There are over 120 specialist homelessness services (SHS) that receive funding to provide a wide range of housing and support programs. Among these, 17 are Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). They provide homelessness responses for Aboriginal people.
Homes Victoria recognises that there is no single definition of homelessness. Each person’s situation is unique and can differ by culture. For some it will mean not having a secure tenure or having a home that is inadequate or places them in unsafe environments, such as domestic violence.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines a person to be homeless in Australia if they:
- are in a dwelling which is inadequate
- have no tenure or the tenure is short and not extendable
- Do not have control of and access to space for social relations; provide a sense of security, stability, privacy or safety; or provide the ability to control living space.
The peak body representing organisations and individuals in Victoria with a commitment to ending homelessness, Council to Homeless Persons (CHP), define homelessness as:
- Homelessness is far more than “rooflessness”. Homelessness means being without a secure stable and private space to live.
- The majority of people without a home live in temporary, insecure, or unsafe housing situations such as rooming houses, cars, or government-funded crisis accommodation. Other people live in severely overcrowded accommodation or are couch surfing with family or friends.
- This is often called “hidden homelessness” because, while more common than rough sleeping, it typically goes unnoticed or is misunderstood.
Aboriginal homelessness in Australia did not exist until colonisation. The historical injustices, stemming from colonisation, have profoundly impacted access to housing and are a catalyst for the homelessness crisis experienced by Aboriginal Australians today. (Parity, October 2024 Volume 37, Issue 8 The urgent need to address Aboriginal Homelessness In Victoria).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people recognise the importance of understanding connection to Country, family and kinship responsibilities in considering the concept of homelessness within a cultural framework.
For Aboriginal people, homelessness can be spiritual, as a result of being disconnected from one’s homeland, separated from family or kinship networks, or not being familiar with one’s cultural heritage (Brackertz et al. 2018; Memmott et al. 2004).
Further information on Aboriginal Homelessness can be found in the documents below.
- Housing & homelessness - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Indigenous MHSPC
- Information Paper: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Perspectives on Homelessness, 2014
Priority groups drive the demand for homelessness services in Victoria. These groups and circumstances include:
- Aboriginal Victorians
- people experiencing family or domestic violence
- people experiencing mental ill health
- people with disabilities
- drug and alcohol challenges
- sleeping rough
- financial difficulties
- children
- people in care and protection
- young people (aged 16 to 24)
- older people (aged 55+).
Homelessness can have a devastating and lasting impact on people’s lives. It affects physical and mental health, and connection to family and friends. This can then affect a person’s ability to take part in their community.
There is no single solution to addressing homelessness. So, the programs funded range in duration and intensity to meet diverse needs.
SHS work with clients to secure housing options in the short, medium and long term. Their goal is to provide direct support. They work with mainstream and specialist health, welfare, legal and educational services. Together, they aim to create safe and sustainable living environments.
Programs delivered by SHS sit within the health promotion pyramid of prevention, as both secondary prevention (early intervention) and tertiary prevention (crisis intervention), which include the following responses:
- case management
- crisis accommodation
- supportive housing
- Housing First programs.
Section 12 of these guidelines, details the nine functions of the Victorian Homelessness Service System. It also lists the specific funded programs. Each function identifies the related program and funded homelessness activity:
- Initial assessment and planning
- Brokerage
- Support to establish and maintain tenancies
- Client support and case management
- Staffed accommodation
- Transitional housing and tenancy management
- Capital grants
- System capacity and enablers
- Essential needs centres and mobile drop-in centres.
Under these nine functions, individuals, groups and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing can connect to advice and support through specific homelessness entry points. Entry points offer a safe and welcoming environment for people to seek support. Individuals, groups and families work with an intake and assessment worker. They complete a comprehensive needs assessment together of the barriers each person faces. This allows individuals, groups and families to connect with the most suitable supports. The aim is to achieve their housing and wellbeing goals.
