Homelessness
The psychological – not to mention
material – well-being of children is compromised when faced with
inadequate housing needs. Housing problems pose a serious risk for
negative child outcomes, including homelessness, overcrowding, poor
nutrition, frequent moving, and lack of parental supervision.
According to the
National Center on Family Homelessness, family homelessness is
increasing. Emergency shelter requests across the United States have
increased every year since 1985, with an average of 20% in 2002.
Furthermore, families with children are the fastest growing segment of
the homeless population. Homelessness can provide few, if any, positive
outcomes for children. For example, homeless children get sick twice as
often as other children. Homeless children go hungry twice as often as
other children and 25% of homeless children report eating less after
becoming homeless. Homeless children have many more mental health
problems than other children.
Homeless children face many problems in school that children with stable
home environments don’t have. For example, many schools do not allow
homeless children to register without school and medical records. Other
schools will not enroll children without a home address and there is
often no transportation available to get children from shelters to
school.
Read More About It:
Cost
Associated with First-Time Homelessness for Families and Individuals
Geography of Homelessness
http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/search/?search_query=geography
Pinellas Point-in-Time Homeless Count
http://www.pinellashomeless.org/homelessness-in-pinellas/point-in-time-homeless-count.html
The Florida Housing
Data Clearinghouse Pinellas County Profile
http://flhousingdata.shimberg.ufl.edu/a/profiles?action=results&nid=5200
State Report Card on Child Homelessness
http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/ |
