Although research has established a linkage between maltreatment and running away, there have been few in-depth investigations of this phenomenon. This study was conducted to: (1) describe the nature of maltreatment among runaway and homeless youth; (2) provide a profile of their family and demographic characteristics; (3) examine how maltreated…

The welfare of American families improved steadily for over 20 years after World War II. After the War on Poverty of the 1960s, the number of people living in poverty fell, reaching its lowest point in 1973. During the 1980s, homeless families, including those living in the streets, in cars, and in shelters seemingly appeared out of nowhere. As…

This paper highlights the educational rights and needs of homeless children under both the McKinney Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Section 1 explains the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, which included the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program mandating a free, appropriate public education for all…

The goal of this study was to extend what is currently understood regarding attitudes toward the homeless population. The study focused on how homeless and nonhomeless adolescents attribute the causes of homelessness. Grounded in attribution theory, the study hypothesized that nonhomeless adolescents would ascribe causality to dispositional or…

This study investigates the interaction of religious and quasi-religious variables through measures of psychopathology and alcohol and drug abuse in a sample of homeless subjects. Participants included 25 males and 14 females with potential dual diagnoses who lacked, or were in danger of being without, appropriate housing. Researchers administered…

The majority of long-term, non-transient homeless people in Detroit, Michigan are elderly. An understanding of the elderly homeless population in terms of demographic characteristics, family relationships, economic and health status, and other factors is a prerequisite to determining appropriate courses of action for those who provide services to…

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of family functioning in families who have become homeless and poor families who have never been homeless. Relying on the McMaster Model of Family Functioning, it focused on family functioning in terms of transactional patterns or the family's mode of interaction as a unit. Subjects consisted…

An indication of the failure of the mental health system in this country is reflected in the increasingly visible homeless population, many of whom suffer from some form of untreated mental illness. Public policy priorities have shifted from proactive, treatment-oriented policies to reactive, punitive institutionalization. The…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on case management services. Papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Providing Intensive Child Case Management Services: What Do Case Managers Do with Their Time?" (Gail B. Werrbach and James Harrod); (2) "Outcome-Oriented Case…

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the impact of residency and guardianship requirements on the provision of educational opportunities to homeless children and youth. Specifically, the study sought to identify existing legal entanglements, from both state and local policy sources, that resulted in the denial of a free, appropriate public…

This paper from a symposium on shut out youth identifies some of the key social, cultural, and economic issues that must be considered to understand the phenomenon of youth homelessness. Researchers and practitioners address the problem of Europe's unmet housing needs. The factors which contribute to these needs and problems are the following: (1)…

This discussion document from a symposium on shut out youth attempts to heighten awareness of the housing problems experienced by youth in Ireland. It is based on information obtained from a questionnaire sent to voluntary organizations working in local areas. It focuses on homelessness and its related issues of health, education, and the…

The 1980s brought an unprecedented rise in the number of homeless families with children. That there may be as many as three million homeless persons in the United States, with families representing one-third of this population, indicates that homelessness is a social problem of catastrophic proportions. This paper finds that while Federal…

Educational and developmental researchers suggest that children who have experienced homelessness suffer both in self-esteem and in literacy development, although early research is not complete. The Reading Connection (TRC), a community-based nonprofit organization in northern Virginia, focuses on the social aspect of reading, rather than…

This document describes a program designed for women and children living in homeless shelters to offer them creative, interactive experiences. The activities served to provide personal contact with the children and to read with them; help the families participate in creative expressions of self; and provide visits with the larger community. These…