Safer inside? Comparing the experiences and risks faced by young people who couch-surf and sleep rough

ABSTRACT

As youth homelessness has increased globally, so too has the proportion of young people who are couch-surfing. The risks involved in couch-surfing, compared to other forms of youth homelessness, are poorly understood. Drawing upon intake records from 808 homeless youth in Brisbane, Australia, the authors examine how couch-surfers compare to rough sleepers as well as other homeless youth on the basis of (1) general demographic characteristics; (2) mental and physical health; (3) legal issues; (4) relationship support; and (5) drug use. Couch-surfers were more likely to identify as female, have limited community support, report poor mental health, and indicate more serious histories of self-harm. Rough sleepers were more likely to have legal issues and describe recent drug use. We suggest a need for both increased awareness about couch-surfing risks; and for youth service providers to engage more nuanced and targeted risk assessment in identifying and responding to the needs of these vulnerable populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Homelessness
• youth
• couch-surfing
• sleeping rough
• mental health

Acknowledgements

This research is dedicated to the many young people who are experiencing homelessness, both in Australia and globally. The authors additionally wish to thank the staff of Brisbane Youth Service, the Australian Council for Homeless People, and the editors of Parity for their feedback and support on this project.

Disclosure statement

This research served as the basis of a successful grant application by Brisbane Youth Service to the Brisbane City Council. Neither author benefitted financially from this grant nor the research described in this paper.

Notes

1 While the majority of young couch surfers who responded to the 2017 Youth Survey reported that their first experience of couch surfing occurred when they were aged between 12 and 16 (74.4%), it is important to note that almost one in five of those who had couch surfed (19.5%) reported that they had first done so when they were less than 12 years old (Fildes, Perrens, and Plummer 2018).

2 In contrast, a survey conducted in the UK found that males were more likely than females to have sofa surfed, along with non-British citizens, disabled people and those who had been in care or had a social worker as a child, and that these groups were also more likely to report having done so for longer lengths of time (Clarke 2016)

3 Conversely, rough sleepers are more likely to be older males (over aged 35), and more likely to report having an issue with drugs or substance abuse (AIHW 2018).