Introduction
Despite the fact that the modern world actively struggles with such a social problem as homelessness, this issue is still topical. The theme of children deprived of their permanent residence is particularly alarming. Guardianship authorities try to find ways to protect young people from leaving their homes. Parents, as a rule, impart to adolescents the value of the family in order to prevent children’s voluntary vagrancy. However, sometimes, homelessness is forced and cannot be controlled by anyone. The impact of such an antisocial lifestyle on children and adolescents is significant since their further adaptation in society is under threat, and health risks arise.
Issue Identification
The theme of vagrancy among children and adolescents is raised by sociologists, psychologists, and other researchers in the modern world quite often. All the sorts of resources offer to consider this problem from different points of view, taking into account various factors – housing conditions, relationships with parents and peers, and other aspects. Moreover, discussions are also devoted to the difference between life on the street and in an orphanage. As Buckner (2008) remarks, “the living conditions of housed low-income children can be quite decrepit, thereby attenuating the contrast between them and children living in shelter” (p. 732). At the same time, the problem remains topical despite the efforts of social services to reduce the level of homelessness among children. Accordingly, the search for the necessary methods of solution is necessary, and the review of various resources may help to find valuable information on this issue.
Issue Delineation
According to statistics, the public should be interested in the problem of child homelessness since facts existing are alarming. As Helmore (2018) argues, “one in 10 young adults aged 18 to 25 in the US have slept on the streets, in shelters, run away, been kicked out of home, or couch-surfed” (para. 1). This percentage is frightening, considering that teenagers have enough opportunities to discuss their problems with adults and not to resort to such cardinal measures. Raleigh-DuRoff (2004) presents slightly different statistics, claiming that every eighth child leaves home for personal reasons, and, what is more important in the situation with these children, “40% do not return” (p. 561). These data are essential not only for social services but also for parents because they can have a significant role in influencing children and preventing adolescent vagrancy.
Additional Aspects of the Topic
The theme of child homelessness is relevant for various reasons. Firstly, it has a strong impact on the reputation of the country as a developed and democratic state. According to Oliveira and Burke (2009), “approximately 1.7 million youth are homeless in the United States” (154). This figure may indicate that insufficiently effective work is done to prevent adolescent vagrancy, and social agencies fail to cope with the tasks set. Secondly, such a problem demonstrates that the concept of the family deserves more attention, and this issue should be discussed not only at the local but also at the state level. If the government does not take measures to correct the current situation, the percentage of homeless children may increase, which is unacceptable.
It is also essential to pay attention to the categories of those teenagers who voluntarily choose the life of the homeless. As Milburn et al. (2009) note, modern children who prefer to wander do not always come from disadvantaged families. The authors argue that the average age of such adolescents was lower earlier, and many of them attended schools, lived in full families, did not use drugs, and were more consistent with the image of ordinary children (Milburn et al., 2009). This fact makes one think about additional reasons that provoke teenagers’ desire to abandon their families and lead an antisocial way of life.
Personal Reasoning
The topic under consideration deserves attention because, in the modern world, homelessness among children and adolescents is an unacceptable phenomenon from the point of view of morality and social values promoted by the state. It is necessary to distinguish runaway and homeless teenagers. For the first category, leaving home is usually the result of impulsive behavior for an external effect. A child knows that his or her family will do everything possible to bring him or her home and achieve reconciliation. As a rule, those adolescents who run away from their homes want to return there. Unlike runaway children, many teenagers become homeless because of the general crisis situation in their families. It is no longer an impulsive reaction to a specific problem but the consequence of pathological relationships. Before becoming homeless, a teenager may live in unbearable conditions and suffer hunger, violence, and cruelty for a long time. Therefore, the participation of guardianship authorities is extremely important in the lives of those children who are at risk.
Based on the information in the materials read, all the conclusions look plausible and logical. For instance, the opinion of Oliveira and Burke (2009) that modern homelessness among young people is partly a trend and the means of expressing personal freedom seems objective, especially when looking at the statistics. In academic works, various valuable factors accompanying adolescent vagrancy are touched upon, and potential solutions to this problem are mentioned. Therefore, the readings are useful and can be applied as tools for additional studies.
Further Research
In order to find the ways to solve the problem under consideration, further research may be conducted. For instance, the satisfaction of the target group of teenagers with the current situation in their families can be considered for a comprehensive picture. In the materials used, there were enough participants to obtain valuable information about the stated problem. The methodology used was reasonable and did not contradict the research objectives. The conclusions obtained from the readings corresponded to the aims work, and all the articles read were trustworthy. The credibility of information may be explained by the fact that the materials have scientific justifications and those approaches that are typical for academic research. However, not all the sources are reliable today since some of them are outdated, and additional work can be done to find more relevant information.
Conclusion
Child and adolescent homelessness is a significant social vice that adversely affects the adaptation of young people and their stable physical and mental development. The problem is viewed from various perspectives by different authors, and many conclusions are valuable in terms of drawing attention to the issue. The statistics given is threatening, therefore, appropriate measures should be taken, and the topic should be discussed at the state level. Additional studies may be conducted on the topic of children’s satisfaction with the current living conditions in their families in order to obtain reliable facts.
References
Buckner, J. C. (2008). Understanding the impact of homelessness on children: Challenges and future research directions. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(6), 721-736. Web.
Helmore, E. (2018). US study finds 1 in 10 youth experience some form of homelessness.The Guardian. Web.
Milburn, N., Liang, L. J., Lee, S. J., Rotheram-Borus, M. J., Rosenthal, D., Mallett, S.,… Lester, P. (2009). Who is doing well? A typology of newly homeless adolescents. Journal of Community Psychology, 37(2), 135-147. Web.
Oliveira, J. O. S., & Burke, P. J. (2009). Lost in the shuffle: Culture of homeless adolescents. Pediatric Nursing, 35(3), 154-161.
Raleigh-DuRoff, C. (2004). Factors that influence homeless adolescents to leave or stay living on the street. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 21(6), 561-571. Web.