Mother's Day celebrates the vital role mothers play within our families and communities. It is often a day of recognition, appreciation and connection. However, for some young mothers the experience of motherhood is accompanied by uncertainty, stress, isolation and hardship.
Young mums who experience domestic, family and sexual violence will often face homelessness or insecure housing. In Queensland, these interconnected challenges are intensified by limited housing availability and high rental prices, which can force women into an impossible choice: remain in an unsafe home or be homeless. The combination of violence and housing instability places young mums at significant risk of child safety intervention, adding further stress to an already precarious situation.
While these challenges are not exclusive to mothers under the age of 25, being young can intensify vulnerability. Younger mums may have limited access to supportive family networks, fewer financial resources and less confidence or experience navigating complex service systems. Many are still forming their own sense of identity while simultaneously caring for an infant, often in the context of healing from trauma. This lack of stability and support can leave young mums isolated at a time when connection and safety are most needed.
Safe Young Mums and Bubs
In response to these challenges, Brisbane Youth Service (BYS), supported by funding from the Queensland Government, designed and implemented the BYS Safe Young Mums and Bubs program. The program is specifically tailored to meet the needs of mothers aged 16-25 and their babies who have experienced domestic violence, housing insecurity and involvement with the child protection system.
Young mothers who participate in the program, voluntarily move into a shared home with other young mums and their babies for up to 18 months. They receive intensive, youth‑centred parenting support, life skills development and counselling. The model provides 24-hour, 7 day a week support from family support workers - offering consistency, safety and stability during a critical period of transition and recovery.
Importantly, the program is relational at its core. Young mums can build authentic, trusting relationships with workers who model safe boundaries, recognising that emotional safety and trust are foundational to change.
Intensive, wrap‑around care
My colleagues and I at The University of Queensland's Institute for Social Science Research evaluated the BYS Safe Young Mums and Bubs program and identified transformational change among participants. We interviewed young mums, family support workers and service partners and analysed more than 2,000 data points over the course of the evaluation.
We found substantial improvements in the young mums' confidence and capabilities across a range of areas including parenting, budgeting, everyday life skills, mental health and healthy relationships. These changes were attributed to the intensive, wrap‑around support provided over many months of living in the house, combined with a non‑judgmental, youth‑centred approach. The voices of the participants themselves powerfully illustrate their transformation.
"I'm confident as a mum now. I can comfort my child, meet her needs, and stay focused on what matters most, being there for her."
Another reflected, "This program helped me believe I'm a good mum."
For many, the changes extended beyond parenting skills to a deeper sense of self "I've changed so much since coming here, for myself and for my baby."
Practical life skills were also a key outcome. One young mum explained,
"I didn't know how to manage money or cook proper meals before. Now I can budget, cook, and provide for myself and my baby."
Equally important was the sense of connection and belonging fostered by the program. Living alongside other young mothers helped reduce isolation and build peer support. As one participant noted,
"Being here with other mums helps so much you feel understood and supported."
A sense of community is at the heart of the relational service model.
"Even when you leave, they still consider you part of the family."
Integrated and ongoing support matters
The positive outcomes of the BYS Safe Young Mums and Bubs program are particularly significant in a service environment where domestic violence, housing and child protection systems are not connected. It is the first integrated service model in Australia to bring together housing, attachment-focused interventions, relationship support and life skills development through a youth‑centred approach for young mums and their babies.
Overall, our findings show the BYS Safe Young Mums and Bubs program has made a significant impact and fills a critical gap in the Australian service system. We recommend ongoing connection with participants through longitudinal research. Tracking outcomes after families complete the program would provide valuable insights into long‑term impacts and sustainability, ensuring that the transformation seen during the program endures well beyond it.
Dr Laurel Johnson is a Senior Research Fellow at UQ's Institute of Social Science and Research .
Collaboration and acknowledgements
Brisbane Youth Service supports young people (12-25) and young families at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Brisbane.
