SUPPORTING PERTH FAMILIES FACING HOMELESSNESS
Campsite created by St Pat’s based on the reality that their outreach teams are seeing.
A program supporting families experiencing homelessness has already reached capacity, highlighting the growing housing crisis facing children and families across Perth.
Launched in late 2024 by St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s), with support from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, the Family Support Program provides targeted assistance to families with children facing homelessness in Perth’s south metropolitan region.
Demand for the program has been immediate and overwhelming. “We knew that the need was great, but we weren’t expecting to be inundated with so many families quite so quickly,” St Pat’s Chief Operating Officer, Traci Cascioli, said.
Among the families supported through the program is Rebecca Hendrix and her two children, who were sleeping in tents while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for her boys, including getting them to school each day.
When Rebecca began experiencing severe pain, she prioritised her children’s needs over her own health.
“I’d been so focused on getting my boy to school and thinking about where we were going to sleep the next night, that when the pain started, I’d just put up with it,” Ms Hendrix said.
“When I was told I had Stage 3 cancer, that just knocked me over. It sent me to a really dark place.”
Rebecca was advised that her living conditions made it unsafe to begin treatment, prompting the hospital to contact St Pat’s on her behalf. With her caseworker's advocacy, the Family Support Program responded quickly.
“It took some advocating from her case worker, but we were fortunate to secure them temporary accommodation followed by a longer-term property, relatively quickly,” Ms Cascioli said.
Today, the Hendrix family has a safe place to call home. However, St Pat’s estimates that at least 100 more children and their families in the south metropolitan region alone are currently sleeping in cars or tents, or couch-surfing with family and friends.
Foundation Executive Chair Elizabeth Perron said the Foundation was deeply concerned by the growing number of families experiencing homelessness in Western Australia.
“The homelessness crisis facing families here in Perth right now is deeply troubling to us at The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, which is why we are so pleased to be the founding funding partner for this vital new Program,” Elizabeth said.
“St Pat’s Family Support Program is actively changing the lives of families such as Rebecca’s – we know the need is so much greater than this one Program alone, but it is a positive start.”
For Rebecca, having a home has brought a sense of stability and hope at a critical time for her family.
“It’s all I could ask for, a home for my boys so we can have a proper Christmas,” Ms Hendrix said.
To further address the growing housing crisis, St Pat’s has commenced construction on phase one of its Fremantle Redevelopment Project, which will deliver a purpose-built Engagement Hub for people experiencing homelessness.
The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation will continue to support the Family Support Program as part of this next phase, ensuring families can access integrated support services from the new facility once complete. The Engagement Hub is expected to open in late 2026 and will form the first stage of a broader three-phase redevelopment.
Through partnerships with community organisations such as St Patrick’s Community Support Centre, the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation continues to support initiatives that help children and families find safety, stability, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives during times of crisis.
For more information about St Pat’s Family Support Program, visit the Family Support Program.
To learn more about the next phase of the Fremantle Redevelopment Project, visit the Fremantle Redevelopment.
Fremantle Redevelopment underway — phase one Engagement Hub construction begins.
Published: April 2026