Every 26 seconds in America, a child becomes homeless.
The incidence may be even greater in the Cleveland area, where higher-than-average rates of unemployment, poverty, and related social problems are stressing families beyond the breaking point.
Children, teens and youth adults “take to the streets” due to various circumstances that make them feel that they have to leave home: drugs & alcohol, physical & sexual abuse, violence, gender/sexual identity issues, etc.
These children aren’t just from the inner-city as many would assume – they are in the suburbs, too.
Another driving factor to youth homelessness: the population of children aging out of foster care.
These young adults have no connections or safety net to keep them safe.
Only one-third of youth who are missing are actually reported.
Two-thirds go unreported because parents/guardians are fearful of the consequences, their child has done this before, or even just because they are that angry with their kids that they don’t report it. For example, over the last five years, more than 10 children have been reported as “missing” in Ohio – though this number is slightly skewed due to the potential number of missing youth not reported.
99.9 percent of “homeless youth” go to school every day!
“These kids are resourceful, resilient and survivors,” said Karen McHenry, LISW, LCDC program director of the Homeless Youth Program. “They stay in school where it’s safe, there’s food and they have friends. Many even go to college.”
Each year, Bellefaire JCB, through its Homeless Youth Program, gives away more than 1,000 survival kits to at-risk and homeless youth. Kits include hygiene products and non-perishable food items – even hand-made cards and blankets.
Hand-made cards and blankets help at-risk and homeless youth realize that people do care about them.
The longer a child is away from home, the harder it is to resolve the issue or crisis.
Everyone gets comfortable with the situation – there’s no longer that tension in the home.
Could you recognize a youth in need of help? These kids are typically scared, confused, lonely, hungry and cash-strapped. They may also have substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
At-risk youth often exhibit warning signs such as: dramatic changes in daily routines, often away from home; majority of time spent alone or with friends; restless or unsettled behavior, threatening to run away or “take off,” accumulating cash or making bank withdrawals, or even stashing clothes and other items in a backpack or suitcase.
At-risk youth can easily fall victim to: drug and alcohol abuse; drug dealing; physical and sexual abuse; prostitution or “survival sex;” violence; anxiety disorders, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); or suicide.
According to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, “The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that at least 100,000 American children become engaged in child prostitution and child trafficking each year.”
Children as young as 12-14 are being manipulated into sex trafficking situations – the life span once a child is “in the life” is five to seven years (due to violence, disease, risk to self, etc.).
Sadly, most children will be solicited for sex within 72 hours of being “on the street.”
Sources: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Ohio Attorney General, http://kidsfightingchance.com/stats.php, http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/HumanTrafficking/LitRev/, https://www.msu.edu/~esheteay/factfile.htm#Facts, http://www.familyimpactseminars.org/s_mifis06c06.pdf,
http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/Rg-homeless.html