Homeless Youth: What is Being Done

Individuals under the age of eighteen who are not under parental, institutional or foster care are considered homeless. Another name for these young people is “unaccompanied” youth. In 2002, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reported that there was 1,682,900 homeless and runaway youth in America. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, five to seven percent of American young people become homeless each year.

 

Reasons for Homelessness

Many youth leave home because of family conflict, economic struggles, or residential instability. Some youth are abused physically, live with an addicted parent or family member or are the victim of neglect. The main reason why most youth leave home is due to disruptive family conditions. Families who suffer financial hardship or job loss may end up homeless with their children.

 

Life on the Street for Homeless Youth

Homeless shelters have a limited supply of beds for youth, because of this; many youth are not housed in shelters. It is exceedingly difficult for homeless youth to secure employment because they are under age and lack the skills necessary to seek out work. Because of this, it is a struggle for these children to even meet their basic needs such as food and clothing. Many youth turn, in desperation, to prostitution, drugs or stealing in order to survive. AIDS and HIV-related illnesses are high amongst homeless youth who are often malnourished. Homeless youth often suffer with depression, low self-esteem, anxiety or depression because of their homeless situation. It is very hard for homeless youth to go to school because they need legal guardianship, a home address, records and transportation.

 

Effective Homeless Youth Programs

First and foremost, it is imperative that child welfare pull out all the stops to be sure that children do not end up on the streets. Homeless youth need programs that address their basic needs of shelter, health, education, job training and employment. Each year social service programs provide services and support to over 5,000 runaway and homeless youth. Homeless children do not know how to manage their life or circumstances and are not in a position to return to their old life where they may have been neglected, abused or abandoned.

 

Most youth have no idea how to manage their lives and cannot return to their old lives where they may have been the victim of neglect, family conflict or abandonment. They need training and support in order to become independent. Many of these kids do not have a high school diploma and will have to work to support themselves. If they want to go to college, they will need assistance filling out forms, visiting schools and making program decisions. Homeless youth also require sound role models who can steer them in the right direction and keep them from falling into dangerous lifestyles. Transitional living programs require continued support in order to help youth to figure out what they want to do with their lives and assist them in formulating a plan to achieve their goals.

 

About the Author: Susan Patterson is a freelance writer who writes for a number of social service sites. Her most recent article covered the ways that social service software can be used to enhance social service programs.