Women’s homelessness in Spain: An approach from the perspective of professionals working in social exclusion services

Abstract

The National Strategy to combat homelessness in Spain 2023-2030 places a particular emphasis on female homelessness, highlighting the need for specific measures to address the vulnerabilities of homeless women. This study aims to identify the profile of women accessing social exclusion services in Spain, based on the perspective of professionals in the sector.

A survey was carried out among 297 resource workers serving homeless women, selected from a non-probabilistic convenience sample. Data were analysed through descriptive and bivariate analysis with statistical tests to identify significant differences between variables.

The resources that serve homeless women vary between residential, day centres and soup kitchens, with most of the women served being middle-aged, single mothers, and mostly immigrants. According to professionals' responses, significant differences are observed in terms of addictions and mental health, with Spanish women presenting higher rates of addiction and mental health problems compared to migrant women. In addition, migrant women, especially young women, face greater difficulties, such as administrative irregularity.

This study reveals the complexity of female homelessness and the need for more targeted and differentiated approaches in care services. Differences between indigenous and immigrant women, or between different age groups, underline the importance of designing tailored interventions that address the particular vulnerabilities of each group.