Homeless Youth In The United States

DEFINITION

Causes of homelessness among youth fall into three categories:

• Family Problem

• Many homeless youths leave home after a physical and sexual abuse, strained relationships, addiction of a family member, or parental neglect. Disruptive family situations are the main reason that young kids attempt leaving from home: in one study, more than half of the teenagers stated that their parents either told them to leave or knew they were leaving. In another research, 46% of runaway and homeless youth had been abused and 17% were forced into unwanted sexual activity by their families or a family member.

• Economic Problems

• Some young people may become homeless as their families face financial problems resulting from a shortage of affordable housing, limited job opportunities, low employment, no medical care or inadequate health benefits. These teenagers are homeless with their families, but are then separated from them by shelter, temporary housing, or child care policies.

• Residential Instability

• Residential instability also contributes to youth homelessness. A history of foster care correlates with early homelessness and a longer period of being homeless. Many young adults living in residential or institutional placements are vulnerable upon their discharge — they become too old for foster care but are discharged without assistance for housing or employment. One national survey found that more than one in five young people who arrived at shelters come straight from foster care and that in the previous year more than one in four had been in foster care.