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August 2025
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Save the Date and Register Early!
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Platform 1225 Conference
March 26th, 2026
Scan the QR Code or
CLICK HERE to Register!
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Homelessness Week was 4-10 August
2025 Theme – Homelessness Action Now!
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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Australia (NATSIHA) and Homelessness Australia (HA) launched Homelessness Week with Through a First Nations Lens.
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It was fitting that Homelessness Week launched on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day. The focus was the importance of alleviating poverty and ensuring housing options for First Nation’s children, young people and families. We know overwhelmingly through extensive international literature that acting on poverty and housing ensures a solid foundation on which positive lives and futures are built. It’s the most effective and economical way of responding to homelessness.
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Presenters also called for:
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- A First Nations led National First Nations Housing and Homelessness Plan
- First Nations voices at the heart of housing reform for First Nations people
- The need to focus on causational issues of homelessness as well as housing supply
- Homelessness exists within a gamut of other issues. Associated issues also need to be addressed
- Every family needs a safe home
- Place based initiatives
- Multiple services to ensure diversity of choice
- System design by community with appropriate resourcing and relevant authority.
- Codesign and data that matters to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
- Building the capacity of ATSI organisations
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Some key take home messages from National Homelessness Week:
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“Your insights are vital and your advocacy matters. Thank you for the work you do every day and refusal to accept that homeless is inevitable because it isn’t” Federal Housing Minister, Hon, Clare O'Neil
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A National Youth Homelessness Strategy is key to ensuring young people are recognised as a particularly vulnerable group locked out of most housing options. They have specific developmental needs that require appropriate responses.
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Crisis cases are so commonplace that the capacity to intervene earlier – which is so important – is constantly compromised.
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Housing, disability and domestic and family violence need urgent responses.
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There is significant energy for action. The will is required across all levels of government and the NGO sector.
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Cairns Youth Foyer
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In great news for young people and the youth sector of Cairns – Minister O’Connor announced Hutchinson Builders have been appointed for the construction of the build to accommodate and support young people aged 16 to 25 in 40 self contained units. Situated in Manoora, the Cairns Youth Foyer is set to commence late this year, with completed expected in 2027. Youth foyers in Hervey Bay and Moreton bay are also in the pipeline. More information on Youth Foyers is available here.
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The DHPW provided a number of avenues to promote Homelessness Week and offer assistance
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The Department of Housing and Public Works provides a range of support to help Queenslanders in housing stress or housing need. Support can include rental subsidies, advice and support to help Queenslanders access a tenancy or keep their tenancy in the rental market. Find out more here.
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The Homeless Hotline is a 24/7 phone information and referral service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This service can help you find information about support, accommodation, meals or showers. Call 1800 474 753.
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Housing Outreach Mobile Engagement Teams are working across Queensland, ready to help people in housing or renting need. You may notice the teams in their bright pink shirts and hats, helping them stand out as they make their way around the community.
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Other housing help is available by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or contacting your local Housing Service Centre during business hours. Click here for more.
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Youth Homelessness Matters Everyday
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The Young and Alone themed Campaign continued throughout Homelessness Week.
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This campaign remains important beyond Homelessness Week. Please continue to share it far and wide.
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You can access more details on the campaign here.
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You can watch the Young and Alone video below:
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Special feature on unaccompanied children receiving specialist homelessness services - August 26th, 2025
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As part of a feature analysis of specialist homelessness services this article on unaccompanied children demonstrates the harsh reality for over 13 thousand young Australians aged between 12 and 17 who presented to specialist homelessness services in 2023-2024. 2,443 of these children were between 12 and 14 years of age. Most alarmingly 3 in 4 of these children were homeless after their support ended. Here are the key findings:
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Around 13,300 children (17% of all SHS clients who were children) were not accompanied by an adult parent or guardian when SHS support began.
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Most unaccompanied children sought SHS support alone (94%), while a small proportion (6%) were part of a group of children.
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More unaccompanied children were female (63%) than male (37%).
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About 2 in 5 (42% or 5,600) unaccompanied children identified interpersonal relationships as the main group of reasons for seeking SHS assistance.
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Unaccompanied children 12-14 years
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Unaccompanied children 15-17 years
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About 1 in 5 (19%) unaccompanied children who were experiencing homelessness when they began a SHS support period were housed when their support ended; around 3 in 4 (77%) remained without secure stable housing.
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Short-term or emergency accommodation was needed by unaccompanied children in 6,600 periods of SHS support; this service was directly provided by agencies in around half (50% or 3,200) of the periods of support.
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You can read the article here.
