24 September 2026
Image provided by the Centre for Homelessness Impact
This week, organisations across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole came together to support Women’s Census Week, helping to shine a light on women’s experiences of homelessness and rough sleeping.
Women’s homelessness is often less visible. Many women take steps to stay safe by avoiding sleeping on the street, meaning they can be missed by traditional rough sleeping counts and the services designed to support them.
The Women’s Rough Sleeping Census provides an important opportunity to better understand the scale and nature of women’s homelessness, ensuring women’s experiences are seen, heard and reflected in future service development.
As the BCP Homelessness Partnership, we were proud to work alongside our outreach partners St Mungo’s, BCP Council and partners from across the sector to engage with women experiencing homelessness or at risk of rough sleeping.
Sara Turner, Senior Service Manager, St Mungo’s said:
“Women’s homelessness often goes unseen, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Women’s Census Week gives us a valuable opportunity to better understand the experiences of women who may not be visible through traditional routes of support.
“By listening to women’s voices and learning from their experiences, we can continue to develop more effective, trauma-informed services that help women feel safe, supported and able to access the help they need.”
Through conversations taking place across the week, women were given the opportunity to share their experiences, the barriers they face and what support would make the greatest difference.
Better understanding leads to better services, and women’s voices must remain at the heart of that work.
A huge thank you to all the staff, volunteers and partner organisations who dedicated their time to supporting this important piece of work, and most importantly, to every woman who chose to share her experiences.
Every woman matters. Every voice matters.
