Homelessness is more insidious than just a lack of safe and secure housing. It isolates people from their families, friends and communities, makes school or study difficult to maintain, and leaves people vulnerable to long term unemployment and chronic ill-health.

People experiencing homelessness are often excluded from participating in the social, recreational, cultural and economic life of our communities. Such profound exclusion from society can be extremely difficult to recover from.

The Lady Bowen Trust has been specifically established to help people experiencing homelessness address these complex needs and work towards building a stable and happy future through sustainable housing.

In many cases, the reasons for losing stable housing are complex. Domestic violence remains a significant cause of homelessness in Australia. Other factors include poverty, unemployment, lack of affordable housing, family breakdown, mental illness, sexual assault, alcohol and drug use, financial difficulty, gambling and social isolation. The transition to homelessness can be frighteningly quick, but the recovery process can be an incredibly challenging and lengthy journey.

Young people make up around a third of homeless figures in Australia. Homelessness has a serious impact on the health, education and well-being of children. Those without a stable home often exhibit higher rates of anxiety, emotional and physical health issues, poor nutrition, isolation and relationship difficulties. Children who experience homelessness are more likely to become homeless as adults and raise families who may also experience homelessness, thus perpetuating the cycle.

For more information about homelessness in Queensland, please refer to the link below to access information from  the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:
http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557859