The Parramatta Regional Homelessness Interagency was established in response to the wish of organisations attending forums held last November and in April to strengthen and build partnerships with one another and to advocate and lobby on a range of matters related to homelessness.

The forums were attended by more than 80 people representing various service providers working with homeless people in the Parramatta Local Government Area.

Among those at the agency's first meeting in Parramatta on Thursday, June 25, was the services manager for Mission Australia's Harris Park-based Western Sydney Support Services, Alan McKay.

``We have seen a huge increase in the number of homeless women and families,'' Mr McKay said.

``Homelessness NSW [the State's peak homeless body] is Sydney-based and not focused on western Sydney.

``People [outside the region] do not think there are homeless people in western and south-western Sydney.''

Speaking to the Sun afterwards, Mr McKay estimated there had been a 70per cent increase in the number of homeless families in the region seeking support over the past two years, particularly those from non-English speaking cultures.

``We need to raise the profile of homelessness, starting in Parramatta,'' Mr McKay said.

The meeting was chaired by the co-ordinator of Anglicare's Parramatta Street Outreach Team, Stan Small, which works with those aged from 12 to 25.

Mr Small said the demand for outreach services was increasing and that the lobbying potential of the interagency was ``huge''.

``Parramatta is the second-largest CBD in Sydney and the sixth-largest in Australia,'' Mr Small said.

``We have the strength to make our presence felt.''

Karen Devins is the co-ordinator and team leader at Our Lady of the Way Women's Refuge at Merrylands, which provides accommodation for homeless women aged over 50.

Ms Devins said the demand was greater than supply at the refuge, which operates solely from donations under the auspices of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

She said gambling addiction was a common cause of homelessness among older women.

A combination of things such as drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, domestic violence and the impact of the global financial crisis were all factors in the growth in number of homeless people.