Just 1.1 beds for 77 desperate young people in Perth sparking a nightly scramble for help

An audit has revealed Perth’s housing crisis is hitting vulnerable teens and young adults harder, with “capacity constraints” forcing shelters to turn thousands of people away last year. The West Australian can reveal that 320 children and young people — under 26 — were homeless in Perth and Rockingham last week, including 73 who were forced to sleep rough on the streets. “Every day we’re having to turn people away,” Mission Australia regional leader Elise Jorgensen said. “It’s often deeply distressing for staff . . . We’re certainly seeing a significant increase (of) young people experiencing family domestic violence or subjected to trauma. “They might have been couch surfing (but) that goodwill usually comes to an end. So by the time they’ve come to us, they’re in crisis.” WA has the highest rate of unassisted requests in the nation, with an average of 96 children and young people turned away each day - up 22 per cent since last year. Advocates want more youth service hubs established to at least provide mental health support, showers and meals. Plus, $150 million to expand direct access crisis housing. It’s the key ask of the Ending Child and Youth Homelessness coalition’s pre-Budget submission, after an audit revealed just how much demand is going unmet. Across 26 services by nine organisations, new analysis has confirmed there’s only 341 dedicated youth beds in Perth and they’re almost always full. The audit found there were no respite night services, providing same-day access. Mission Australia’s Youth Accommodation Support Service in Perth’s southern suburbs has six crisis beds and four transitional beds but demand was 10 times higher than capacity last year, with 600 requests for help and only 60 able to be accommodated. They made 224 referrals to other services but only 24 were able to placed. And though about 35 per cent of homeless youth are working, they’re still being priced out of the private rental market or in greater danger of being exploited. “They are preyed upon. We have reports of young people that have been staying with unsafe adults,” Ms Jorgensen said. “A young person that saved up for a room and that they handed their money over and then they didn’t get access to that room.” The by-name list that tracks rough sleepers was previously public, but has been restricted from full view since May last year - for technical upgrades. Frontline services still have access to it and have told The West Australian the stark statistics are getting even worse, and likely still under-estimate the crisis. The 320 children and young people homeless on March 8 was a 33 per cent increase in 10 months. The ‘Ending Child and Youth Homelessness’ coalition - that includes Vinnies WA, Indigo Junction, Mission Australia and other peak bodies - said that, on average, 63 to 77 young people are fighting for the equivalent of 1.1 available bed each night. “The system is stretched beyond breaking point,” WA Council of Social Services chief executive Louise Giolitto said. “While we have seen welcome investment in homelessness services in recent years, the contracting of a new system is taking far too long.” Short-term funding means shelters are forced to fundraise to keep their doors open. “No child should face the night without shelter, and no service should be forced to fundraise simply to keep young people safe,” Ms Giolitto said. Youth Futures operates a total of 41 beds across in Joondalup and Brentwood and counted 2,575 requests that were turned away in 2025. Chief executive Michelle Jenkins said Perth’s rental shortage means people need to stay longer and that’s created a significant bottleneck. “Young people are unable to move into stable housing,” she said. “We’re calling on the WA Government to act immediately.” Homelessness Minister Matthew Swinbourn said it’s a problem the Government is taking seriously. “We currently fund more than 130 services to deliver critical homelessness supports across WA, with more than $25 million invested in accommodation and support services to assist young people,” he said. “As with every Budget, the Government continues to consider options to strengthen frontline responses and expand the supports available to vulnerable Western Australians, including young people at risk of homelessness.” The Labor State Government has met its original target to deliver 3300 social homes since 2021, but is baulking at the sector’s call for a more ambitious target of 5000 per year. “We are the only major party in WA with a social housing target and are funded to deliver 6600 homes across the State through to 2028‑29,” Housing Minister John Carey said. “Housing will be a key focus of the upcoming State Budget, and that will include a continued and strong focus on social and affordable housing.” But, he added: “A target of 5000 social homes each year is not realistic in the current market”.