Women’s crisis accommodation helped Anjie find security, support and a path forward during pregnancy
Anjie was four months pregnant when she experienced homelessness, with no access to income, Medicare, or prenatal care due to her visa status.
‘For four months I didn’t even know if my baby was alive … I didn’t know they were twins.’
Anjie connected with Launch Housing’s entry point service, which linked her to emergency accommodation and support to access Centrelink and Medicare. She soon moved into Launch Housing Women’s Crisis Supported Accommodation in East St Kilda, where she received practical and emotional support from a case manager she describes as like a ‘big sister’.
Anjie was then supported to move to the Crisis Supported Accommodation for Families South Melbourne, where she could bring her twins home safely.
Alongside this, Anjie worked with our Pregnancy Outreach Program, which supported her throughout her pregnancy. Support included attending appointments, connecting with a doula, and, when the time came, recognising the early signs of labour, arranging transport to the hospital, and staying with Anjie until the doula arrived.
‘They helped me a lot. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am now.’
Anjie’s journey shows what’s possible with safe housing and care
Two months after giving birth, Anjie received a public housing offer and Launch Housing supported her to furnish her new home and transition to longer-term support. Now, Anjie and her twins are thriving.
‘Basically, I was homeless. Now I have a place to live. Thank goodness.'
Reflecting on the support she received, Anjie recognises the need for more resourcing so that others in her circumstance can also be supported in similar ways. Her journey required advocacy, access to appropriate short-term and long-term housing, collaboration with health services, and a commitment to providing holistic support.
