SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) funds a range of non-government community organisations which provide transitional accommodation and support services for homeless people in crisis.
The focus of SAAP services is on providing individual support and accommodation to meet the needs of homeless people and to facilitate their transition to independent living.
The number of people receiving support has increased in the ACT between 2004-05 and 2005-06, rising from 1,550 people up to 1,950 people.
8.6 SAAP Support periods and clients, ACT |
|  |
| | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| |
| Support periods | no. | 2 950 | 2 650 | 2 550 | 3 050 | 2 350 | 2 800 | |
| Clients | no. | 2 150 | 1 900 | 1 750 | 1 650 | 1 550 | 1 950 | |
| Mean number of support periods per clients | no. | 1.38 | 1.37 | 1.41 | 1.81 | 1.47 | 1.40 | |
| Clients per 10,000 population aged 10 years and over(a) | rate | 78 | 69 | 63 | 59 | 55 | 67 | |
| |
| (a) 'Per 10,000 population aged 10 years and over' shows how many people out of every 10,000 aged 10 years and over in the general population became SAAP clients. This rate is estimated by comparing the number of SAAP clients aged 10 years and over with the estimated resident population aged 10 years and over at 30 June just prior to the reporting period. |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Homeless people in SAAP: SAAP National Data Collection, Annual report 2005-06 Australian Capital Territory Supplementary Tables, AIHW cat. no. HOU160; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, SAAP National Data Collection, Annual Report 2004-05, Australian Capital Territory Supplementary Tables, AIHW cat. no. HOU139. |
The highest proportion of SAAP clients were aged 15-19 years (23%, or 450 people), followed by those aged 20-24 years (16.7% or 300 people). In both age groups, females had a higher client rate (14.8% and 10.2% respectively) than males (8.2% and 6.5% respectively). Males have a higher client rate than females for all age groups over 24 years, making 52.8% of all SAAP clients were male and 47.2% were female.
8.7 SAAP clients, By age and gender - ACT - 2005-06(a) |
| |
| | Proportion of all clients | Proportion of gender group | | |
| | Male | Female | Male | Female | Persons | Persons | |
| | % | % | % | % | % | no. | |
| |
| Age group (years) | | | | | | | |
| Under 15 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 50.0 | |
| 15-19 | 8.2 | 14.8 | 15.2 | 31.3 | 23.0 | 450.0 | |
| 20-24 | 6.5 | 10.2 | 12.3 | 21.7 | 16.7 | 300.0 | |
| 25-29 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 12.8 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 250.0 | |
| 30-34 | 7.4 | 5.2 | 14.1 | 11.0 | 12.6 | 250.0 | |
| 35-39 | 6.7 | 4.0 | 12.6 | 8.4 | 10.6 | 200.0 | |
| 40-44 | 6.0 | 2.6 | 11.3 | 5.6 | 8.6 | 150.0 | |
| 45-49 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 8.5 | 3.2 | 6.0 | 100.0 | |
| 50-54 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 50.0 | |
| 55-59 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 50.0 | |
| 60-64 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.2 | <25 | |
| 65 and over | 1.3 | - | 2.4 | - | 1.3 | <25 | |
| Total | 52.8 | 47.2 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | . . | |
| Total (number) | 1 000 | 900 | 1 000 | 900 | . . | 1 900 | |
| Median age (years) | . . | . . | 32 | 23 | . . | 28 | |
| |
| . . not applicable |
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Figures have been weighted to adjust for agency non-participation and client non-consent. |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Homeless people in SAAP: SAAP National Data Collection, Annual Report 2005-06, Australian Capital Territory Supplementary Tables (AIHW cat. no. HOU 160). |
In 2005-06 in the ACT, lone males aged 25 years and over were the largest client group (700, or 27%) seeking SAAP assistance, followed by females with children (500, or 20%). Next were lone females under 25 years of age (450, or 18%) and lone males under 25 years of age (350, or 14%). Couples with no children were the smallest client group to seek SAAP assistance (50, or 3%).
8.8 SAAP support periods(a), By client group - ACT - 2005-06 |
| |
| Clients | |
| no. | % | |
| |
| Male alone, under 25 | 350 | 14.2 | |
| Male alone, 25+ | 700 | 26.8 | |
| Female alone, under 25 | 450 | 18.2 | |
| Female alone, 25+ | 100 | 4.4 | |
| Couple no children | 50 | 2.8 | |
| Couple with children | 200 | 8.0 | |
| Male with children | 100 | 4.8 | |
| Female with children | 500 | 19.6 | |
| Other | 50 | 1.3 | |
| Total | 2 600 | 100.0 | |
| |
| (a) Figures are unweighted and have not been adjusted for agency participation and/or client non-consent. |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Homeless people in SAAP: SAAP National Data Collection, Annual Report 2005-06, Australian Capital Territory Supplementary Tables (AIHW cat. no. HOU 160). |
Funded substitute care
The funded substitute care program provides a range of care options for children and young people (aged 0-18 years) who are unable to live with family members. These options include foster care, residential care and various independent living alternatives.
Total average daily occupancy for foster care programs in the ACT was 178 persons in 2005-06, up 164 persons on 2004-05.
Three-year contracts for the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008 were entered into between the ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services and non-government agencies for the provision of foster care. A total of 170 annualised placements were made available in 2005-2006, an increase of 24 placements from the previous year. In addition, a range of new residential care services commenced in April 2006.
Contracted residential care placements have also increased, from 21 places in 2004-05 to 41 places in 2005-06 (the capacity for 2005-06 for residential placements in the table below is 38 due to one new program, contracted in April 2006, which did not commence taking placements until after July 2006).
8.9 Funded out of home (substitute) care, ACT - 2005-06 |
| |
| | Mean daily occupancy | Capacity | |
| | persons | persons | |
| |
| Foster care programs | | | |
| Barnardo's Find-a-Family | 44 | 51 | |
| Barnardo's Temporary Family Care | 32 | 22 | |
| Galilee Family Placement Scheme | 32 | 32 | |
| Life Without Barriers Foster Care(a) | 5 | 5 | |
| Marymead Crisis Care | 8 | 7 | |
| Marymead Foster Care | 57 | 53 | |
| Total | 178 | 170 | |
| Residential Care Programs | | | |
| Life Without Barriers Residential(b) | 3 | 9 | |
| Premier Youth Works(c) | 6 | 8 | |
| Marymead High Support Program | 7 | 5 | |
| Richmond Special Residential(d) | 2 | 4 | |
| Marlowe Cottage | 6 | 6 | |
| Outreach House | 6 | 6 | |
| Total | 30 | 38 | |
| Total of programs with set capacity | 208 | 208 | |
| Other | | | |
| ATSI Program(e) | 9 | na | |
| Kinship/Financial Support(f) | 126 | na | |
| Special/Other arrangements(g) | 42 | na | |
| Total Average Occupancy | 385 | na | |
| |
| na not available |
| (a) Life without Barriers Foster Care commenced July 2005. |
| (b) Life without Barriers Residential Care commenced April 2006. |
| (c) Premier Youth Works Residential Care commenced April 2006. |
| (d) Richmond Special Residential commenced April 2006. |
| (e) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Foster Care Program commenced February 2005 (previously included in Special Arrangements). |
| (f) Children in kinship placements are with relatives or persons known well to the child. |
| (g) Includes children placed in foster care directly funded by the office for Children, Youth and Family Support, children in specific care arrangements with particularly high needs, children in refuges where the Department has made a payment and other arrangements such as Boarding School. |
| ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, Office for Children Youth and Family Support, Data available on request. |
