Melbourne City Mission (MCM) and Social Ventures Australia (SVA) have released their second annual Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot at Victorian Parliament.
The 2025 results reveal that most young Victorians are losing their homes due to family violence (83%), and many before the age of 16 (31%). They are being cut off from school and employment pathways (66%) and instead ending up in emergency departments (54%) and at risk of self-harm and suicide (65%).
Other key findings included that two-thirds of children experiencing family violence who then lose their homes were known to Victoria's Child Protection System (67%), that a quarter experience chronic pain, and that young people from First Nations, rural/regional, LGBTIQA+, and overseas-born backgrounds were all over-represented.
The 2025 Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot was launched this morning by the Victorian Minister for Housing and Building, the Hon Harriet Shing MLC, MCM CEO Vicki Sutton, and Executive Director at SVA Consulting Susie King at Victorian Parliament House.
Read the full 2025 Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot at www.mcm.org.au/VicYouthHomelessnessSnapshot
MCM CEO Vicki Sutton said the second annual census of youth homelessness was a call to action for all levels of government.
"It is traumatic to lose family and home at an age where most of us are spreading our wings and exploring future possibilities. This is compounded by physical and psychological danger trying to find a safe place to live and a new start in life. Young people lose their link to education and employment - sometimes for the rest of their lives."
"Instead of revolving doors and dead ends, we need a smart system that reduces the amount of time children and young people are alone with nowhere to live. We need support and housing options that kick in immediately to limit the lifelong impact of family violence and homelessness."
"With open doors and support services, we can give young Victorians back their futures and a second chance at education and employment. We can get young Victorians out of emergency departments and back into classrooms."
"Victoria has taken modest steps in the right direction, but there is more to be done. These results show that we must open more doors and connect more young people to the safe homes and support they need."
SVA Consulting Executive Director Susie King said they partnered to deliver the Snapshot to improve the availability of data on the situation faced by many young people in Victoria experiencing homelessness. She hopes it will inform better decision-making and a more joined-up approach across government and the community sector.
"The Snapshot shines a light on the intersecting experiences of young people across family violence, health, education and persistent homelessness, which are often treated in silos."
"The Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot will help us continue the discussion around investment and reform, keeping the voices of young people front and centre."
Key findings from the 2025 Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot
Who loses their home before the age of 25 in Victoria?
- Over-representation of First Nations young people (13%)
- 1 in 4 identified as LGBTIQA+ (24%)
- 1 in 4 were from regional, rural or remote areas (26%)
- 1 in 4 were born outside Australia (25%)
- We were not able to accurately measure disability, but note that a high number of young people in the youth homelessness system live with disability
What does the Snapshot tell us about the experiences of young people experiencing homelessness?
- 4 in 5 young people experienced family violence prior to losing their home (83%)
- 2 in 3 young people in this group were known to child protection (67%)
- 1 in 3 young people first experienced homelessness at 16 years or under (31%)
- 1 in 2 attended an emergency department for a mental health crisis (54%)
- 2 in 3 reported self-harm, suicidal ideation or a suicide-related incident (65%)
- 1 in 4 experienced chronic pain
- 2 in 3 were not engaged in study or work (66%)
- 3 in 5 aged 19 or under were not engaged in study or work (58%)
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found over 11,000 unaccompanied children and young people aged 15-24 sought assistance from homelessness services in Victoria in their most recent year of data.
About the 2025 Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot The 2025 Victorian Youth Homelessness Snapshot is the only census of unaccompanied children and young people connected to Victoria's largest and only statewide youth homelessness service. Data was collected by frontline teams from 179 young people aged 15 to 24 years old accessing MCM's homelessness programs in Victoria on 8 April 2025.
Programs include the state-wide specialist homelessness access point for young people Frontyard Youth Services, youth refuges, crisis accommodation, intensive case management programs, foyers, and specific refuges and crisis services for young women.
About Melbourne City Mission (MCM) Melbourne City Mission is a leading community support organisation that works alongside people to live the life they aspire to, their way. It provides a broad range of support in the areas of homelessness, early years, disability, early childhood intervention services, education, palliative care, and mental health. Visit www.mcm.org.au f
