodation not of an appropriate standard:
• which may be detrimental to their physical and mental well-being, and/or
• where they have no sense of belonging or connection
• for example, Indigenous Australians living in crowded conditions and/or disconnected from their land, family/kin, spiritual and cultural beliefs and practices

Note: staff must consider the individual's own perception about the suitability of their accommodation when applying this definition.

Services Australia plays a crucial role in helping people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to access income support, stabilise their accommodation and participate in society as fully as possible.

The agency's commitment to people who are homeless is to address social and economic exclusion, and respond to both the structural and individual factors that contribute to homelessness. These factors include:

• structural factors such as poverty, lack of affordable housing and unemployment
• personal factors that may include poor health, a disability, and social and cultural issues

A Homelessness Indicator identifies a customer who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for these indicators can be found in Homelessness Indicators document.

When a customer is experiencing, or is at risk of homelessness, Service Officers must make sure they are given additional support and information to:

• lodge a claim for an income support payment, if they are not on payment
• apply for a formal review of a decision, if they disagree with it

Service officers should:

• code a Homelessness Indicator on the customer's record, if the customer consents
• consider whether an internal referral to an agency specialist is needed
• consider if an external referral within the community is needed, such as emergency accommodation or welfare agency help
• consider any other circumstances identified by the customer that may impact compliance and would need to be recorded on the Circumstances Impacting Compliance screen

If the customer has compulsory participation requirements and a Homelessness Indicator is recorded, information about the risk of, or ongoing or temporary homelessness will automatically show under the title of Accommodation Arrangements on the Circumstances Impacting Compliance screen. The circumstance will display as 'Automatically created - yet to assess impact' until a Service Officer needs to assess the impact of this circumstance on compliance. This does not need to be actioned at the time of recording the Homelessness Indicator. This information will automatically update when further changes are made to the Homelessness Indicator.