Youth homelessness

The definition for youth homelessness varies widely across national borders, and many developed nations acknowledge hardship leading up to homelessness in addition to an individual being physically unhoused, capturing a wider swath of the population. In Australia, there are three categories of homelessness which include those who live from one emergency shelter to another (in homeless shelters or 'couch surfing' at friends' homes), as well as those living in accommodation that falls below minimum community standards (boarding houses and caravan parks). In the European Union, anyone between the ages of 13 and 26 who lacks a physical structure to reside in, or who struggles with housing insecurity as a result of fractured caregiver relations falls into this category of "Youth Homelessness". Youth homelessness is prevalent both in developing countries and many developed countries. Less developed nations sometimes refer to homeless youth as "street children" which encompasses not only true homelessness, but also street workers who are not homeless but who work in the informal sector. In 1986, UNICEF established two varieties of "Street Children": half of whom return home after their days of work, and those who reside without permanent shelter. There is a challenge to acquiring official data or research on these "street children" given the lack of permanency in their work or housing, all of which goes without the official awareness of the state in which the children reside. == Targeted Challenges for Youth Populations ==

Criminal, Familial, and Addiction challenges are difficult to separate. In many scenarios where young people voluntarily leave or are forced out of their homes, there is some combination of these three challenges. Substance abuse, sexual or physical abuse, and familial dysfunction are often related. These incidents often lead to negative connotations about homeless youth. There is a cyclical nature to such charges. Once an individual has become homeless, it naturally becomes more challenging to fit within societal norms to gain employment and ultimately become housed again. A homeless youth will be unable to gain the education to prepare or qualify them for future employment. Some programs help individuals facing youth homelessness gain peer support to cultivate rich relationships and mentorships with peers to curb the mental health challenges that come as a bi-product or cause of youth homelessness. Violence and abuse inflicted on children or young people often leads to youth homelessness. Abusive behaviors inflicted upon young people during their adolescence can encourage them to leave home at an earlier age either by force or by choice. This feature of human development becomes dangerous when abuse or mistreatment surrounds children in their household. Over half of homeless youth have experienced abusive caregiving behaviors in some way. Children whose parents are affected by substance abuse behaviors are more likely to also become affected in later years. In the COVID-19 Pandemic, Canada saw a stark decline in Mental Health conditions as a result of loneliness. Many young individuals shifted to substances to help curb this loneliness, which further exacerbated the crisis. Additionally, there is a substantial barrier in generational economic mobility, particularly in the US, but also in many regions of the world. Children tend to naturally fall into a similar economic range as their parents do as a result of birth age, and educational milestones, however this varies regionally. Racial disparities further diminish economic mobility at a community-level. ==Case studies==

Australia Youth homelessness in Australia is a significant social issue, affecting tens of thousands of young people. In 2006, the Australian government estimated, focusing on homeless school children, found some 20,000 homeless youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Another estimate found approximately 44,000 homeless Australians under the age of 25. Activists maintain that the majority of young people leave home because of family breakdown, often caused by domestic violence and abuse. Swinburne University researchers found that over $600 million is spent each year on health and justice services for homeless youth. Researchers have studied the prevalence of psychological distress and mental illness among homeless youth in Australia. Some experts argue that early intervention services are an effective way to curb youth homelessness. Specifically a study was done in Australia that found a great way to help curb youth homelessness is through mentoring of the youth. Other researchers have examined the potential solution of youth foyers. Canada In Canada, youth homelessness is recognized as a significant social issue, however, no nationwide strategy or study has been conducted. Research has focused on various factors that challenge Canadian youth, leading to homelessness including sexual identification, mental health, and physical health struggles prior to and during periods of homelessness. Under the COVID-19 Pandemic, Canada saw an uptick in Youth Homelessness, and a decline in homeless shelter morale as a result of mental health, economic, and racial challenges in its wake. Many young people experiencing homelessness expressed irritation with the late intervention rather than with preventative steps prior to the outcome of total homelessness. Additionally, when assistance was requested, many reported denial or barriers that would exacerbate pre-existing mental health challenges and result in self-esteem reduction. In 2018, a study was conducted to gain a new perspective on youth homelessness, resulting in the development of three avenues of prevention to target all levels of the issue. The three levels of prevention are: • Structural prevention — helps alleviate poverty, discrimination, and expands acceptance in societal beliefs. • System prevention — education, healthcare, and criminal justice. • Individual and Relational causes — family conflict, family crisis and social isolation. The study concluded that the main issue with policies enabling Youth Homelessness to persist is the late intervention of assistance. Help at the front-end would prevent many cases of homelessness according to testimonials of the homeless youth. In some instances, the systems in place enhanced the issues at hand through isolation with the rejection of LGBTQ+ members from various assistance programs, as well as stigmatization of the overall challenge. Also, a new study by Today Canada is still working on youth homelessness to trials such as housing first to decrease youth homelessness in Canada. American homeless youth are a varied group. Some researchers maintain that around two million young people in America are homeless. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, roughly 41,000 kids and young adults within the ages of 13-25 experience homelessness every night. Almost all of which have reported suffering from at least one of the following; substance misuse problems, mental health problems, foster care, juvenile jail or detention, and physical harm. Many of these individuals have experienced extreme trauma and despair either before or after becoming homeless. Looking through a demographic lens, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth have more than two times the risk of being homeless than heterosexual. This can be a result of family problems along with not being accepted by parents or guardians. Females in particular are more likely to "run away" from home resulting in no shelter. Intergenerational Mobility can also contribute to these housing challenges. In the United States, when compared to other developed nations, most regions experience lower rates of social mobility. Russia Russia recognizes the challenge of Youth Homelessness as deeply concerning, partially for the impact that such children will have upon the wider culture, and their inability to assimilate into societal norms. High levels of maternal mortality and early adult death in the rural regions of the nation also enhance the challenges of youth populations resulting in higher levels of adoption, and general psychological hardships. Amnesty International has called upon the human rights infringements in the wake of this ratification, noting that it is a duty of the state to uphold its constitutional provisions to their citizens. == Vulnerable Populations and Enhanced Risk ==

