Reconnect effective against youth homelessness

The Federal Government’s $60 million Reconnect program is preventing youth homelessness, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Larry Anthony said today.

“A new report, Reconnect Data, confirms Reconnect services are highly effective in addressing problems that contribute to youth homelessness by helping young people to remain involved with their families, education, training and employment.”

“Of the parents and young people who agreed to provide feedback on the Reconnect program, nearly 70 per cent reported a significant improvement in the young person’s level of engagement with their family.

“Moreover, in almost 50 per cent of cases where a young person living away from home sought assistance through a Reconnect service, they subsequently returned to live with their family.

“More than 6,000 young people and their families have been helped by Reconnect services over the last two years.

“$60 million has been provided over four years to fund 100 Reconnect services Australia-wide, serving young people living in cities, regional and remote areas and indigenous communities.

“These results show that the Coalition Government’s approach of early intervention and prevention is working.

“We are highly committed to preventing youth homelessness and will continue to work with young people and their families, as well as the wider community, to more effectively address this problem,” Mr Anthony said.