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QYHC ended the month with QDN at their much-valued Conference - Unlocking Potential - Reforms, Innovation and Inclusion.
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Given the reality that young people with disabilities are overrepresented in many of our systems including homelessness, child protection and youth justice, seeing potential whilst ensuring inclusion is innovation we welcome wholeheartedly.
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Child Safe Organisations
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The Queensland Family and Child Commission (the Commission) has published its Regulatory Approach for implementing the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (the Act).
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Best outcomes for children occur when organisations:
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- Understand their legal and ethical responsibilities.
- Have the capability to meet Child Safe Standards.
- Are held accountable when risk or harm is not appropriately addressed.
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QFCC encourages you to review the Regulatory Approach and consider your organisation’s role in preventing harm before it occurs, as part of Queensland’s broader child safeguarding system. You can access the publication on the Commission’s website here.
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Real-world challenges for young people with cognitive disability in transition to adulthood
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Monday 29 September 2025, 2.30 – 5.00 pm
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The University of Queensland Modwest Building
(11A-120/121) St Lucia Campus.
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This symposium will include “Young people with cognitive disability in transition to adulthood: Stories of survival and aspiration in the face of adversity” Book Launch alongside a Panel Discussion.
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Panel members will discuss important areas affecting young people with cognitive disability as they transition to adulthood.
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- NDIS and Foundational supports
- Criminal justice system interface
- Safeguarding and abuse prevention
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Anti-Slavery Australia/My Blue Sky
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Important resources focus on forced marriage have been developed because this is the most common form of modern slavery in Australia, and organisations advocating for young people at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness, are some of the most likely to come across it in their line of work.
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To assist ASA/MBS have developed a free Frontline Worker Guide on how to identify and respond to forced marriage, with key information on what forced marriage is, good practices and referral pathways. They also have a range of posters and flyers translated in around 20 languages.
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Get involved - IVY Study: Towards an Australian Response to the use of Intimate Partner Violence by Young People
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Are you a practitioner or frontline professional working with young people who use intimate partner violence (IPV)?
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We are partnering with the Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) and the Centre for Family Research and Evaluation at Drummond Street (CFRE) on a national study examining young people's use of IPV and the services involved in responding.
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As part of this research, the CIJ and CFRE are looking to conduct online focus groups with practitioners and other frontline professionals based anywhere in Australia.
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You can find more information and participant consent forms here.
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24/7 Intake and support ISAs
for young people
Five Immediate Supported Accommodation (ISA) services are available to enhance service delivery and address regional needs. These feature 24/7 on-site support with two workers at peak service times and 24/7 intake services for improved accessibility.
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These programs are located in the regions of Cairns, Logan, Mount Isa, Moreton Bay, and Rockhampton. In Cairns, where two ISAs operate, each site continues to have a single overnight worker and does not offer 24/7 intake services.
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Young people can contact these services for support at any time on the numbers below:
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- Insync Beenleigh, Anglicare SQ:
(07) 3386 2000
- Mithangkaya Nguli - Young People Ahead - Mt Isa: (07) 4749 0840
- Darumbul – Rockhampton: (07) 4927 5715
- IFYS – Caboolture: (07) 3888 9355
Mobile: 0422 003 971
- Anglicare North Queensland, Cairns:
St Margaret’s – (07) 4033 2678;
St John’s – (07) 4032 4971
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Important Housing Products for young people
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Youth Subsidy for CHPs
The Youth Subsidy is available for registered community housing providers to find more opportunities for young people to move out of crisis accommodation into long-term, stable housing.
Read more about the Youth Subsidy here.
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You can read more updates here.
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Youth Essentials
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Youth Housing Essentials supports young people transitioning from government services. It offers tailored brokerage assistance of up to $5,000 per household to address their essential housing needs. It provides access to essential goods and services such as: furniture, white goods, education or work necessities. To access, a young person must be supported by a service provider, support agency or Housing Service. Find out more here.
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Renters Relief Package
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The Renters Relief Package has expanded eligibility for a range of products and services to help customers find and apply for a place to rent, help to get a rental, and help to keep their place if they’re having financial difficulties.
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- For more information visit The QLD government website here
- Or get in touch with your local Housing Service Centre Contact here
- People who need housing help can go to qld.gov.au/housinghelp, call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or the Homeless Hotline on 1800 474 753.  
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Engaging Adolescents
Parenting Programme
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The Engaging Adolescents Parenting program is a three session program for parents or carer's with pre-teens or teenagers. Parents/carer's are taught strategies to enable them to set clear, fair boundaries with their children, and manage difficult conversations. This program includes valuable information on normal adolescent development and setting reasonable expectations about behaviour. This is an evidence based, Australian program. Click here for more information and to register.
