Specialist homelessness services clients
Specialist homelessness services (SHS) agencies are organisations that receive government funding to deliver assistance to clients, aimed at responding to or preventing homelessness (AIHW 2021).
In 2020–21, just under half (47% or 22,264) of the clients recorded as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander were experiencing homelessness when they first presented to SHS agencies, and just over half (53% or 25,261) were at risk of homelessness at the time (AIHW 2021).
In 2020–21, females accounted for 56% (17,958) of Indigenous clients who were homeless when they first sought support from an SHS agency. Males accounted for 44% (14,207) of Indigenous clients who were homeless at first presentation.
Among Indigenous females, the main reasons given for seeking assistance were:
- domestic and family violence (3,851 females or 21%)
- housing crisis (3,814 females or 21%)
- inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions (3,620 females or 20%) (Figure HH 14).
Among Indigenous males, the main reasons given for seeking assistance were:
- inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions (3,145 males or 22%)
- housing crisis (3,105 males or 22%)
- domestic and family violence (1,455 males or 10%) (Figure HH 14).