Runaway Youth

As a kid, I threatened to run away at least a few times a month. Once, I even made it as far as the railroad tracks a mile and a half away. Fortunately, I had just (barely) enough sense to turn around and head back to my house. My life was comfortable and I had no excuse for my tantrums so they faded quickly. For many youth, however, running away from home is a reality.

Homelessness among young people is a serious issue. Homeless youth, sometimes referred to as unaccompanied youth, are individuals who lack parental, foster or institutional care. The National Runaway Switchboard estimates that on any given night there are approximately 1.3 million homeless youth living unsupervised on the streets, in abandoned buildings, with friends or with strangers. Homeless youth are at a higher risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitation, mental health disabilities, substance abuse, and death. It is estimated that 5,000 unaccompanied youth die each year as a result of assault, illness, or suicide.

*One in seven young people between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away.
*Youth age 12 to 17 are more at risk of homelessness than adults.
*75 percent of runaways are female.
*Estimates of the number of pregnant homeless girls are between 6 and 22 percent.
*Between 20 and 40% of homeless youth identify as Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender.
*46 % of runaway and homeless youth reported being physically abused.
*38 % reported being emotionally abused.
*17 % reported being sexual abused by a family or household member.
*75 % of homeless or runaway youth have dropped out or will drop out of school.

The reasons for running away vary.

Many youth run away, and in turn become homeless, due to problems in the home, including physical and sexual abuse, mental health disorders of a family member, substance abuse and addiction of a family member, and parental neglect. In some cases, youth are asked to leave the home because the family is unable to provide for their specific mental health or disability needs. Still some youth are pushed out of their homes because their parents cannot afford to care for them.

Youth who have been involved in the foster care system are more likely to become homeless at an earlier age and remain homeless for a longer period of time. Youth aging out of the foster care system often have little or no income support and limited housing options and are at higher risk to end up on the streets. Youth that live in residential or institutional facilities often become homeless upon discharge. In addition, very few homeless youth are able to seek housing in emergency shelters due to the lack of shelter beds for young people and shelter admission policies.

Some youth become homeless when their families fall into difficult financial situations resulting from lack of affordable housing, difficulty obtaining or maintaining a job, or lack of medical insurance or other benefits. These youth become homeless with their families, but later can find themselves separated from them and/or living on the streets alone, often due to shelter or child welfare policies.

The consequences of life on the street for homeless and runaway youth can be deadly.
There is an increased likelihood of high-risk behaviors, including engaging in unprotected sex, having multiple sex partners and participating in intravenous drug use. Youth who engage in these high-risk behaviors are more likely to remain homeless and be more resistant to change. There is also a greater risk of severe anxiety and depression, suicide, poor health and nutrition, and low self-esteem.

Difficulty attending school due to lack of required enrollment records (such as immunization and medical records and proof of residence) as well as lack of access to transportation to and from school. As a result, homeless youth often have a hard time getting an education and supporting themselves financially.

I hope this changes our perception of kids who run away. Life on the streets is no place for youth and the situations driving them from their homes can be devastating.

-Information courtesy of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.