An Overview Of Emergency Accommodation In Adelaide
Homelessness is a significant issue in Adelaide with a growing number of people living without a safe and secure place to sleep. As a result, the demand for crisis and emergency accommodation is high. Providing people with accommodation can have multiple benefits including reducing the need for emergency services, hospital admissions, increased wellbeing and a return to housing. This report provides an overview of the current state of emergency accommodation in Adelaide.
This report was developed by the Towards Home Alliance in partnership with Baptist Care SA, Lutheran Care SA and Sonder. It was commissioned by the City of Adelaide and the SA Government’s Department for Child Protection and Family Safety, and is one of five reports on the work being done to reduce the prevalence of homelessness in our state.
The report analyses data from two data sources, the Census and the SA Government’s H2H system which records clients of specialist homelessness services. Both data sources provide valuable information but have different inclusion criteria, making them likely to underestimate the true number of people experiencing homelessness. Census microdata is available for all households, whereas H2H data is only for those who are referred to or receive assistance from a service agency.
Using both these data sets allows for comparison and corroboration of results. It also enables the identification of specific groups that may be at greater risk, such as those with a disability or children. Health data from the Adelaide Zero Project By-Name List and SA Health also enabled the detection of specific conditions that are more prevalent amongst people experiencing homelessness, such as exposure based conditions, particularly dental problems and dehydration.
A key finding of the report is that investment in last resort housing can deliver a significant return on investment, with evidence showing that for every $1 spent on housing rough sleepers, society derives $2.70 worth of social benefits over a 20-year period. This includes reduced costs to emergency services, hospitals and police, decreased crime and better health outcomes.
Investing in last resort housing is critical, but it needs to be targeted appropriately. This is why the report recommends that the City of Adelaide focus future investments on reducing the incidence of homelessness within its boundaries by developing a plan that targets areas of concentrated need, such as the city centre. The report also recommends that the SA Government expand its efforts to assist families with children in escaping domestic and family violence, by extending its crisis response to include longer-term, permanent, shared accommodation. This is an important step in ensuring that all people are able to live in a safe and secure environment. It is only by doing this that we can break the cycle of disadvantage and help people move forward in their lives. The report was made possible by funding from the State Government and by the support of local funders including Neami National, the SA Housing Authority and SA Health. Stretton Health Equity is a unit of the University of Adelaide and works on policy-engaged research to address health inequities.
At Independent Life Style Services, our key priority is to deliver top-of-the-line disability services that focus on home care for disabled people, young and old. Our operations and perspectives are guided by a mission, a vision, beliefs and core values that focus on supporting people with disabilities enjoy a fulfilling life.