ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND CHILDREN

Homelessness influences every facet of a child’s life. The experience inhibits the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral development of children. 

This is a very real issue that exists globally as well as close to home.  In a survey conducted in January 2008, it was estimated that in Lake County, IL, 30.3% of the homeless persons were children under the age of 18.

DEFINITION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH 

The McKinney-Vento Act (Section 725) defines “homeless children and youth” (school-age and younger) as:

Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:

• Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
• Abandoned in hospitals.
• Awaiting foster care placement.
• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

FACTS ON HOMELESSNESS AND CHILDREN

• At least 1.35 million children are homeless during a year’s time.
• Families with children are among the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
• Family homelessness is increasing. Requests for emergency shelter by families have increased every year since 1985, with an average increase of 20% in 2002.

(Burt, 2001; Burt, Aron, Douglas, et al., 1999; National Coalition for the Homeless, 2002; U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2002)

Every day, homeless children are confronted with stressful, traumatic events. Within a single year:

• 97% of homeless children move, many up to three times.
• 22% are separated from their families to be put in foster care or to live with relatives.
• 25% have witnessed acts of violence within their family.

(National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999)

Despite their multiple and complex needs, homeless children are not receiving the services they need. For example:

• Only 37% of homeless children receive services that help them with enrollment, attendance, and success in school.
• Only 15% of homeless children are in preschool programs, less than half the rate of all children nationally. (National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999; Burt, Aron, Douglas, et al., 1999; National Coalition for the Homeless, 1999; U.S. Department of Education, 1999)
• 7.6% of adolescents 12 to 17 years of age had spent at least one night in an emergency shelter, public place, abandoned building, or with a stranger during the previous year. (Ringwalt, Greene, Robertson,& and McPhetters, 1998)
• The average age of the first homeless episode is 14.7 years. (YouthCare, Inc., 1998)
• The majority of homeless youth are Caucasian, 57%. Black or African American youth comprise 27% and American Indian or Alaskan Natives make up 3%. (Office of Applied Studies, 2004)
• About 50% of street youth have had a pregnancy experience compared to about 33% living in shelters. Less than 10% of household youth have had a pregnancy experience. (Greene & Ringwalt, 1998)
• Runaway and homeless youth experience rape and assault rates 2 to 3 times higher than the general population of youth. (Robertson & Toro, 1998)
• Youth living on their own are at a higher risk for anxiety disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide attempts and other health problems due to the enhanced exposure to violence. (HCH Clinicians’ Network, 2000)

For additional facts on youth homelessness, click here.