Homelessness is even more prevalent among children of color -Black, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan high school students disproportionately experience homelessness compared to their white or Asian peers. Young children - those under 6 - experience twice that rate with 1-in-18 living in homeless situations. These situations often result in overcrowding, which is particularly dangerous during a pandemic because it makes social distancing and remote learning near impossible.Ĭhild and youth homelessness in the United States is all too common -the latest national data shows that an estimated 1-in-41 school-age children are homeless. Children and youth are forced to make frequent moves and cycle between inadequate and often unsafe situations, causing disruption to children’s education, healthcare, and more. While homelessness for children and youth can take different forms, it always results in frequent upheaval, volatility, and a loss of stability. As a result, children and youth often end up in situations that force them to be hidden in their community and disconnected from assistance. Shelter policies may also prevent families from all staying together. Many communities have no family or youth shelters, and even if they do, shelters are often full. Homeless children, youth, and families have to stay where they can due to a lack of alternatives and/or fear of authorities. Throughout the United States, homeless children like Kyah remain hidden in their communities as they sleep on the couch or floor of another person’s home, in hotel or motel rooms, cars, or on public transportation. For the past year, 14-year-old Kyah has slept on the floor of a relative’s house, living out of a single room with her mother and older sister.
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