Journeys Home: A Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability fact sheet

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Overview

Journeys Home: A Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability was an important national survey about the living and housing challenges of Australians. Data collection for the study is now complete.

The study aimed to improve understanding of the diverse social, economic and personal factors related to homelessness and the risk of becoming homeless. Data included:

  • personal circumstances
  • family circumstances
  • housing circumstances
  • the use of support services.

The data supports the work of policy makers, academics and service providers. It supports provision of better services to people with living and housing challenges.

Study participants

There were six waves of data collection, each six months apart. Collection occurred between September 2011 and the first half of 2014. The study followed 1,600 income support recipients across Australia.

Sample size and response rates

Persons In-Scope Population
(Number)		 Respondents
(Number)		 Wave response rate
(%)		 Retention rate of wave 1
(%)
Wave 1 - 1,676 - -
Wave 2 1,660 1,525 91.9 91.0
Wave 3 1,638 1,474 90.0 87.9
Wave 4 1,632 1,454 89.1 86.8
Wave 5 1,633 1,421 87.0 84.8
Wave 6 1,617 1,402 86.7 83.7

Notes:

  1. Response rates are calculated as a percentage of the in-scope participants at the commencement of fieldwork for each wave. Response rates are not provided for wave 1.
  2. Retention rates are calculated as a percentage of the Wave 1 participants who completed each wave. They do not account for participants who are no longer in-scope (e.g. moved overseas, passed away) or new sample members recruited in subsequent waves. Therefore, they only partially reflect the full response picture.

Governance

The Melbourne Institute: Applied Economics and Social Research at the University of Melbourne conducted Journeys Home on behalf of the Department of Social Services.

Roy Morgan Research undertook the fieldwork.

Data access

Data are available to approved researchers from government, academic institutions and non-profit organisations. For more details, please refer to Journeys Home Survey: Melbourne Institute.

Research

You can find research and publications that used Journeys Home data from FloSse Research and Journeys Home Reports and Publications.

For more information, contact LongitudinalStudies@dss.gov.au

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