In 2017 Dr Elizabeth Conroy and Dr Megan Williams were commissioned to conduct the Homelessness at Transition: Evidence Check. The evidence check sought to understand who is most likely to experience homelessness when they leave government services, and how we can best support people to prevent this from happening.

This FACSIAR Evidence to Action Note identifies the risk factors that make some people transitioning from government services more likely to become homeless than others and effective interventions in reducing these risks.

Key messages:

• People leaving the support of government services are at greater risk of becoming homeless.
• An Evidence Check sought to identify the risk factors that make some groups of people transitioning from government-funded services more likely to become homeless than others, and interventions that have been effective in reducing these risks.
• The review identified six ‘at risk’ populations or ‘pathways’: people leaving prisons, hospitals, social housing or mental health facilities, and young people leaving out-of-home care (OOHC) and juvenile detention.
• There is promising evidence for some interventions, including discharge planning, transition support programs, and transitional and supported housing programs.
• The availability and strength of the evidence varies across pathways and interventions, but overall the strength of the evidence is low and there are many gaps.
• The Evidence Check recommends building the evidence base for the six at-risk populations.