TY  - RPRT
AU  - Johnson, Guy
AU  - Natalier, Kristin
AU  - Mendes, Phillip
AU  - Liddiard, Mark
AU  - Thoresen, Stian
AU  - Hollows, Andrew
AU  - Bailey, Naomi
CY  - Melbourne
L1  - internal-pdf://0933921923/AHURI_Final_Report_No147_Pathways from out-of-.pdf
M1  - 30540
M3  - FR
N1  - This research defines the characteristics of a group of out-of-home-care leavers at higher risk of rough sleeping and describes the pathway into rough sleeping. The study also found that reliable, sustainable social relationships were just as important as access to adequate housing for a successful transition from out-of-home-care.
This study involved interviews with 77 young people (aged 18–25) who had been in out-of-home care in Western Australia (n=35) and Victoria (n=42), in inner city, suburban and regional locations. The data was gathered between September 2008 and March 2009.
Three quarters of the study participants experienced a volatile transition from care (n=59) and experienced periods of homelessness as well as acute housing instability (Johnson et al. 2010, p.40). Two thirds of this group did not have a leaving care plan (Johnson et al. 2010, p.42).
The study describes how a volatile transition became a pathway to rough sleeping for some in this group. About half of the volatile transition group (n=32) were able to move on with their lives, but the other slightly less than half (n=27) were stuck even after 5 years in unstable housing and damaging circumstances including rough sleeping (Johnson et al. 2010, p.48).
Characteristic of this group was that they left care earlier and in crisis; they typically had been through many foster care placements and distrusted the system and other people; most experienced housing instability and homelessness (Johnson et al. 2010, p.54). If homelessness persisted and was combined with problematic substance use, it was a process leading to rough sleeping:
Over time as their accommodation options dwindled and their substance abuse problems became more pronounced, people came to rely on the streets more and more (Johnson et al. 2010, p.46).
Just over half the study participants reported a lifetime problem with substance use, confirming other research findings of high levels amongst care leavers. This study also found that lifetime substance use was starkly correlated with their care leaving experience: affecting 61 per cent of those with a volatile transition and only 28 per cent of those who experienced a smooth transition from care (Johnson et al. 2010, p.45).
In particular the research emphasised a critical link between reliable social relationships and housing stability:
A lack of connection had material consequences for housing: many care leavers had no-one from whom they could borrow money, receive household goods, seek advice and emotional support and ask for accommodation when their own housing broke down—housing instability and homelessness are common outcomes. In short, many of the young care leavers had no safety net when they struggled to compete in an already difficult housing market. (Johnson et al. 2010, p.4)

In the following table, the researchers summarise the characteristics indicating risk of
the rough sleeping pathway, and the elements which assisted young people to
overcome these challenges:
Source: Johnson et al. 2010, p.3
The findings of this research strongly indicate that the complexity of practical and
emotional issues faced by care-leavers, and complicated by the associated
experiences of the rough sleeping pathway requires a long term commitment to
supporting a person. The researchers find:
When support is sensitive to individual circumstances and has the capacity to
‗hang in there‘, rather than being structured around arbitrary time frames, the
chances of care leavers moving on is considerably higher (Johnson et al. 2010

The research suggests that effective responses to rough sleeping by young people
leaving care will require coordination and persistence with a combination of practical
housing support and reliable social connection strategies.
NV  - RMIT
PB  - Australian Housing and Urban ÂþÌìÌÃÈë¿Ú Institute Limited
PY  - 2010
RP  - This research defines the characteristics of a group of out-of-home-care leavers at higher risk of rough sleeping and describes the pathway into rough sleeping. The study also found that reliable, sustainable social relationships were just as important as access to adequate housing for a successful transition from out-of-home-care.
This study involved interviews with 77 young people (aged 18–25) who had been in out-of-home care in Western Australia (n=35) and Victoria (n=42), in inner city, suburban and regional locations. The data was gathered between September 2008 and March 2009.
Three quarters of the study participants experienced a volatile transition from care (n=59) and experienced periods of homelessness as well as acute housing instability (Johnson et al. 2010, p.40). Two thirds of this group did not have a leaving care plan (Johnson et al. 2010, p.42).
The study describes how a volatile transition became a pathway to rough sleeping for some in this group. About half of the volatile transition group (n=32) were able to move on with their lives, but the other slightly less than half (n=27) were stuck even after 5 years in unstable housing and damaging circumstances including rough sleeping (Johnson et al. 2010, p.48).
Characteristic of this group was that they left care earlier and in crisis; they typically had been through many foster care placements and distrusted the system and other people; most experienced housing instability and homelessness (Johnson et al. 2010, p.54). If homelessness persisted and was combined with problematic substance use, it was a process leading to rough sleeping:
Over time as their accommodation options dwindled and their substance abuse problems became more pronounced, people came to rely on the streets more and more (Johnson et al. 2010, p.46).
Just over half the study participants reported a lifetime problem with substance use, confirming other research findings of high levels amongst care leavers. This study also found that lifetime substance use was starkly correlated with their care leaving experience: affecting 61 per cent of those with a volatile transition and only 28 per cent of those who experienced a smooth transition from care (Johnson et al. 2010, p.45).
In particular the research emphasised a critical link between reliable social relationships and housing stability:
A lack of connection had material consequences for housing: many care leavers had no-one from whom they could borrow money, receive household goods, seek advice and emotional support and ask for accommodation when their own housing broke down—housing instability and homelessness are common outcomes. In short, many of the young care leavers had no safety net when they struggled to compete in an already difficult housing market. (Johnson et al. 2010, p.4)

In the following table, the researchers summarise the characteristics indicating risk of
the rough sleeping pathway, and the elements which assisted young people to
overcome these challenges:
Source: Johnson et al. 2010, p.3
The findings of this research strongly indicate that the complexity of practical and
emotional issues faced by care-leavers, and complicated by the associated
experiences of the rough sleeping pathway requires a long term commitment to
supporting a person. The researchers find:
When support is sensitive to individual circumstances and has the capacity to
‗hang in there‘, rather than being structured around arbitrary time frames, the
chances of care leavers moving on is considerably higher (Johnson et al. 2010

The research suggests that effective responses to rough sleeping by young people
leaving care will require coordination and persistence with a combination of practical
housing support and reliable social connection strategies.
ST  - Pathways from out-of-home care
T2  - ÂþÌìÌÃÈë¿ÚFinal Report No. 147
TI  - Pathways from out-of-home care
UR  - /research/final-reports/147
ID  - 184
ER  -