Book Description

Who are the homeless children in America and what do we know about them? How does their being homeless affect them and society in general? What′s being done to help them? What About America′s Homeless Children? takes a multifaceted look at the growing, disturbing problem of children (including infants) in homeless families and abandoned and runaway children in America. The author examines the social factors that create homeless situations of children and personal and educational problems that can result from it. The health risks to this population, including unsanitary living conditions, poor nutrition, physical assault, and lack of access to health care are also explored. Author Paul G. Shane brings the problems and effects of homelessness to a personal level by presenting ethnographic case studies of individual children in urban shelters, families in a shelter program, and people who "survived" a homeless youth experience. The history of programs, both governmental and nongovernmental, and government policies for homeless youth are also examined. The book concludes with recommendations for policies and programs that can prevent homelessness for children. Human service professionals and policymakers who deal with children and families as well as those in the fields of public health, policy studies, and clinical and counseling psychology will find this book a stimulating summary of research findings and implications about this vulnerable population.