How Ruby’s Reunification Program has kept thousands of SA kids off the streets

David’s teenager could have ended up homeless. But one groundbreaking Australian-first is helping keep her – and hundreds of kids – out of the child protection system.

If it wasn’t for an Australian-first program tackling youth homelessness, 14-year-old Milly* would be living on the streets.

The teenager, who has a number of complex issues including ADHD, autism and anxiety, was hospitalised when her mental health hit crisis point last year.

Her mental health battles meant her home life with her single father and brother was difficult, with the 14-year-old regularly spending nights at neighbours’ homes to find respite.

But for the past eight months, Milly has spent three nights per week under the watchful care of Ruby’s Reunification Program, a service that provides young people in tough circumstances a safe space to sleep.

She is now returning to her family home – a milestone her father David said would not have been possible without the program, which helps more than 130 young people in SA each year.

Without it, he believed his family could have been torn apart.

“Milly had some mental health conditions and ended up in hospital – her situation is a lot more complex than your average child,” David said.

“There were times when she had walked out and wouldn’t answer the phone. I’d basically have to go and search the whole neighbourhood and wonder when I needed to call the police and report a missing person.”

David in a new room at Ruby’s, a youth homelessness program to help more young people stay off the streets and reconnect with their families. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Founded in 1993, Ruby’s gives young people aged 12 to 17 somewhere to stay away from home during times of conflict, while offering counselling for all family members to help bring them back together.

David said the “no stigma” service understood the complexities of challenging family situations and, without it, his daughter could have “absolutely” ended up sleeping rough.

“Aside from giving me the break I needed from being a single father, the counselling service gave our family the chance to come together every few weeks and talk about the things Milly was finding challenging in a really safe environment,” he said.

“With other organisations, if Milly found things difficult and her behaviour escalated, they would call me to come and pick her up and take her away from wherever she was.

“That never happened here. The work and care that the staff put in has been incredible.

“Without Ruby’s, she could have ended up on the streets sleeping somewhere or worse, just because she didn’t feel like she could come home.”

Human Services Minister Nat Cook says the expansion of Ruby’s Reunification Program will help keep SA kids off the streets. Picture: Matt Loxton

Data shows that three-in-four young people who used the service did not return to the homelessness sector, a figure that has led to the groundbreaking program being recently replicated in the ACT.

Uniting Communities runs four sites across Adelaide’s north, west and south, as well as a home in the lower Limestone Coast region.

With a total of $16.2m now invested by the SA Housing Authority, an additional bedroom has been added to the northern suburbs site – allowing an extra 15 families per year to access the service.

In addition to the residential sites, Ruby’s can also visit young people and their families in their local community or provide counselling online.

Human Services Minister Nat Cook said the expansion of the service would allow for greater early intervention to help keep young people safe and off the streets.

“We know there are many challenges faced by families raising teenagers,” she said.

“Ruby’s has shown time and time again that when these challenges are extreme, a co-ordinated and compassionate response can make a difference.”

Uniting Communities Chief Executive Simon Schrapel said a safe home was one of the fundamental building blocks for young people’s mental health and lauded the government’s investment in the site.

“More than 70 per cent of young people who take part in Ruby’s choose to return to the safety of their family home,” Mr Schrapel said.

“Ruby’s will (now) be able to support fifteen more families each year.

“That means fifteen more young people safely off the streets, and out of the homelessness and child protection systems.”

*A pseudonym