More than 85,000 young people under age 24 accessed the
Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) in 2001-02,
according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The Commonwealth-State/Territory governments' SAAP program
provides support and accommodation for people who are homeless or
at risk of homelessness.
Head of the SAAP National Data Collection Agency at the AIHW,
Justin Griffin, said that 34,600 young clients and 50,800 children
accompanying clients used the program during 2001-02.
The annual report, Homeless people in SAAP, produced by
the AIHW, also shows that 61,000 clients over age 24 received some
form of support or accommodation from the program. Overall, the
number of SAAP clients has increased from 83,200 to 95,600 in the
six years since 1996-97.
Equally, combined government funding in 2001-02 for the program
was $285 million-up 13% in real terms over the same period. The
1,286 SAAP agencies across Australia received a total of $269
million, up 17% since 1996-97.
Almost 2% of young Australian women aged 18-19 years received
some form of assistance from the program during the last financial
year. Overall, more female clients (56%) than male clients (44%)
used the Program. The average age of female clients was 30 years,
while for men it was 33 years. Just under 90% of accompanying
children were aged 12 years or under.
Indigenous Australians comprised 17% of SAAP clients compared
with their representation in the Australian population of 2.6%.
Approximately 10% of SAAP clients were born in countries where
English is not the main language spoken.
The main reasons overall for seeking assistance were domestic
violence (22% of all support periods), eviction or previous
accommodation ended (12%), usual accommodation was unavailable
(10%), or relationship breakdown (10%).
The types of support most often provided by SAAP agencies were
housing services/accommodation, general support or advocacy
(including living skills, assistance with legal issues,
advice/information, retrieval of belongings, liaison on behalf of
client), and basic support services such as meals, showers, laundry
facilities, recreation, and transport.
18 December 2002
Further information: Mr Justin Griffin, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1206
Mr Doug Limbrick, Dept of Family and Community Services,
tel. 02 6212 9021
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.