This qualitative case study examines and illuminates the social-emotional and educational experiences of children ages 5 to 18 residing in an urban, family emergency housing shelter located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Data were collected and triangulated through participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and…

Human beings and specifically in African societies value children for they determine the communities' future and place them at the centre of their family life. Over the decades, governments have recognized the importance of children in their development efforts and have devoted considerable resources to child development especially in education…

In a given year, approximately 1.6 million children in the United States experience homelessness, and research shows that their living conditions generally place these children at risk for educational underperformance and failure at school (Hall, 2007; Love, 2009). Although lack of education or low levels of education on the part of a head of…

This study examines type-specific and cumulative experiences of violence among a vulnerable population of youth. Sixty high-risk, shelter-dwelling, urban youth were interviewed regarding their history of childhood maltreatment, exposure to community violence (ECV), and experience with intimate partner violence (IPV). Results show a high prevalence…

Broken free of any semblance of family control or community restraints, thousands of American youth roamed entirely at will throughout the cities of 19th-century America and supported themselves alternately from the legitimate street trades and from outright thievery. The invention of modern adolescence was partially a response to this neglected…

Discusses the lives and feelings of homeless youth living in the streets of America's cities. Includes a photo essay on street youth expressing their desperation and alienation in graffiti. (KH)

Purpose: This paper explores "lessons learned" resulting from a process evaluation of a peer-led HIV/AIDS prevention programme targeting street children and youth in urban Uganda. The purpose was to explore aspects of implementation that either enhanced or hindered the effectiveness of the peer educator (PE) role.…

Describes the lives of street children in two South American cities. Explains the mores, sanctions, and values of the society in which these children live. (PCB)

Characterizes subcultural differences within an inner-city street youth population. Used brief, structured interviews (N=752), targeting youth living on the streets for two or more consecutive months. Results demonstrate unique patterns with respect to places stayed/slept, means of financial support, and use of available services according to peer…

Explores the cycle of family violence and its impact on homeless families. Once family violence sends families into homelessness, community violence prevents them from escaping. Re-envisioning shelters as centers of learning rather than emergency facilities can begin to break the cycle of violence. (SLD)

Interviewed 420 street youths in a midwestern city to analyze their sexual behaviors. Ninety-one percent were sexually active, and nearly half were engaged in sex for survival. Discusses the need to coordinate comprehensive social services to prevent an increase in the number of street youth. (SLD)

Examined the role that various background, labor market, and street lifestyle factors play in the drug and alcohol use of 200 street youths. Results indicate that street youths have histories that exert a strong influence over their behavior, especially histories of parental drug and alcohol use. Contains 68 references. (SLD)

Explored factors contributing to addiction in 140 African-American males in an inner-city homeless shelter. A common theme in their life stories is that of negative and painful experiences with father figures. Suggestions are made for research into this area and policy strategies to enhance the African-American father's role. (SLD)

Describes the Book Club of Reading Connection, a nonprofit organization in Virginia, that gives books to children in homeless shelters and for up to one year after they leave the shelter. The key to the book club's effectiveness and its longevity is communication between the Reading Connection and the families. (SLD)

Describes progress made in recent years in addressing the educational needs of homeless children and youth in America and notes concerns that remain, including awareness and perceptions of homelessness, early childhood educational needs, interventions, interagency collaboration, and the need for comprehensive evaluations of educational efforts for…