Impact Report 2024—2025

Safe housing helped Marie rebuild life for two

Parent holding a newborn in a bright, safe housing environment, representing homelessness support and family security.

Safe housing and homelessness support gave Marie and her newborn the chance to heal, rebuild and thrive together

Recovering from family violence, Marie faced overwhelming barriers to safe housing just as she was preparing to become a mother. With the right support at the right time, she’s been able to heal, rebuild, and create a safe, loving home for her son.

Leaving an unsafe relationship

Marie first approached Launch Housing while heavily pregnant. She was living in shared accommodation that was coming to an end and had been trying, without success, to secure a private rental. Like many soon-to-be parents, she was searching for housing suitable for a child but was not yet eligible for Parenting Payment.   

Marie had recently left a relationship where she was experiencing family violence and, through this process, also lost her savings from many years of working. She speaks openly about her determination to break the cycle. She didn’t want her son to grow up in an environment of trauma, as she had. 

Marie faced the challenge many do when seeking support through an entry point: demand far exceeds capacity. Initially, this experience was disheartening but it ultimately led to a referral to case management through Launch’s program.

‘I want him to grow up respecting women.’

Marie

Individualised, trauma-informed case management

Marie’s case manager advocated strongly for her to access a transitional property managed by Launch Housing. Just three weeks after moving in, Marie gave birth to her son. 

Her case manager also supported her to access counselling, material aid and help with navigating applications. Marie reflects on the importance of this support whilst navigating recovery from the trauma of family violence and having a newborn.  

Marie’s journey highlights the need for trauma-informed services throughout the entire housing and homelessness sector.

Close-up of a parent gently cradling a newborn in a secure home setting, reflecting safe housing and homelessness support.
Marie and her baby are now safely housed. photo credit: Claire Bonnor, Austockphoto

A great start

The biggest impact for Marie has been having a home where she can give her son a good start, describing him as ‘the best gift of my life.’

Marie has built a community through neighbours and parent groups, found joy in hosting and cooking and is focused on creating a loving, respectful environment for her son.

While systemic challenges continue to shape Marie’s experience, housing has been the foundation for her recovery and new beginning.

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work. As we create safe and welcoming homes, we honour the people of the Kulin nation and their enduring connection to their home we call Naarm, Melbourne.

We pay our respects to all First Nations Elders, past and present.

It is important that we acknowledge that the contemporary housing experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people cannot be separated from their historical experience of dispossession and dislocation. Aboriginal Victorians are overrepresented in the population experiencing homelessness, with census data confirming that Aboriginal Victorians experience homelessness at over five times the rate for non-Aboriginal people.

We support the development of a culturally safe Aboriginal housing and homelessness sector based on principles of self-determination and will continue to do what we can to help make this happen.

We are committed to understanding how our services are impacting Aboriginal clients and, where relevant, we have disaggregated our 10 Impact Measures to report Aboriginal client outcomes.