Homeless Minors

     Although it is very hard to estimate the number of homeless people in the US, we can get very close using massive amounts of studies and the census so we can at least get a good idea so we can start helping them. 52% of requests for emergency shelter for families were denied in the last year, a 22% increase from least year.(2) Homeless families in rural areas have very little or nothing to fall back on if they are faced with homelessness. They are often forced to live with friends or relatives to avoid homelessness. This is often considered homelessness and counted in studies. However, nearly half of the families requiring emergency shelter aren't even as lucky as to have a friend or relative to live with.(3) The national estimate for homelessness in the United States as of 2001, was 3.5 Million people, 1.5 million of them being

The primary causes of homelessness can be there are a lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing assistance programs. Other causes can be insufficient income when people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care and education. This means that difficult choices must be made when limited resources cover only some of these necessities because of financial reasons. Some homeless people end up on the streets because they may be physical, psychological, sexual abuse, neglect or abandonment. A study done in 1992 found that 75 percent of street youth were victims of abuse and others were youths that left home when neither parent wanted custody of them after a divorce and some youth leave to escape parental restrictions that they consider to be too cruel. In 2000, an American study estimated that 20 percent of homeless youth had been in foster care before they moved to the streets and over 50 000 children run away from home.

63% of teens also suffer from being homeless due to parents kicking them out for being pregnant, drugs, and others. Some teens also run away because of physical and sexuall abuse.

A common misconception of homeless youth is that even if they do become homeless they are not homeless for long. The National Alliance to End

There are millions of homeless youth in America. On any given night, you can find these children ducking into abandoned buildings, crammed up against alley dumpsters, curled inside the big yellow slide of a local playground. I imagine they are thankful for sleep, wary of a new day, but thankful nonetheless. Homelessness at such a young age if left alone, leads to increased rates of conflict. The more homeless youths now, the more our country as a whole will have to deal with divorce, mental illness, and the need for government assistance.

People need to help the homeless families, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, and the mentally ill. They need to know that someone cares for them. Homeless teens are also a major problem; most homeless teens leave home because of abuse. Homeless teens are more likely to engage in sexual actives in exchange for things such as food, clothes, money, and etc. Some homeless teens become addict to drugs and other illegal substances. Decayed or missing teeth can hinder a teens self esteem. Poor oral health affects the health of the individual, but also hinders a teens attempt to improve his or her life circumstances. Homeless teens are at a greater risk of contracting AIDS, HIV, and other STDs. Homeless teen girls are more likely to become pregnant and far more likely to experience multiple pregnancies than housed young teen girls. Babies who are to homeless teens may develop much slower than housed babies. Children without a home are in or poor health more than other children. Homeless children experience mental health problems, anxiety, depression, and withdrawal. Homeless children don’t know what is going and they don’t understand why they are living on the streets or in homeless shelters. Many homeless kids would like to go to school but cant because they don’t have clean clothing and their hygiene is not so good. Many homeless kids face problems because they are homeless and often feel that no one cares. People should help the

Unemployment and lack of education plays a major role in these individual homeless people’s lives. With unemployment and high school dropout rates rising, homelessness cannot be prevented. Kids are taught from a young age to stay in school because the ones that dropout around high school is more than likely to become homeless. High school dropouts are likely to become homeless because they are likely to get kicked out of their dysfunctional home, or possibly run away from home feeling as if they are not good enough for the family. Dropouts will find it difficult to preserve a job, most will turn to drugs, becoming an addict, only hoping that it will make things better, really just increasing the rate of poverty and homelessness.

In youth homelessness these children, adolescents and even young adults are being exposed to many dangerous drugs, alcohol, and people.

Evidence has shown that teen homeless across America is ongoing and impacts youth of all cultures and backgrounds. There are millions of youth that are homeless in the United States. The typical ages of homeless youth are eighteen and younger. In America the average youth becomes homeless by age fourteen (www.safehorizon.com). Youth can become homeless for a number of reasons e.g. finances, verbal and physical abuse, pregnancy, sexual orientation, mental illness and neglect. Many youth and young adults have also become homeless due to aging out of foster care services. Youth

On another note, Candace Crook explains, “Although homeless children may become perpetrators of criminal activity, they may also, unfortunately, become the victims of criminal activity; this outcome results from the homeless children being forced to spend great lengths of time in public spaces” (367). Homeless children also tend to repeatedly fall victim of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. Whether homeless children are the perpetuator or the victim, there is a direct correlation between a drop in homelessness and a drop in the crime rate.

Homeless children is more of a problem than people realize. Children who are homeless have a greater chance of having heath problems than the other children since they do not have access to medical and dental care. "Children who lack a stable home are vulnerable to a number of adverse outcomes" (Child). These children are more likely to repeat a school grade, be expelled from school, and even drop out of high school. Most homeless children have experienced violence and they now suffer from anxiety and depression. There are two types of homeless children. One type is called "Family Homeless" which is when a child is separated from their parents and placed into foster care or they are living with some of their family members. The other type is called "Unaccompanied Youth" which is when children are out on their own and have no one with them which includes the runaway youth. It is very hard to count the number of homeless children because their living situation changes frequently.

Throughout the United States, there are a large number of individuals that goes unnoticed. Hidden in right plain sight, but are overlooked. They can be our friends, family, classmates, or the person standing right next you to at this moment. There are young individuals who are facing the tremendous challenge of being homeless. They are overlooked by many in society. However, there have been countless individuals, groups, organizations dedicated to ending youth homelessness. However, they are confronted with challenges due to the lack of interest. The lack of interest found within society can contribute to barriers to ending youth homelessness.

With youth homelessness continuing to rise, schools are not prepared to respond to the needs of these students. Homeless youth lack the adequate support within their schools to succeed academically, socio-emotionally, and mentally, resulting in homeless youth not given the opportunity to thrive in their current setting.

Walking through a major city or metropolitan area there are a countless number of people who are wearing old and ripped clothing, carrying bags or pushing grocery carts full of junk, looking like they have not bathed in weeks and most of them holding signs begging for change just so they can eat something that day. Over the past eight years the amount of homeless individuals has continuously decreased throughout the country. Homelessness in America is a serious problem, especially with higher rates in unemployment happening. Americans

Children of many ages are affected by these tremendous problems resulting from homelessness that have just become greater as time has passed. Homelessness leaves long lasting scars on these children (Crary 2). “The burden places upon these people can influence every facet of their lives; from contraception to early adulthood” (Hart-Shegos 2). All stages of life are affected by this experience of homelessness and severe problems can be caused in every stage.