Across Victoria, there are only 423 crisis ‘beds’ available to people experiencing homelessness and/or family violence. When those beds are full, agencies are completely dependent on the private housing system and they use the limited funds they have available to access low end hotels and private roominghouses.

The specialist homelessness services 2017–18 web report is the seventh annual report from the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection. It describes the characteristics of clients of specialist homelessness services, the services requested, outcomes achieved, and unmet requests for services during 2017–18.

Ending homelessness is within our means. Homelessness should be rare, the experience brief, and it should not recur in cycles of repeated homelessness. With the right measures in place, homelessness is preventable, early intervention achievable, and that keeping people housed is possible.

The 2018 National Homelessness Conference, presenting the theme ‘Ending homelessness together’, delivered a wealth of evidence and information on ways to understand, reduce and alleviate homelessness. Over 800 delegates and more than 80 speakers participated across two very full days, exploring the underlying drivers of homelessness and the strategies to overcome it.

This strategy document sets the direction for the next five years, focusing on prevention responses that address the root causes of homelessness, and early intervention responses that will reduce the longer term impact of homelessness.