The purpose of the current study was to explore whether selfcompassion predicted psychological distress over and above childhood maltreatment and attachment orientation in high-risk youths. Fifty-one youths (31 males, 20 females) aged 17 to 24, recruited from a community non-profit organization in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada,…

Not all students are dealt the same cards in life and some seem to have the deck stacked against them. Those who are dealt a particularly difficult hand to play include homeless, foster care, and juvenile justice students. As professionals who often know the most about mental health, service delivery, interdisciplinary collaboration, and crisis…

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) submits this Report to the Legislature pursuant to section 165 of chapter 133 of the acts of 2016 (the FY17 general appropriations act): "The department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the executive office for administration and finance and the executive…

This pilot study builds on national literature by describing the characteristics of Colorado youth who were formerly in foster care and later accessed homeless services as young adults. State-focused data are important as youth experiencing homelessness typically stay in their state of origin. It was not possible in this study to estimate the…

The Policy Advocacy and Social Change course is a specialized practice course offered in the Master of Social Work Program (MSW) at the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. The course is designed to introduce MSW students to a variety of policy frameworks (i.e., Kingdon's policy window, political model of…

Homelessness remains a persistent problem in the United States, calling for continuing engagement to address this issue across the micro-macro social work practice continuum. Social work educators have an imperative to expose the next generation of practitioners to this complex social issue and provide opportunities for students to develop…

Homelessness among college students is a diverse phenomenon, encompassing different age groups, family compositions, causes, and dynamics. One of the most significant barriers to higher education for youth experiencing homelessness is accessing financial aid; without financial aid, they cannot transition to and complete their college education,…

This chapter describes the ways that the trauma of childhood frames the academic, social, and personal lives of many foster youth as they navigate higher education. In particular, we focus on the role of homelessness, social network fragmentation, and abuse and neglect.

Homeless youth frequently meet diagnosis criteria for depressive and/or substance use disorder(s). Although prior research has established that both social connectedness and self-efficacy buffer vulnerable youth's adverse health outcomes, few studies have compared the potential of these protective factors on homeless youth's mental well-being. The…

This study explores in depth interviews of parents, teachers, and educators within the confined geographical boundary of Santa Cruz County, California in order to offer to the broader community a more concise look at the challenges families and schools face in addressing the issue of family homelessness. The current state of family homelessness is…

In compliance with new regulations under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the State of Michigan recently released graduation, dropout and attendance rate data for homeless students for school years 2012-13 through 2016-17. This policy brief examines the state's newly available public education graduation and dropout data and finds dramatic…

Housing instability and homelessness are highly detrimental to children and youth, and the effects often linger long after the experience itself. Students who have experienced homelessness are more likely to drop out of school and, in turn, adults without a high school degree or GED are more likely to experience homelessness themselves. Under the…

The current Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which contains the most recent reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act (M-V), places a focus on homeless youth that is intended to facilitate access to K-12 education, higher education and eliminate barriers in-between the two. Through each reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act since its…

The spontaneous narratives of three brothers, ages 5, 8, and 11, in response to a structured story stem task were analysed for representations of positive and negative family interactions. The children had lived their entire lives with no permanent home, and often on the streets, in the care of their mother. The story stem task presented brief…

A growing body of research focusing on male students of color has provided insights for educators to better understand the academic challenges that impact their success. However, minimal attention has centered on the essential needs that influence their daily experiences in college. This qualitative study explored the experiences of male students…