An estimated 20,000 Australians who were homeless or at risk of
homelessness were provided with accommodation or services each day
in May last year, according to a report released today by the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Services and support were provided under the Commonwealth-State
governments' Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP).
The report Demand for SAAP Assistance 1999-2000 shows
that SAAP agencies accommodated around 6,400 people each day in May
2000. A further 10,400 people received other types of substantial
assistance, and almost 2,300 Australians received some type of
casual assistance.
There were occasions, however, when SAAP agencies could not meet
the demand.
Head of the SAAP National Data Collection Agency at the AIHW,
Justin Griffin, said agencies were unable to meet an average of 219
requests for immediate accommodation each day.
'Unaccompanied men and women aged under 25, and women with
children made up the majority of those turned away.'
'On any given day, less than 4% of clients leave the
accommodation provided under the Program. At the same time, a
similar number start their accommodation.
'However, the movement of people into and out of SAAP
accommodation dropped at weekends, as did the number of unmet
requests for accommodation.
'Overall, around 10 people for every 10,000 aged 10 years or
more used SAAP services on a daily basis.'
Other findings from the report show that on an average day:
- Information and meals were the most common forms of casual
assistance provided.
- Information and referrals for accommodation were the most
common forms of casual assistance received by people seeking more
substantial support.
- Daily, 92 referrals for accommodation were arranged for people
seeking accommodation for that night.
- The provision of casual assistance dropped off considerably at
weekends.
The SAAP program is a network of 1200 non-government agencies as
well as local governments who provide important services to those
Australians who are most disadvantaged.
3 December 2001
Further information: Justin Griffin, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1206
Rose Karmel, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1200
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
AIHW, 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.