Early intervention programs help people at risk of homelessness. They offer proactive, vital support. These programs focus on building their resilience and capacity.
Financial support helps renters understand their rights and responsibilities. It can help them catch up on rent arrears or tackle issues to protect their tenancy. SHS can support communication and mediation between renters and rental providers. This helps resolve issues and prevent eviction. Programs may teach clients skills to maintain independent housing, including budgeting and conflict resolution.
SHS provide accommodation and support for people who need immediate support. This includes buying emergency accommodation for a short stay in a hotel while looking for other housing.
Congregate crisis accommodation programs provide short-term supported accommodation. It is mostly with shared facilities, along with essential support services. Case managers and support staff help residents with essentials. They provide meals, budgeting and service referrals.
Transitional housing programs include medium-term and crisis accommodation. These programs offer a bridge to permanent housing. They give individuals and families time to stabilise their situations. They also help them develop skills for independent living.
Supportive accommodation programs provide safe housing with on-site support services. These may include mental health counselling, life skills training and employment support. This support helps clients with complex needs who may need ongoing help to keep their tenancy.
SHS also deliver programs based on Housing First principles. These are for people with complex needs. The programs prioritise securing long-term housing accompanied by client-directed multidisciplinary support services. This approach addresses underlying needs within a secure housing environment. It aims to build a foundation for long-term stability and independence.
Victoria’s SHS recognise the diverse needs of people experiencing homelessness. So, they offer tailored support programs and safe accommodation. Dedicated services exist for women escaping family violence, Aboriginal people and LGBTIQA+ Victorians. These services provide support that is culturally sensitive and inclusive. Homes Victoria extends this commitment to all backgrounds. The goal is to empower individuals and families to access resources for a stable future.
Homes Victoria supports SHS to achieve best practice and implement evidence informed approaches. SHS must follow key service delivery principles for high-quality and effective support.
Each person or family engaging with SHS has unique circumstances. The client must be able to tell their story without judgement. Support workers can use a range of approaches to make clients feel valued, in control and not retraumatised.
4.1.1 Principles for delivering a homelessness response
Service delivery should provide the following.
4.1.1.1 A person-centred approach
Service delivery must be person-centred. Focus must be on a person or family’s circumstances and goals in a safe, welcoming space, free of judgement. Services must offer clear information. Support workers engage people by building trust. People feel free to ask questions and are welcome to make their own decisions on their options. Support workers encourage individuals or families to connect with their communities and participate in society.
4.1.1.2 A trauma-informed approach
SHS must deliver trauma-informed practices, acknowledging clients accessing homelessness services have often experienced trauma. Trauma-informed practice is an approach that is holistic, empowering, strengths-focused, collaborative and reflective. It promotes physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural safety . DFFH has published the Framework for trauma-informed practice.
4.1.1.3 A strengths-based approach
Service delivery must be strengths-based. The focus is on the individual or family’s strengths, resilience and social networks. SHS must foster a sense of ownership and accountability in the support process. Part of this is realistic goalsetting by developing a personalised plan together.
4.1.1.4 Equity, dignity and respect
SHS must offer inclusive and accessible services to all Victorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This includes individuals and families from all backgrounds, regardless of ethnicity, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation or circumstance. The SHS must ensure services are culturally sensitive and available when needed.
SHS also prioritise treating all individuals and families with dignity and respect. This fosters a safe, supportive and collaborative environment. Individuals and families will feel empowered to make positive changes to their lives. The system recognises and values the unique experiences of each individual or family.
4.1.1.5 Aboriginal cultural safety
Culturally safe practices are best practice to improve outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. Aboriginal cultural safety must be central in all service delivery. This ensures Aboriginal people feel secure and valued in social service settings. SHS must remove barriers to housing. SHS should challenge racism and unconscious biases through advocacy and support. All SHS must offer culturally safe practices.
Aboriginal Victorians must have the choice to decide on the supports they need. Mainstream services must not assume all Aboriginal Victorians want support from ACCOs.
