New data has revealed a major shortage of crisis accommodation for youth in Perth, with Armadale taking one of the highest spots for homeless children and young people.
On one night in March 2026, 73 young people were sleeping rough and only three beds were available across youth accommodation crisis services, two of which were specifically for women aged 18 and younger.
Additionally, of the 341 youth dedicated beds in the Perth metro area, across 26 services provided by nine organisations, there were no funded low threshold 24/7 support accommodation or respite night services.
The ongoing shortage in accommodation means there are less beds available than there are children and young people in need.
According to the latest By Name List data for Perth and Rockingham, as of 8th March 2026, there are currently 320 children and young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, 73 of whom are sleeping rough.
In order, the suburbs with the highest numbers of homeless youth are Perth CBD, Fremantle, Victoria Park, Midland, Armadale, Ellenbrook and Joondalup.
New data provided for the first time by crisis accommodation services also shows frontline staff are overwhelmed with requests from young people they cannot assist.
Mission Australia’s Youth Accommodation Support Services (YASS) provided accommodation for 60 young people across crisis and transitional accommodation from January to December 2025 but also reported 600 requests were made over the same period.
Similarly, Youth Futures, which operates 41 crisis and transitional accommodation beds across the northern metropolitan corridor received 2,575 accommodation requests from young people who could not be assisted due to capacity constraints in 2025.
The Ending Child and Youth Homelessness coalition, formed by peak bodies Shelter WA, WA Council of Social Service (WACOSS), Youth Affairs Council of WA (YACWA) and service providers including Vinnies WA, Mission Australia, Youth Futures, Indigo Junction, Anglicare WA, Perth Inner City Youth Service and the WA Alliance to End Homelessness are calling on the state government to invest $150 million into urgently needed accommodation and prevention as well as early intervention initiatives.
In its pre-budget submission, the group has called specifically for urgent investment in a variety of accommodation and housing models for unaccompanied children and young people, including Direct Access Crisis Housing, such as low threshold 24/7 accommodation and respite night services to ensure that no child under 18 is left without shelter.
Furthermore, they have called on the government to expand youth foyers, provide more social and affordable housing with a target of 5000 each year, strengthen prevention and early intervention initiatives and increase the capacity and coordination of the youth homelessness sector.
Louise Giolitto, CEO WA Council of Social Service, has weighed in on this issue.
“This is not just a homelessness issue – it is a justice issue. The state government’s own ‘Our Priorities for Government 2025–2029’ sets out a vision that every Western Australian has a home and can access the services they need, no matter where they live.
“Yet while we have seen welcome investment in homelessness services in recent years, the contracting of a new system is taking far too long. In the meantime, the sector is being pushed beyond its limits, carrying the weight of supporting those who are most vulnerable and most disadvantaged – the very people our community should be protecting.
“We are urging the State Government to commit to adequate funding for the community services sector so that it can sustain the bare minimum of existing demand for services.
“No child should face the night without shelter, and no service should be forced to fundraise simply to keep young people safe – especially when the Government has made a clear commitment to ensuring every Western Australian has a home.”