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Resilience Scale Resource
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To support the QCPW messaging ‘Protecting children is everybody’s business’, QCPW have teamed up with partners including Frameworks, NAPCAN and Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership (TQKP), an initiative of ARACY. ‘Tipping the Scale is Everybody’s Business’ uses the Resilience Scale metaphor to support a whole of system approach and provide a common language to talk about how experiences shape our lives now and into the future. Click here to access.
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Building homes for all Queenslanders now & for the future
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Everyone needs a place to call home that meets their needs. QYHC is pleased to be amongst 52 organisations representing people with disability, older people, families/carers and the disability, housing and community sectors joining together to show their support for Queensland’s continued implementation of the Liveable Housing Design Standard (LHDS) under the National Construction Code. Accessible housing is not a luxury; it’s a basic human right for all people. Read more here.
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YAC’s latest innovation
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YAC’s latest innovation YAC is proud to share their new animated video designed to support and empower children and young people navigating the children's courts in Queensland.
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This free animation provides clear, accessible information to help young people understand what to expect when they attend court, their rights, and how to get support. In addition to reducing confusion, fear, and anxiety in young people facing court, it aims to empower young people to do everything they can to influence a positive outcome.
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The animation is part of YAC’s broader commitment to increase young people's access to legal and social justice in Queensland. It was funded by the Community Legal Education (CLE) Collaboration Fund and inspired by a resource developed by the Youth Justice Legal Centre UK.
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Managing Young Tenants
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This resource provides a deeper understanding of working with young tenants, to assist property managers in feeling more equipped and confident in their work with young people. It includes trauma-informed and mental health aware tenancy management as well as available subsidies and support services. Read more here.
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Open Doors celebrated 25 years of supporting LGBTIQA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy young people by expanding its support services. It continues to be Queensland’s sole youth service specifically for LGBTIQ+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy communities.
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Ruby’s Reunification Program supports young people and their families to rebuild relationships and stay connected, with the aim to prevent involvement in the child protection and homelessness systems. The program offers short-term, home-like accommodation where families can take a break and focus on reuniting. There is a 4 bed property in North Brisbane and another on the Southside.
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Have your say on social and affordable housing design in QLD
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The Social Housing Design Guideline was published in 2021 after inviting Queenslanders to have their say on essential design elements in social housing. The guideline is currently being updated.
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It is important that the design of social and affordable housing supports and improves the lives of people with a diverse range of needs. More information is available here.
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Children’s Rights and the Law
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Southern Cross University is hosting a forum on 23rd and 24th October 2025 on the Gold Coast.
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Children’s rights and the Law Conference will focus on family law, child protection, and youth justice. The event will feature diverse perspectives to encourage discussion on how the legal system can better respect the rights of children and young people. Register here.
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Child Safety Commission of Inquiry
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On 18th May 2025, the Queensland Government announced a Commission of Inquiry into the Queensland child safety system. The Commission led by Hon. Paul Anastassiou KC, commenced on 1st July. On 23rd July, The Commissioner formally opened the Commission of Inquiry and provided the public with an overview of how it will be conducted.
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Submissions have been called for regarding the complaints system, due 1st August 2025. More information including how to make a submission is available here. The final report to government is due 30th November 2026.
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REPORTS, ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS
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In total, more than 92,000 people in families with children received homelessness support in 2023-2024, and of the 87,800 people in families with children who sought specialist help, 39,000 – or 45 per cent – had already lost their homes.
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This report analyses data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to investigate the extent and impacts of family homelessness in Australia, and recommends a suite of policies the government can implement immediately to address this escalating crisis. You can read the report here.
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Which level of government holds the keys to housing policy in Australia?
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Australia’s housing crisis has become a ‘wicked problem’ for policymakers at all levels of government. Through a short overview of who is responsible for what in several key areas of housing policy in Australia, this policy brief demonstrates that in most areas the Commonwealth is generally a ‘minor player’ in housing policy in Australia.
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Read the policy brief here.
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Out of Reach
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The Everybody’s Home report shows rising rental prices across all Australian capitals over the past decade, with increases over 60% in many areas. This trend is driven by a long-term decline in social housing — now just 4.1% of homes — and minimal government intervention, overwhelming the private rental market. Rising rents means affordable housing is increasingly out of reach. Read the report here.
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The 2025 State of the Housing System report highlights a worsening housing crisis in Australia, linking rising rental stress to mental health decline and homelessness. The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council urges immediate action, including increasing social housing to 10% of total housing stock. Read the report here.