4.1.1.6 Holistic support and service integration
SHS recognise the multifaceted needs of clients experiencing homelessness. These include:
- mental health support
- addiction recovery programs
- employment support
- life skills development programs.
SHS are to prioritise a collaborative approach, working with other SHS. This ensures individuals and families receive coordinated care plans. It eliminates service gaps and fosters seamless transitions between programs. This model allows access to all the support services needed to achieve goals.
4.1.1.7 Evidence-based practice and continuous improvement
SHS must use evidence-based interventions and best practices to deliver effective services. Service delivery must have ongoing monitoring and evaluation. This will help identify improvements and ensure services meet evolving community needs. SHS must embed a culture of information sharing and collaboration among SHS. This allows sharing best practices and promoting continuous improvement across the system.
4.1.1.8 Preventative and early interventions
Aim to reduce the number of Victorians entering homelessness by providing early intervention and support services.
Help people to keep their housing through ongoing support and tackling the underlying causes of homelessness. SHS must minimise the effects of homelessness by providing quick access to safe and secure housing.
These are the key organisations and networks that coordinate Victoria’s homelessness system.
4.2.1 Council to Homeless Persons
Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) is the peak body representing homelessness organisations and individuals and families in Victoria. CHP runs programs and campaigns to change how people view homelessness. CHP advocates for systemic changes to raise awareness and end homelessness in Victoria.
These efforts help inform the public and stakeholders about the effects of homelessness. They also show how to tackle its causes and support individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
CHP offers the following services:
- Peer education support is a volunteer program. It has opportunities for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness to get involved and improve Victora’s homelessness services. The goal is to create a more responsive, compassionate and effective system.
- Live training, self-directed eLearning courses and online resources for sector development and learning. This grows the capacity of Victoria’s homelessness services.
- Policy and advocacy leadership on preventing and ending homelessness, through campaigning and developing evidence-based policies and practices. The aim of this advocacy is to create change and lasting impact.
- Parity magazine, Australia’s premier homelessness publication, examining homelessness from personal, local and global perspectives.
- Homelessness Advocacy Service (HAS), providing referrals to individuals experiencing disputes with homelessness services. The goal is positive, beneficial resolutions for both consumers and service providers.
4.2.2 Community Housing Industry Association Victoria
The Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIA Vic) is the peak body that represents the not-for-profit community housing sector in Victoria. CHIA Vic advocates for and supports the community housing sector to grow and thrive as part of a housing system where all Victorians have the dignity of an appropriate, secure and affordable home.
Community housing organisations provide more than 25,000 homes to Victorians poorly served by, or excluded from, the private rental and ownership market.
CHIA Vic is committed to supporting the expansion of this sector through policy representation, training, and raising the profile of community housing as a solution to housing stress and homelessness.
4.2.3 Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum (AHHF)
The AHHF unites ACCOs and Traditional Owner and Aboriginal Trust groups that deliver or aim to provide housing and homelessness services. The AHHF works with government partners to progress the strategic work of Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort: Every Aboriginal person has a home, the Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework (VAHHF).
The AHHF respects the unique role of ACCOs and Traditional Owners in their communities. They provide spaces for community to engage in strategic planning, take action, share information and build capacity.
The AHHF represent the views of the Aboriginal community. It presents these views to the AHHF Implementation Working Group. The group is co-chaired by the CEO of Aboriginal Housing Victoria and the CEO of Homes Victoria. The working group includes members from the Department of Treasury and Finance and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
4.2.4 The Blueprint Steering Committee
The Blueprint for an Aboriginal-specific homelessness system in Victoria (the blueprint) was launched at the Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Summit in 2022. It provides a design of an Aboriginal-specific homelessness system. The blueprint outlines the system features essential for an Aboriginal-specific homelessness system that is future-focused, connected and culturally safe.
Responsibility for the implementation of the blueprint sits with the Blueprint Steering Committee. It is co-chaired by Homes Victoria and Aboriginal Housing Victoria. The committee delivers, develops, drives and oversee the blueprint’s implementation plan.
