Lekita Smith used to tell herself she would smoke dope until the day she died.
The 26-year-old experienced trauma as a child, was in an emotionally abusive relationship as a teenager, and had her older children taken off her when she became homeless.
Ms Smith used to smoke cannabis as a coping mechanism, but that all changed several years ago when she met her partner Justin Williams and became pregnant with her now-seven-month-old son George.
"[George] has changed us completely ... we are 100 per cent better people because of him," she said.
Mr Williams has not had an easy life either.
He was first introduced to drugs by a family member when he was 15, and the now-38-year-old admits he has done things he is not proud of.
"I ended up running away from home, committing crimes and using drugs," he said.
But the pair say they are determined not to let their past dictate their future and have worked incredibly hard to give up drugs and stay clean by seeking help from Hobart City Mission, mental health professionals, and drug and alcohol support services.
The couple managed to find stable accommodation through Centacare Evolve Housing at New Norfolk in southern Tasmania when Ms Smith was pregnant.
She said it made her feel whole for the first time.
But after a break-in at their home, the couple was told it was not safe and left the property before they could organise another home to live in.
For more than a year, they have struggled to find secure and stable housing, which they understand is a requirement if they want to keep their son.
"We were told if we can't find housing, George would have to be put into care until we find somewhere," Ms Smith said.
"We don't want to spend a minute without him; he's too important to us," Mr Williams said.
Past struggles hurt chances
Mr Williams and Ms Smith have been fortunate enough to live with family and in temporary accommodation while they look for suitable housing, but it is not a long-term solution.
The couple would ideally like a three-bedroom home in a safe suburb so their older children can stay with them.
They also need a house that is close to public transport, as neither of them drives.
They found their perfect home on the private rental market but were unable to complete the application because they did not have the necessary rental references.
"There was a good home in our price range of around $350 per week, and we started to apply for it, but we didn't end up going through with it because we couldn't fill out the rest of the forms," Mr Williams said.
"Obviously, we've had past struggles, and that's not what private landlords want," Ms Smith said.
"Landlords don't see how much you've changed, they don't look past it ... they just think, 'Well what's going to happen to my property?'"
After being on the public housing waiting list for months, the family was recently given a choice of two homes in the greater Hobart area.
While they are grateful they have an option of accommodation when so many Tasmanians are still waiting, they say both homes are unsuitable because they are not close to public transport, are in areas they worry will increase their risk of relapse, and are away from their support network.
"We are taking something that we don't think is suitable for us, but we are taking it because it's all about George," Mr Williams said.
"I can't get a job without relying on transport."
Children at risk of homelessness
Figures recently published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed there is a growing number of people experiencing homelessness across Tasmania.
On census night in 2021, 2,350 people in Tasmania said they were experiencing homelessness, compared with 1,622 in 2016.
Tenants' Union of Tasmania principal solicitor Ben Bartl said there simply was not enough accommodation for those who needed it.
"We are getting calls every week from parents who are worried what will happen to them and their families; they're worried that they're not all going to be able to fit into a car or a caravan," he said.
"They're worried they are being excluded from rental properties because they have children."
In a statement, Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean said: "The link between access to stable housing, family breakdown and statutory child removal is well known internationally."
She said ensuring children were safe and supported through the first 1,000 days of their lives made the greatest difference to their future development.
"Every Tasmanian child deserves to have a safe place to live. It's also their right," Ms McLean said.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education, Children and Young People said: "For families experiencing difficulties impacting on the safety and wellbeing of their children, housing instability is often one of the contributing factors.
"However, housing instability or homelessness on their own do not result in children entering statutory care."
What's the solution?
Not-for-profit organisation Hobart City Mission has seen an increase in demand for their support services in the past 12 months, which includes emergency assistance, family and housing support and options for single fathers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Chief executive Harvey Lennon said without these programs, there was a high risk some young children would be taken into care because their parents could not put a roof over their heads.
"It's certainly a risk and is a growing risk in the environment we live in at the moment."
Mr Lennon said the Tasmanian government not only needed to provide a range of housing options, but it also needed to better support organisations that help people cope with looking after a rental property or staying in long-term employment.
The Tenants' Union of Tasmania wants the Tasmanian government to review the current Residential Tenancy Act 1997 and introduce a standard application form for all prospective tenants in the private rental market.
"It would remove discrimination and ensure everyone is on an equal footing," Mr Bartl said.
A Tasmanian government spokesperson said the government "recognises the barriers and challenges families can face in securing safe accommodation, which is why more than $36 million is invested each year in specialist homelessness services".
What does the future look like?
While their housing situation is not ideal, Mr Williams and Ms Smith remain committed to giving George the best upbringing he can have, regardless of their circumstances.
George has been enrolled in weekly swimming lessons and is learning new things every day, while Mr Williams is actively looking for work.
"Think about what you have today and not what you don't have," Ms Smith said.
"It might feel like it's never going to work out, but it does in the end; it will happen if you keep working for it."
Anyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness can call Housing Connect 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 800 588.
