Newly Homeless Youth Typically Return Home

Abstract

Abstract165 newly homeless adolescents from Melbourne, Australia and 261 from Los Angeles, United States were surveyed and followed for two years. Most newly homeless adolescents returned home (70% U.S., 47% Australia) for significant amounts of time (39% U.S., 17% Australia more than 12 months) within two years of becoming homeless. Keywordshomeless; homeless youth; runaways; Australia A large number of cross-sectional, epidemiological studies have documented the high rates of risky health behaviors and negative outcomes for homeless youth (i.e., runaway/throwaway youth) [1]. Representative cross-sectional data suggest that 1.7 million youth [2], approximately 7.6% of U.S. youth, experience at least one night of homelessness annually [3]. Globally, there is a perception that leaving home leads to chronic homelessness, but there are no longitudinal data to support or dispute this assumption. This study examines the rate and timing of returning home over 24 months among samples of newly homeless youth in Los Angeles, California and Melbourne, Australia. MethodsEach newly homeless youth was identified by an interviewer conducting a 13-item screening that established whether the youth: 1) was aged 12 to 20 years; 2) had spent at least two consecutive nights away from home (after being ejected or leaving without a guardian's permission); and 3) had lived away from home for less than six months. Time away rather than number of homeless episodes defined a newly homeless adolescent as determined from conversations with service providers. The sampling procedure varied slightly across countries, reflecting differences in the type, number, and geographical distribution of agencies serving homeless youth and policies in each setting [4]. In California, the probabilities of newly homeless youth presenting in each shelter (n = 17) and street site (n = 13) were assessed and an interviewing rotation plan was designed to yield a representative sample. In Australia, recruitment was based on staff referral from 95 service and homeless service agencies in Melbourne. In Los Angeles, 261 newly homeless youth were recruited (58% female; 23%For correspondence and reprint requests, contact Dr. Norweeta Milburn, UCLA, Center for Community Health, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite #350, Los Angeles, CA, 90024-6521. Telephone: (310) 794-3773; Fax: (310) 794-8297; E-mail: nmilburn@mednet.ucla.edu Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. African American, 43% Latino, and 20% White) and 165 newly homeless youth in Melbourne were recruited (75% female) ranging from 12 to 20 years old (M = 17.3; SD = 1...

Finding Shelter: Two-Year Housing Trajectories Among Homeless Youth

“…The estimated 41% of the entire sample classified to the consistently sheltered trajectory indicates that a substantial proportion of youth attending homeless youth serving agencies are able to consistently maintain some type of shelter over time. Many may be able to maintain consistent shelter by returning home, as found in a longitudinal study of newly homeless youth [15]. The current results also indicate that unsheltered homeless youth recruited from homeless youth serving agencies were nearly twice as likely to follow a trajectory of chronic difficulty maintaining consistent shelter, as they are to follow a trajectory in which youth more quickly come to maintain consistent shelter.…”

“…These results suggest the possible value of working with the families of homeless youth to help youth to be able to safely return home, whenever possible [15].…”

“…Among two samples (United States and Australia) of newly homeless youth who were followed up for 2 years, many returned home (70% United States, 47% Australia), and stayed for Ն12 months (39% United States, 17% Australia) [15]. Beyond this study of newly homeless youth, the previously published data empirically identifying patterns of youth homelessness are lacking.…”

Service Engagement in Interventions for Street-Connected Children and Young People: A Summary of Evidence Supplementing a Recent Cochrane–Campbell Review

“…Nevertheless, studies evaluating individual and symptom-oriented therapeutic interventions with street-connected youth populations using randomised controlled trials are increasingly common (Kidd 2012); albeit that the interventions reflect a relatively broad range of therapeutic orientations, including systemic and ecological approaches. In parallel, a body of research examining the predictors and processes of exiting homelessness over a longer time period has been emerging in a number of high-income countries over recent years (Cheng et al 2013;Mallett et al 2009;Milburn et al 2009;Milburn et al 2007;Roy et al 2014;Slesnick et al 2008a;Slesnick et al 2013b;Whitbeck 2012). Such broader perspectives suggest that available services typically play a limited role in facilitating social reintegration, relative to other factors.…”

Impact of Running Away on Girls' Sexual Onset

“…Subsequent runaway episodes are not uncommon. The average youth reports an additional seven runaways from home [3], although 70% of youth who leave home for less than 6 months return [4]. Numerous studies explore the relationship between running away and sexual activity.…”