Homeless services forced to shut doors on those in need

Key points

• Homeless service entry points across Victoria are often forced to turn people away, a survey by the Victorian Homelessness Network has found. Sixty-nine per cent of responding services closed at some point because they were at capacity, mainly due to insufficient staffing.
• Staff at Wayss in Dandenong say they sometimes close by 10am and face aggression and threats. Workers say rising case complexity, including mental health issues, is slowing responses.
• The study recommends more staff, crisis accommodation and security funding ahead of the November Victorian election.