How do women become homeless, and what can help them on their way back to an independent life? A new research project at OTH Regensburg is investigating these questions. The project ‘Understanding and Preventing Homelessness amongst Women’, which is affiliated with the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, began on 1 October 2026 and will run until the end of 2027. The project is funded by the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Regensburg e. V.
“Homelessness amongst women often remains hidden for a long time. This makes it all the more important to gain a better understanding of their life situations and the underlying causes. With this research project, we aim to further develop existing support services in a targeted manner, offer support at an early stage and open up new prospects for a self-determined life for the women affected,” said Brigitte Weißmann, Head of the Special Life Situations Unit at Caritas Regensburg.
Homelessness amongst women often remains invisible. Many of those affected initially try to conceal their situation. They stay temporarily with acquaintances, remain in abusive relationships or drift from one temporary solution to the next. As a result, they often come into contact with the support system only at a late stage. At the same time, multiple pressures frequently combine, such as experiences of violence, mental health issues, poverty or a lack of social networks. The longer homelessness persists, the more difficult the path back becomes.
“By focusing on the immediate perspectives of those affected, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of how social work can best empower women in need to leave homelessness behind in the long term,” says Tobias Kraus M.A., research assistant at OTH Regensburg.
The qualitative study focuses on interviews with affected women at Caritas Marienheim, a facility for women who have become homeless, and with professionals from Regensburg’s support system. In addition, the project team is drawing on the experiences of the Frauen*WohnZentrum run by Caritas Vienna as an example of good practice.
“We want to understand how women end up experiencing homelessness, what barriers make the path back to their own home difficult, and what support really helps. Our aim is to draw concrete recommendations from the experiences of the women affected, in order to prevent homelessness at an earlier stage and to strengthen pathways to a self-determined life,” says Prof. Dr Ina Schildbach, project leader at OTH Regensburg. The project will culminate in a research report containing a catalogue of measures, which is intended to include specific recommendations for prevention, stabilisation and the transition to independent living.
