‘Inhumane and scary’ reality of life on streets for Queensland homeless youth

A young Queenslander who became homeless at 14 has opened up about his time on the streets of Brisbane with no access to food, basic hygiene or safety

'Fergus' living on the streets of Brisbane Picture: Richard Walker

A Brisbane teenager who became homeless at 14 says dinner was often a single slice of bread and he feared for his safety while sleeping rough in parks, squatting in abandoned buildings and couch surfing.

Fergus, who has spoken to The Courier-Mail using a pseudonym, said his living conditions after leaving home to escape domestic violence in 2023 were “inhumane” and “re-traumatising”.

It comes as Queensland children are falling through the cracks, unable to go to school and sleeping on the streets, with frontline workers saying this issue has reached a peak over the past 12 months.

Fergus, who is now 16, said he went through six different schools during his time on the streets, with one of his schools reporting his case to child safety.

'Fergus' living on the streets. Picture: Richard Walker

He said Child Safety gave him numerous Centrelink and public housing forms which he filled out but that because he was under 16 they could not help him until a formal investigation had taken place. The investigations were later dropped.

“It was just like, really, really emotionally stressful,” he said.

Fergus said he didn’t have access to showers, basic hygiene or clean clothes. He would drink water from a bubbler in the park.

“It was kind of in a low socio economic area, so I was a little bit scared, because there was lots of drug users around,” he said.

“I didn’t really want to go to sleep because it’s not like you have protection, or even a lock on a tent”

Fergus said he would often have a slice of bread with butter on it for dinner but was eating “pretty irregularly”.

“I think once or twice I was given food vouchers,” he said.

“ … everyone deserves hygiene. Everyone deserves food and I think it’s just what the reality is. That is kind of like stripped away from you,” he said.

Fergus, who is now in a stable housing situation and enrolled in TAFE, said re-entering the school system was stressful but that he didn’t want his past experiences to “define what can happen with my life”.

'A 20-year-old woman living on the streets of Brisbane. Picture: Richard Walker

Many of youths are living on the streets.

“If I was to talk to someone that was in the same situation, I’d just say ‘keep trying, you can’t give up’,”

“And I’d also say you just have to, like, advocate for yourself,”

The state government last week announced a rare commission of inquiry into the state’s broken child safety system.

The 17-month inquiry, which will be led by Federal Court Judge Paul Anastassiou, has been touted as the most significant investigation into the state’s “broken” child safety system in generations.

But Queensland Youth Housing Coalition Executive Director Lorraine Dupre said she hoped it would be the “inquiry to end all inquiries”.

“What we’d want to see across all our systems is that those needing assistance get the help they need from the right system,” she said.

“In this next Inquiry I’d hope to see evidence-based research and genuine Inquiry as to how we can support children and young people to be safe at home. Then implement what is needed.”

A 20-year-old Brisbane woman, who spoke to The Courier-Mail anonymously, said she fell out of school “hard” when rough sleeping around south east Queensland from the age of 12.

“When my dad was incarcerated, I found a location to sleep but unfortunately, it just it wasn’t cleanly and it wasn’t liveable so I resided in a tent in the backyard,” she said.

The woman said she found it “really difficult” to go to mainstream schooling because she had no access to transport or money.

It’s scary for young people living on the streets. Picture: Richard Walker

“Obviously, I was a young child so those were a lot of the main barriers for myself, after I fell out of school in grade eight and nine,” she said.

The woman said she developed health problems including a heart condition and eczema as a result of her living situation which had bugs and dirt underneath a house.

“I couldn’t stay there anymore, just because it wasn’t a good environment, and I was getting sick,” she said.

“When you’re dealing with these things your motivation is to survive not to thrive.”

The woman said having more access to showers, food and other vital necessities would have made a “big” difference.

Minister for Education, John-Paul Langbroek said he would continue to work closely with the Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm, who recently announced a historic Commission of Inquiry into the Child Safety System to protect vulnerable children.

“We don’t want any child to fall through the cracks,” he said.

“The child safety and education sectors will continue to work together to implement strategies for children to remain engaged with their schooling while navigating the challenges they face at home.”

Youth Advocacy Centre CEO Katherine Hayes said the issue had gotten worse over the past two years and “reached a peak”.

“We had one girl who was living under the William Jolly Bridge and she was living in a tent … she would get up every day, put her school uniform on, catch public transport across town, go to school, do a day’s school there, and then go back and sleep under the William Jolly Bridge,” she said.

Ms Hayes said these kids were “not getting an education” which made them fall further behind.

'Fergus' said he had little to now food or access to hygiene. Picture: Richard Walker

Queensland Association of Secondary Principals President Mark Breckenridge said they were aware of students under a range of difficult situations including couch surfing or homelessness.

“This is not a new phenomenon. This is something that has been around for some time and it is a very sad reflection on the challenges that some young people in their family’s face,” he said.

Mr Breckenridge said principals saw the “whole gamut” of homelessness with students including couch surfing, sleeping on the streets or sleeping in cars.

A Department of Child Safety spokesman said it responded to information or reports of harm, or the risk of harm to a child, and will gather relevant information including from other government agencies such as police, health and education.

“The outcome of an assessment in response to an allegation is provided to the child or young person where appropriate, with respect to their age and development,” the spokesman said.

“We will assist the Commission of Inquiry wherever needed and welcome any recommendations that help bring safety, security and stability to the lives of children and young people.”

Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm said she hoped the inquiry leaded to better outcomes for vulnerable children.

“The experience of children who are in the Child Safety system as a whole will be the focus of this inquiry, the Commissioner, as part of the terms of reference, has the ability to investigate ‘any other matter relevant to the inquiry’.

A Department of Education spokesman said it recognised students may face a variety of challenges stemming from complex issues at home.

“Schools closely monitor student attendance, academic performance, and wellbeing, and have established processes to address signs of disengagement or difficulties stemming from home environments that may affect students’ schooling.”

Originally published as ‘Inhumane and scary’ reality of life on streets for Queensland homeless youth