Various factors can exacerbate this housing struggle for young people including sexual identification, socioeconomic discrepancies, and the COVID-19 pandemic. LGBTQ+ populations Some young people who identify as LGBTQ+ are forcibly removed from their homes or sustain scarred relationships with their parents. One homeless young person discussed challenges that arise also from Foster Parents who might have opposing perspectives on sexuality. Young people may choose to leave home if their family does not support their identity, which has become more widely accepted in society, encouraging young people to come out in earlier years than has historically been the norm. Youth Homelessness impacts individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ to a greater extent than other populations of young people, as a direct or indirect result of this. Additionally, these individuals may feel excluded from their community or society at large leading to threats to their physical safety and their mental health which can promote alcohol or drug addiction. The United Nations recognizes these challenges, and examines statistics across a variety of nations yielding the same experiences where young LGBTQ+ populations are at much higher risk of homelessness. In Canada, in a qualitative study conducted with members of their homeless youth population, claims were made of denial of services or exclusion from shelter programs due to their identification as LGBTQ+. == Problem and prevention ==

Understanding Homeless Youth Experiences Given the elusive nature of homeless youth and their tendency to go under the radar of official data collection, qualitative studies can help understand the experiences of homeless youth populations through interviews and observations. A total of 45 interviews were conducted with YEH, ranging from 15 to 24 years of age, who experienced at least one night of homelessness six months prior to being interviewed. During the interviews, YEH described having trouble accessing basic resource accommodations, housing, trauma therapy, ADA accommodations, and educational resources. Factors contributing to youth homelessness include adverse life events, out-of-home placement, incarceration, childhood trauma, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and death of a parent. A study found that the service needs of transition-aged youth engaged in substance misuse were not satisfied. However, long term challenges persist because of historical federal disinvestment, like the Reagan administration cuts in the 1980s that reduced subsidized housing funds by over 80%, contributing greatly to the rise of youth homelessness. More recently, Housing First policies set in place have prioritized more immediate housing access without preconditions, but some researchers say these models don't fully address the trauma, developmental stages and identity related needs of youth. The research group there has developed a protocol for addressing youth homelessness with four levels of prevention categorized by effectiveness and ease of implementation. Their findings show that the most effective way to aid youth homelessness is to introduce policies that preventatively intervene in the lives of youth prior to them becoming homeless. Providing housing, direct cash transfers, and increased access to quality resources and support are viable prevention strategies. The group proposes policy actions for greater investment from all levels of government in housing supply and increasing the low-income housing tax credit. Preventing recurrence is the most difficult prevention strategy to implement. The Pathways to Success Model Intervention was developed to aid youth exiting foster care and prevent homelessness — a transition that is often tumultuous. Pathways was implemented in three counties in Colorado to reach a large demographic: one urban, one suburban, and one rural county were selected. The methodology of Pathways is built on the idea of a navigator-youth relationship. The navigator is a service provider who provides coach-like engagement to develop a positive relationship with the youth, originating from Co-Active Life Coaching (CALC) theory. If prevention is not established in the school system, the likelihood of homeless youth completing their high school education decreases drastically. ==See also==