The committee includes ACCOs, mainstream SHS, and partners from government. The committee holds the knowledge, expertise and experience of the current Aboriginal homeless system.
The steering committee is a sub-committee of the Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Implementation Working Group (VAHHF-IWG). VAHHF-IWG aims to deliver the VAHHF. It also oversees the achievement of its goals, objectives and targets.
4.2.5 Local area service networks
Local area service networks (LASNs) help SHS share information. They work as a group in local areas to improve outcomes and opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.
Role of local area service networks
LASNs assist in maintaining service coordination across local areas. The role of the LASN includes:
- Facilitating collaboration. LASNs bring together the SHS in a local area to collaborate and communicate and they try to create a unified response to homelessness, this includes forward planning for extreme weather events for people sleeping rough.
- Coordinating services. The LASN help coordinate services among the SHS in a local area. This may include the service coordination pathways between Aboriginal-specific SHS and mainstream SHS.
- Building capacity. Some LASNs work to build the capacity of SHS. They provide training and resources for workers to improve service delivery.
- Monitoring and evaluation. The LASN has access to local area based data and reporting to help track the effectiveness of services and evaluating outcomes for clients. Some LASNs also use this information to identify improvements.
- Advocacy. LASNs can give Homes Victoria and the department evidence-based recommendations about local needs.
This ensures that policy and services consider the voices of those experiencing homelessness.
LASN membership must have a senior representative from each SHS in the local area. Representatives include:
- ACCOs delivering SHS
- a representative from the local department office
- the Homelessness Networker
- the Children’s Resource Coordinator
- the local Orange Door service.
LASNs may benefit from inviting local service providers such as mental health services and alcohol and other drug organisations to join the LASN.
Each LASN develops the local homelessness model for their local area. This will include how the prioritisation guide and how the LASN allocate their resources. All local models must align with these guidelines.
4.2.6 Victorian Indigenous State-wide Homelessness Network
The Victorian Indigenous State-wide Homelessness Network (VISHN) aims to tackle the systemic issues that contribute to homelessness and housing insecurity in Aboriginal communities. VISHN creates a platform for inclusive discussions and collaboration for ACCOs. It develops reliable and consistent practice and service outcomes throughout Victoria.
VISHN promotes the strength of community to create a society that values Aboriginal peoples’ voices. It helps members advocate to mainstream organisations for the homelessness and housing needs of their communities.
VISHN ensures Aboriginal communities have access to safe and sustainable housing. It advocates, builds capacity, shares best practices, training and quality of service delivery practice.
Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Cooperative receives funding to deliver the VISHN. The VISHN members are from the ACCO which are funded to deliver a range of homelessness programs.
Victorian information sharing schemes prescribe SHS as Information Sharing Entities (ISE). ISE are organisations and responses that provide services and support to victim survivors and perpetrators in response to family violence. Supports include both specialist and universal services.
The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) work together to improve information sharing between organisations. This allows them to share a wider range of information in more ways than before.
These information sharing schemes complement each other. They work together to achieve the same goal, enabling services to share information. This helps services respond to the complex needs and risks of children and families.
The two Victorian information sharing schemes include standards for collecting, storing, accessing, transmitting, disclosing, using and disposing of information and do not impact on these other permissions to share. This includes the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). These two Acts regulate handling personal and health information.
The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) (RTA) governs rental agreements in Victoria. It details the rights and responsibilities of renters and residents, rental providers, owners of rented properties, rooming houses, caravan parks, residential parks and specialist disability accommodation (SDA).
Temporary crisis accommodation as defined in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and Regulation 6 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 is exempt from the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
The RTA has regulations attached that further define rights and responsibilities. Together, these are often referred to as ‘renting law’ in Victoria.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic)
- Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 (Vic)
- Residential Tenancies (Rooming House Standards) Regulations 2023 (Vic)
- Residential Tenancies (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Regulations 2019 (Vic)
2021 Victorian rental laws changes
New rental laws passed in 2021. They expanded the rights and responsibilities of renters and rental providers in Victoria.
