They are left to “couch surf” with other families, moving from place to place, or to sleep rough – finding shelter wherever they can.

The increase in numbers of local youth seeking emergency accommodation has worried a local youth network and seen a recent community forum highlight the issue.

Concerned for the long term safety and security of these young people, and the effect their living arrangements will have on their educational and employment outcomes, the network held the forum last week to look for ways to address the problem.

A working party has now been formed to search for local solutions.

Uniting Care Wesley Port Pirie supports people in crisis throughout the Mid and Lower North and said they had currently identified nine young people in the Clare region at risk of homelessness.

The service offers an outreach program for young people and has run a youth shelter in Port Pirie since 1987. The shelter has six units and is staffed on site, around the clock, seven days a week,

“We have 13 young people on our waiting list, and any one of these could potentially have unstable living arrangements,” acting manager youth services, Heather Eglinton said.

Lower North Youth Network chairman Joanne Lawrie said 15-20 young people had been identified in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council district as being at risk of homelessness, but believed the need was higher

The council’s Youth Advisory Committee has raised homelessness as an issue and local school councillors have spoken to teenagers desperate for help.

“We have had several instances at the high school where we have had a crisis situation, where youth are needing emergency accommodation, and there isn’t any,” Clare High School counsellor Mandy Knight said.

“In the end you have to send the student home, knowing that they will have to surf on someone’s couch for the night.”

Ms Knight said she could recall four occasions in the last year where this had happened - “It’s heartbreaking”.