Snakes and Ladders: Women's Pathways Into and Out of Homelessness

Single homeless women are often described as the hidden homeless, whilst homelessness itself has been described as advanced marginality in a risk society. This research provides an analysis of the pathways into and out of homelessness of single women aged 25-45 years without children in their care. The personal experiences of eleven women interviewed for this study are considered within a broader systemic framework. A reconceptualisation of the categories of homelessness in urban Australia is proposed, utilising three categories: situational, long-term and chronic homelessness. These categories are used to examine different experiences of homelessness: pathways into and out of homelessness and potential points for early intervention.