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Homeless Children

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HOMELESS CHILDREN IN AMERICA
Julieanna Correa
CM107

PART ONE

Homelessness is a devastating experience for anybody especially children. It can change every aspect of their life including education, development, health and well-being. Most of the time it is a result of family separation. The fastest growing segments of the homeless population is families with children.

PART TWO
The definition of a homeless child is a child that lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night time residence. This also includes children who might be living in hotels, trailer parks, or awaiting foster care placement. “Children make up the largest people who are homeless in rural areas” (Vissing, 2006). The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade. There was a time when they would have a difficult time getting enrolled in school because of certain requirements such as proof of address. In 2007 the legislation passed a bill that would help more homeless children enroll into school, the Mckinney- Vento Homeless Assistance act.

National Coalition for the Homeless. (2009, July). National Coalition for the Homeless. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/about_us/index.html

Homelessness affects teenagers as well. They are commonly known as “runaways”. These children have gone through something so traumatic in their home that they feel like living on the streets would be safer. “Approximately forty percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered” (according to Safe Horizon).This causes conflicts with the parents and the children have nowhere to turn but the streets. There are nearly two million homeless teens in America. That’s one third of the homeless population. There are six thousand homeless teenage cases a year.

There are many organizations to help these children and

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