Youth homelessness 2006

The third national census of homeless school students, conducted in 2006, found that the number of homeless students had decreased since 2001. There were 9,389 homeless students in 2006 compared with 12,227 in 2001. Three groups were over-represented in the homeless population: Indigenous students, young people from single parent and blended families, and teenagers who had been in state care and protection. The number of homeless young people aged 12 to 18 decreased from 26,060 in 2001 to 21,940 in 2006. An increase in early intervention services appears to account for most of the decrease in youth homelessness.