Women with high and complex needs continue to be excluded from many parts of the service system, often because they are assessed as too risky, not stable enough, or unable to meet the expectations of traditional program models. For these women, homelessness is rarely a single issue. It is shaped by the intersections of trauma, domestic and family violence, mental health challenges, substance use, poverty and systemic discrimination. Lou’s Place, a women’s drop-in centre in Redfern, has long worked with women who fall between the gaps. The Stability First program, funded under the NSW Homelessness Innovation initiative, is our response to this growing inequity.

This presentation will outline how Stability First is testing a genuinely low-barrier, trauma-informed service model that offers women support at the point they choose to engage, including through drop-in, outreach and flexible case coordination. A key strength of the model is its co-location within the Lou’s Place Drop-In Centre, which allows staff to identify when a woman may be struggling and to proactively offer support even when she attends for other reasons. Rather than requiring stability before support is offered, Stability First positions stability as something that can be built through safe relationships, trust, persistence and adaptability.

The presentation will explore how this model is being implemented on the ground, what we are learning, and how it complements broader homelessness and DFV service systems. We will share emerging insights from the early stages of implementation, including the kinds of support women seek first, barriers to access that continue to appear, and what seems to help women stay engaged once a relationship is established. The session will also touch on how reflective practice and structured staff support have become important enablers when working with women who experience high levels of distress, trauma and instability.

We will consider how genuinely low-barrier responses can contribute to wider systems change by reframing how women with complex needs are viewed and by demonstrating that flexibility, cultural safety and dignity can sit at the centre of effective homelessness responses. The presentation will highlight how small organisations can support narrative and practice shifts by modelling approaches that prioritise access, connection and safety above compliance and exclusion.