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Rewriting the playbook
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What happens when healthcare teams up with housing? This new AHURI research looks at the lessons learned from collaborations between health and homelessness services during COVID-19. The report identifies how the sectors could continue to work together moving forward.
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A key lesson is that health agencies and services must take an active role in addressing homelessness as an urgent and ongoing public health crisis - not just as a social issue,’ says Dr Chris Hartley, lead researcher from The University of New South Wales. Read the report here.
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AIFS webinar
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Trauma prevention and early intervention approaches with children and young people
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This AIFS webinar will explore strategies you can use to contribute to trauma prevention and early intervention of child abuse and neglect.
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Presenters: Professor Daryl Higgins, Shankari Sundaram, and Dan Moss.
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Wednesday 3 September 2025, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (AEST) Register here.
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Specialist Counselling
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Living Authentically Counselling provides LGBTQIA+ and neuro-divergent affirming counselling services for anyone aged 16+ seeking support with sexuality, gender identity and expression. Services are available Australia-wide through telehealth, with discounted rates and flexible appointment times.
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Understanding age of consent
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This guide outlines the legal age of consent across all Australian states and territories. It also addresses frequently asked questions to assist practitioners.
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Workshop calendar
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Insight’s Semester 2 training calendar offers various workshops, primarily held in Brisbane between July and September. Sessions will take place across Queensland for the remainder of the year.
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This strategy outlines a comprehensive approach involving the entire government and community to incorporate trauma-informed practices throughout Queensland. Over the next five years, it aims to foster optimal conditions for individuals, families, caregivers, and communities to access the right support as early as possible. Read here.
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New resources from WellMob
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Wellmob has launched a new "Workplace Wellbeing Resource Sheet" aimed at supporting workers and promoting culturally safe workplaces. This resource provides a curated selection of links to practical tools and guidance on various topics, including self-care at work, managing cultural load, racism, addressing isolation, and preventing black burnout. Access resources here.
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Professional supervision for children’s wellbeing
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This recorded webinar offers strategies for supervisors to empower practitioners to have effective conversations with adult clients about how to support children and implement child-aware practices.
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You can watch the webinar here.
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Managing uncertainty in professional practice
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This practice guide provides an overview of what uncertainty and uncertainty tolerance are and their significance to professional practice. It also outlines the individual, practice and organisational factors that can contribute to uncertainty and describes evidence-based strategies for how practitioners can manage practice uncertainties.
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Download the practice guide here.
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Cyber Safety
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ThinkUKnow Australia provides guidance on how to stay safe and seek help via free online safety presentations for parents, carers, educators, and students. Delivered by law enforcement and industry volunteers, the sessions cover online risks such as grooming, privacy, and sexual exploitation. Request a presentation here.
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Relationships Matter Webinar
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Storytelling is at the heart of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. For tens of thousands of years, the practice has sustained communities, nurtured relationships and highlighted the interconnectedness of child, family and community. Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and caregivers have many stories of resilience, in a practice setting the space to share and reflect on these stories doesn’t always exist. The ability to create this space is crucial to working with these families.
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Boost Youth Mental Health Skills
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Are you a youth worker supporting young people facing mental health challenges? Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) and the University of Adelaide offer free online training that includes:
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- Engaging video content that breaks down key mental health concepts in an accessible way.
- Reflective exercises.
- Practical templates that guide decision-making when working with young people experiencing distress.
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Access the training resources here
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On-demand webinar series
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From July to December register for one of AIFS’s on-demand replays and experience the full webinar at your own convenience. Find the schedule here.
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The Elephant in the Room
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Elephant Ed’s vision is to build a world where every individual is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to make informed, healthy, and respectful decisions about consent, relationships, and sexuality. Student workshops, Staff PD and Parent Webinars are available. Find more here.
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Good for Good Community Grants
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Eligible not-for-profit organisations in Queensland can apply for grants of up to $30,000 to fund community-focused projects that improve people's lives. The initiative supports practical programs that help individuals participate, connect, grow, learn, and feel safe. Apply here.
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Applications close 31 August 2025.
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Dylan Alcott Foundation Grants
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Young Australians (26 years or under) living with disability can apply for grants to support personal, professional, vocational, or sporting goals. Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents. The funding aims to boost confidence, unlock potential, and help them achieve their dreams.
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Applications are accepted all year round.
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Find more information here.
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GCBF Funding Rounds 2025
In 2025, the Gambling Community Benefit Fund has one round remaining:
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- Round 125: $35,000 Standard Grant - opening mid-September and closing 31 October
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Find more information here.
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