The changes apply to all tenancies. They include private rentals, caravan parks, residential parks and rooming houses.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) outlines these changes.
Registered agencies, like community housing providers and housing associations, must follow the Performance Standards and other legislative requirements of the Housing Act 1983 (Vic).
The Victorian Housing Registrar provides regulatory oversight of the registered housing agencies. It monitors and enforces compliance with the Housing Act 1983 (Act) and Performance Standards.
The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) and Information Sharing Schemes prescribe SHS. They must follow Part 11 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic).
Part 11 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 requires that organisations prescribed under MARAM align their policies, procedures, practice guidance and tools with the authorised framework. It also requires understanding the legal and operational aspects of information sharing laws. This supports effective risk assessment and management as relevant to their service.
Section 5.2 has more information about the MARAM framework.
The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) (CYF Act) details the responsibilities of organisations that help children and young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. The CYF Act highlights the importance of proper support to ensure their wellbeing, safety and development.
SHS must work with allied services like Child Protection and health services. These collaborations ensure a holistic approach to supporting children and young people.
The CYF Act defines a homeless person as a person living in crisis, transitional or other accommodation under the Supported Accommodation Assistance Act 1994 (Cth) (SAAP Act). It also includes people with inadequate access to safe and secure housing, as defined in the SAAP Act.
The Victorian Government created a management framework for pandemics in the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. If the Premier of Victoria declares a pandemic, the Minister for Health can issue pandemic orders to protect public health. All SHS must follow measures contained within these pandemic orders. Further information is at the Department of Health’s Pandemic Order Register.
Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 requires public authorities to uphold the human rights in the charter. This includes Victorian state and local governments, as well as organisations providing services on behalf of government. The charter aims to protect and promote the human rights of all Victorians. By following the charter, SHS ensure that individuals and families get services that respect their basic rights and dignity.
SHS must follow the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). The Act aims to make services easier to access. It also aims to prevent discrimination against people with a disability.
The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) aims to make public life free from discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation. The Act makes it illegal to discriminate against a person because of a protected personal characteristic.
The Act covers discrimination in:
- employment
- education
- accommodation
- clubs
- sport
- goods and services
- land sales and transfers
- local government.
It also covers sexual harassment. Under the Act, all SHS must keep their environments and services safe. They should be non-discriminatory and free from sexual harassment and victimisation. This responsibility requires more than reactive measures. It demands proactive action to prevent discriminatory behaviours.
All SHS must follow requirements under the Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic), which came into effect on 1 July 2024, overseen by a new independent Social Services Regulator.
The framework requires mandatory registration for SHS of social services under the new scheme.
There is a set of requirements all registered social service providers must meet. The requirements include six Social Service Standards (the standards). These are:
- Safe service delivery. Social services are safely provided based on assessed needs.
- Service user agency and dignity. Social services are person-centred, and respect and uphold service user rights and agency.
- Social service environment. Social services occur in a safe, secure and fit-for-purpose environment.
- Feedback and complaints. Service users receive support to share feedback, complaints or concerns about service safety.
- Accountable organisation governance. Effective governance and organisational systems support safe social service delivery.
- Safe workforce. The social services workforce has the knowledge, capability and support to provide safe social services with care and skill.
The Social Services Regulations 2023 (Vic) prescribe outcomes and service requirements that correspond to each of the six Social Service Standards. Further information on the standards is in Section 11.
The framework sets clear reporting requirements for social services under the new scheme, including SHS. Further information is in Section 6.
The framework has a graduated set of monitoring and enforcement tools. These tools help with early intervention and allow the Regulator to respond to risk.
As stated in the Ministerial Statement of Expectations, the Regulator will first focus on support and guidance. This helps SHS to understand and meet their obligations while keeping service users safe.
