At last, here is a compassionate, humane, and informative volume on the most unique and vulnerable group in our society today--homeless children. Homeless Children: The Watchers and the Waiters is unique because it offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the children and the enormously complicated causes of and solutions to their tragedy. The contributing authors discuss homeless children and the resolution of the problem, as well as the resulting policy and practice implications. From this single source of current research, policy, and practice information, you will better understand the circumstances of homelessness. You will also discover the impact of homelessness on children--the psychological effects on children’s development and behavior, the weakening of mother/child relationships, and the declining status of their physical health. Experts also describe the difficulties created by underfunded, poorly managed, and politically unpopular programs for homeless children, underscoring the need for a national policy to address the problem. Homeless Children: The Watchers and the Waiters is a thought-provoking and insightful book that must be read by professionals who work in human service agencies, sociologists, psychologists, health care workers, child care workers, teachers, and clergy. Policymakers, government officials, and child advocates must also read this masterful volume.

In his preface to this volume, Lester M. Salamon writes that "Homelessness among children and youth is too serious a problem to be ignored in our national social policy. Both for its immediate effects on those who are homeless, and for the inadequacies it reveals in our social support systems, homelessness among children and youth has truly become a national tragedy. If this book helps to bring this problem to national attention, to document its scope and consequences, and to point the way toward possible solutions, it will have amply served its purpose." Based on a conference sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies last year, this volume brings together some of the best research and policy analysis ever assembled on this important issue. Among the contributors are Lisa Mihaly, Marjorie J. Robertson, James D. Wright, Yvonne Rafferty, Kay Young McChesney, Chester Hartman, Michael A. Stegman, Linda A. Wolf, and Carol W. Williams. The volume covers issues from the scope of child homelessness to its broader impacts and causes and the social responses needed to copy with it. The volume focuses on two populations with differing needs and solutions: very young children (infants, pre-schoolers, and school age children) who are part of homeless families, and older young people who are homeless but on their own (pregnant teens and teen parents, runaways, and older adolescents). Central to the volume is a critical examination of the health, mental health, developmental and educational impacts produced by homelessness; causes of the problem in society, the economy, and our housing market, and the levels of existing support systems. In short, this is a comprehensive state-of-the-art examination of homelessness as it affects children, and will be greeted as such by policy-makers at all levels of government and by professionals in economics, sociology, social work, and urban studies.

Newman's ethnographic study considers the ways in which the family and school environments of eleven homeless school children affected their school performance. Homelessness is revealed to be multi-faceted, serving simultaneously as a cause, result, and potentiator of their families' problems. A variety of initiatives in the realms of policy, research, and practice are suggested for addressing the problems of these youngsters, as well as the problems of the many other extremely poor school children. First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, homelessness is as prevalent in rural as urban areas. This digest examines the implications of homelessness for rural children and youth and discusses possible actions by rural educators. An estimated half of the rural homeless are families with children. Compared to urban counterparts, rural homeless families are more likely to be female-headed households and to rely on family and friends rather than social agencies. In addition to lacking physical housing, homeless children are deprived of the emotional security that a home provides. Homeless children may be barred from school by residency requirements or missing records, and may struggle in school due to transience, emotional problems, poor nutrition, poverty-related health problems, domestic violence, or self-destructive behaviors. Homelessness is increasing in the United States as the income gap between rich and poor widens, child poverty increases, and housing costs rise. Schools can address the problems of homeless children by reconsidering attendance and other policies, providing in-school support for projects, and holding professional development workshops that help teachers identify and serve homeless children. Rural educators should compile information on local services and resources available to homeless families and may establish informal support mechanisms. Public policy involvement may be the best long-term strategy for educators.

An increasing number of families are becoming homeless, often as a result of domestic violence, which leaves women and their school age children without homes. This multidisciplinary volume is the first to look at the variety of problems encountered by this group and to propose strategies for managing those problems. The contributors to this book provide evidence that homeless children often have more acute problems and needs than other children; as a result of the insecurity of their situation, they may experience physical health problems and developmental delay. They are also at high risk of emotional and behavioural difficulties such as sleep disturbance, eating problems, aggression, over-activity, anxiety, depression and self-harm. At the same time, due to their unstable situation, they are less able to access support from the health, education and social services. Homeless Children defines the specific problems and needs of homeless children, and draws up practical guidelines for staff and agencies on recognising and dealing with those problems. It then looks at policy and service development for homeless families in education, health and social care, and concludes that conventional methods of provision have to be adapted to meet the specific needs of this vulnerable group.

The book concludes with recommendations for policies and programs that can prevent homelessness for children.

This book deals with street children who live in the developing world, and homeless youth who are from the developed world. They are referred to as children in street situations (CSS) to show that the problem is both in the children and in the situation they face. The book examines several aspects of the children and their street situations, including the families of origin and the homes they leave, the children’s social life, and mental health. Other aspects are the problems of published demographics, the construction of public opinion about these children and the, often violent, reactions from authorities. The book then discusses current research on children in street situations, as well as programs and policies. The book ends with recommendations about programs, policies and research.