Street Kids Homeless And Runaway Youth PDF Download

In this volume, the editors present research that outlines the characteristics of street youth and homeless teens. The editors first present a paper reporting that youth may be the single age group most at risk of becoming homeless, yet comparatively little research has been done in the past decade on this vulnerable population. After reviewing the characteristics of homeless youth, the editors review recent research findings on the homeless youth population and interventions developed to address their housing and service needs. These include interventions directed at youth themselves (education, employment, social skills training) as well as family-focused strategies. The third paper presented by the editors discusses the definition of the term "runaway youth" or "homeless youth". Both groups of youth share the risk of not having adequate shelter and other provisions, and may engage in harmful behaviors while away from a permanent home. The precise number of homeless and runaway youth is unknown due to their residential mobility and overlap among the populations. Determining the number of these youth is further complicated by the lack of a standardized methodology for counting the population and inconsistent definitions of what it means to be homeless or a runaway. Estimates of the homeless youth exceed one million. Thus homelessness among adolescents and young adults has become a major social concern in the United States. The editors conclude with a paper that provides an overview of U.S. Government action on behalf of assisting and preventing homelessness among minors. The final section features transcripts of hearings held before both the United States' Senate and Congress held in 2007 and 2008 that pertain to helping these minors and to lessen, and working to eliminate the problem in the future.