Information provided in the 2025 guidelines about obligations under the social services regulatory scheme is not exhaustive.
For more information about obligations under the scheme, refer to the Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic) and the Regulator’s guidance.
All SHS must familiarise themselves with obligations under the social services regulatory scheme. The Social Services Regulation Act 2021 and the Regulator’s published guidance establish the obligations.
4.13.1 Social Services Standards
The Social Service Standards are a set of obligations for social service providers in Victoria. The Social Services Regulation Act 2021 embeds these standards in law.
SHS need to show they provide safe social services by meeting the six standards listed above in Section 5.10.
As noted above, outcomes and service requirements prescribed in the Social Services Regulations 2023 complement each standard. These requirements detail what SHS must do to comply. The expected outcomes for service users show what happens when providers follow these requirements. Under the Social Services Regulation Act 2021, a registered social service provider who meets the service requirements complies with the relevant Social Service Standards.
The Regulator’s website has information about each standard. This includes suggestions for documents, evidence and success indicators to help SHS show how they meet the standards.
- Social Service Standards – Social Services Regulator’s Guidance
- Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic)
- Social Services Regulations 2023 (Vic)
4.13.2 Registration with the Social Services Regulator
SHS must register with the Social Services Regulator. There is no cost to register.
For more information on registration, visit the Social Services Regulator website.
- Social Services Regulator
- Social Services Regulator registration
- Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic)
4.13.3 Reporting notifiable incidents
Registered SHS must report all serious incidents that occur or may pose a risk to service users during service delivery. Notifiable incidents include those that cause serious harm to a service user or are likely to do so.
SHS must notify the Regulator of these incidents within three days. If SHS use the Client Incident Management System (CIMS), they can generally report to the Regulator through CIMS. Some critical incidents must be reported immediately, by the end of the next business day.
Information about how to report notifiable incidents is on the Regulator’s website.
- Client Incident Management System
- Client incident management guide (Word)
- Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic)
- Social Services Regulations 2023 (Vic)
- Guide to Reporting a notifiable incident – Social Services Regulator
4.13.4 Incident reporting
CIMS is an incident reporting and management framework. It focuses on the safety and wellbeing of individuals and families who access SHS. CIMS enables clients, SHS and the department to report, investigate and manage incidents.
SHS must report all incidents that qualify as a CIMS incident type in CIMS. A list of incident types is at Appendix 1 of the Client Incident Management System: policy and guidance (Dec 2024), linked in the table below. SHS must manage the response and actions for all client incidents. They should follow their incident management processes. You must report client incidents to the department’s divisional office via the department’s CIMS IT platform within three business days.
This applies from when the incident occurs or when SHS become aware of it. SHS must follow the privacy provisions in their service agreements and/or the department privacy policy.
SHS must ensure the immediate safety and wellbeing of service users during an incident.
Registered SHS must also report all serious incidents that occur or could be a risk to service users during service delivery. Serious incidents cause significant harm or are likely to cause serious harm. SHS must notify the Regulator of incidents within three days. SHS using CIMS, and under the Regulator’s scope, can generally use CIMS to submit reports under the Social Services Regulation Act 2021 (Vic).
The Regulator requires immediate reporting on a small group of notifiable incidents. Those reports are due by close of the next business day because of the nature of the harm or risk. Information about how to report critical incidents and their scope is at the Regulator’s website.
See Section 11 for further information about the social services regulatory scheme.
Organisations must follow the policies and guidelines in their service agreement. They also need to follow state and national laws relevant to their funded services. Strong governance processes are essential for safe service delivery and the ongoing viability of the organisation.
For more information on governance and management please refer to the department’s website.
All SHS offering services or facilities for children must follow the Child Safe Standards. The Child Safe Standards aim to protect children and young people. They need SHS to enact policies, procedures and processes to prevent and respond to abuse.
The Social Services Regulator regulates the Child Safe Standards for the social services sector. Further information on the Social Services Regulator is in Section 4 and in Section 11.2.