Under 16 Homelessness

Coordinated Support for Young People Under 16 at Risk of Homelessness

The Under 16 Homelessness: Children and young people under 16 who are alone and at risk of or experiencing homelessness: A Policy Framework for Tasmania (the Framework) provides an overarching policy setting to guide our response to unaccompanied children and young people under the age of 16 who face homelessness.

Developed in consultation with the U16 Homelessness Working Group (HWG), the Framework supports the notion that Government, families, community services and the broader community have a shared responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

Supporting the notion of shared responsibility, the purpose of the Framework is to:

  • improve collaboration and integration so that services and communities work together towards improved outcomes for children, young people and families;
  • outline key policy principles for a shared response; and
  • articulate commitments that place the safety and wellbeing of children and young people at the centre of the Tasmanian service response.

The Framework will be supported by a set of Practice Guidelines to clarify roles and responsibilities across relevant parts of the service system. These documents are under development and will be released during 2022-23.

The Framework provides the basis for ongoing discussion about child and youth homelessness in Tasmania and is expected to evolve to reflect a maturing collective understanding of this important issue.

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Protecting our most vulnerable children from experiencing homelessness

We understand that young people who are under 16, unaccompanied, and experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable. These young people need ‘care’, not just accommodation. They need intensive support to address their wellbeing needs and to support reunification with their families.

We are pleased to release a Request for Proposals for a pilot Therapeutic Residential Model of Care.

Grant Proposals

We look forward to receiving proposals for this service to improve the wellbeing outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.