Support systems are the difference between crisis and collapse.
- Julian House
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
When social care, mental health services, housing support, and domestic abuse services work together, they stabilise lives during periods of illness, trauma, bereavement, and relationship breakdown.
However, when these systems fail or are unavailable, early warning signs are overlooked, crises escalate, and women fall through the cracks, which can lead to homelessness.
Support systems are often the key difference between crisis and collapse.
Among women experiencing homelessness, 85% have diagnosed mental health conditions, yet many report unmet treatment needs, particularly in mental health services.
What we are doing to bridge this gap:
We work collaboratively with mental health, social care, and health services to close gaps in provision, help women rebuild confidence and independence, and support sustainable transitions into long-term housing.
Supporting women in travelling communities access support
"I work with diverse women who live travelling lifestyles. While this way of life often conveys strength and independence, people frequently overlook the vulnerability and mental health impacts that accompany it."
Enabling the women I work alongside to feel more empowered feels essential. I see, every day, how much strength they carry quietly and how rarely that strength is recognised."
Homelessness among women typically arises from ongoing gaps in support rather than a single event.
Accessing healthcare poses challenges due to stigma, discrimination, and strict service requirements—like needing ID for GP registration—which leave many without necessary support. These overlapping pressures increase vulnerability and hinder access to stability when it's most needed.
Who do we work with:
We work collaboratively with mental health, social care, and health services to close gaps in provision, help women rebuild confidence and independence, and support sustainable transitions into long-term housing.
Dentaid:
Dentaid provides outreach dental services and oral health advice for people experiencing homelessness, harm, poverty and abuse.
They also seek to offer a regular service to help to build our patients’ trust and increase their understanding of oral health.
They also seek to offer a regular service to help to build our patients’ trust and increase their understanding of oral health.
Reach out:
This partnership in Dorset focuses on targeting individuals who require additional support around their drug and alcohol support.
The goal of the partnership is to reduce number of individuals actively using and support them with their mental health and management.
Homelessness among women is preventable. With the right support at the right time, lives can be restored.
