Youth Homelessness

The young people, children and babies in our care are at risk and are considered to be some of Australia’s most vulnerable people. They frequently come from backgrounds of abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Very rarely do they become homeless ‘by choice’ – rather, many have fled or been forced out of their homes due to family violence, breakdowns, struggles with mental health and addiction, or judgement due to religion and/or sexual orientation.

When they find the courage to come through our doors, we welcome them with respect, compassion and unconditional love to help them heal from the trauma of their past. With our support and guidance, some children and young people only require several months to embrace the changes that bring meaning into their lives, enabling them to contribute to the community; others may need years.

Lighthouse’s unique Model of Care enables young people to stay in our programs for as long as they need and they can continue to access support through our Outreach programs after they transition into independent living.

All of our young people present with varying degrees of complex trauma and often struggle with serious mental health issues. This ranges from clinical depression to attachment disorders, including affective, psychotic, dissociative and developmental symptoms.

Prior to Lighthouse, many of these symptoms have gone undiagnosed and unsupported. That’s why our Psychologists and Clinical Care Team play a crucial role at Lighthouse- offering psychotherapy and mental health support to help these young people cope with the emotional difficulties in their life and move forward towards a brighter future.