Parkerville Children and Youth Care has launched Riley’s, a youth homelessness prevention and reconnection service designed to help young people and families navigate crisis, rebuild relationships and create safer pathways forward.
Formerly known as Ruby’s, Riley’s reflects more than a name change. It represents the evolution of a service model that has been reviewed and strengthened over the past 12 months to better support young people aged 12 to 17 experiencing housing instability or at risk of homelessness.
While youth homelessness is often associated with young people sleeping rough, the reality is far more complex. Many young people facing homelessness are moving between friends’ homes, staying temporarily with relatives, or experiencing instability due to family conflict, violence, mental health challenges, substance use, trauma and/or relationship breakdown.
Parkerville CEO Kim Brooklyn said preventing homelessness before it occurs requires earlier intervention and a stronger focus on supporting the whole family.
“Family breakdown is one of the key drivers of youth homelessness, and we know that when families are supported early, outcomes for young people are significantly improved,” said Ms Brooklyn.
“At its heart, Riley’s is about helping young people and families work through difficult circumstances, rebuild trust and create safer, more stable futures together. Sometimes what a family needs is a circuit-breaker, practical support and a safe space to begin difficult conversations.”
Riley’s continues to provide 24/7 residential stabilisation and therapeutic support for young people who cannot safely remain at home, while also offering counselling, family support and practical assistance aimed at strengthening relationships and preventing homelessness.
A key feature of the strengthened model is its focus on reconnection and reunification wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.
The service is guided by three core Practice Principles.
The first, Safety-Governed Practice, ensures all decisions are shaped by ongoing assessment of physical, emotional and relational safety. The second, Youth-Led Practice, places young people’s voices, experiences and preferences at the centre of decision-making. The third, Family-Centred Practice, recognises parents, carers, kin and extended family as important partners in creating positive change.
Parkerville Executive Manager Therapeutic Services Kate Pitt said the new model acknowledges sustainable change rarely occurs by working with a young person alone.
“We know strong relationships are one of the most important protective factors in a young person’s life,” said Ms Pitt.
“Riley’s recognises that families often face complex challenges, but they also hold enormous strengths, insights and capacity for growth. By supporting young people and the important adults in their lives together, we create more opportunities for long-term stability and connection.”
Beyond the Practice Principles, Riley’s is guided by an Experience Framework that aims to ensure every young person and family feels Safe, Wanted and Helped throughout their engagement with the service.
This means safety is prioritised in every decision, young people and families feel welcomed and heard, and support remains practical, meaningful and focused on what matters most to them.
Importantly, support is not limited to young people staying in the program’s residential service. Many families access counselling, conflict resolution support and therapeutic interventions while the young person remains at home, allowing challenges to be addressed before a housing crisis occurs.
As communities across Western Australia continue to face housing pressures and rising living costs, services such as Riley’s play an increasingly important role in preventing youth homelessness before it becomes entrenched.
“Every young person deserves to feel safe, connected and hopeful about their future,” said Ms Pitt.
“By helping families strengthen relationships and navigate challenges together, we can often prevent homelessness before it starts. That has lifelong benefits not only for young people and families, but for our broader community.”
Who Riley’s Supports
Riley’s supports young people aged 12-17 years who are:
- Experiencing conflict or relationship breakdown at home
- At risk of leaving home or being asked to leave
- Moving between home, friends, relatives or other temporary arrangements
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
- Seeking support to reconnect with family, kin or other safe adults
- Wanting to strengthen family relationships and improve communication
Young people can access support without staying at Riley’s; many families receive counselling and support while the young person remains at home.
Riley’s is funded through the WA Department of Communities and the Sisters of St John of God.
For more information about Riley’s or to access referral information, visit Parkerville Riley’s.
By Parkerville Children and Youth Care
