Services for Young Homeless 2007

• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Response of the state secretary and minister

For the fifth time since 2002, we have audited the services provided for young homeless people. Our 2007 audit updates the national data on the number of young homeless people and on developments in the services provided for them.

Conclusions

In this audit, too, we could only estimate the number of young homeless people based on data from the regional authorities. At 6,000, the estimate for 2007 is considerably higher than that for previous years (in 2004, the number of young homeless had been estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000). We cannot conclude from our limited audit whether there are actually more young homeless people or whether they are being recorded more often, for example because of the growing attention paid to young people at risk or the increased number of reception centres. Furthermore, the definition agreed between the parties concerned and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) in 2004 is not applied consistently. We can conclude, however, that changes are occurring in the services and assistance offered to the young homeless. Many local and regional actors are willing to bear their responsibility for young homeless in their youth policies and social services. The challenge now is to ensure that this momentum is not lost.

Recommendations

We recommend that the State Secretary of VWS and the Minister for Youth and Families improve the information available on the young homeless. We recommend that the Minister for Youth and Families and the State Secretary of VWS ensure that the improvements are continued by issuing specific instructions on the content of provincial policy frameworks on youth care and by checking that the 'Urban Compasses' for social services pay sufficient attention to the young homeless. We also recommend that they actively follow developments in the housing component.

Response of the state secretary and minister

The State Secretary of VWS responded to our audit report on behalf of herself and the Minister for Youth and Families on 10 January 2008. The minister and state secretary apparently share our concerns for this considerable group of vulnerable young people since they agree that they deserve systematic attention. In 2010, they will commission an investigation into the situation of the young homeless and, in particular, the housing component. The State Secretary of VWS will also check that the regional authorities' Urban Compasses pay sufficient attention to the young homeless. The Minister for Youth and Families will ask the provinces and urban regions to consider the young homeless in their policy frameworks and implementation programmes.

The Court of Audit will gladly accept the state secretary's invitation to help find out more about the social and demographic background to the problem of young homeless people.