Family Dynamics Contributing to Homelessness

Family Conflict and Violence

Both homeless and runaway youth frequently state that family conflict is the main cause of their situation. Child abuse, severe violence, and neglect are more common among these young people. As such, family dynamics were reported by nearly 90% of runaway youth in Family Youth Service Bureau (FYSB) shelters and 75.5% of those in residential programs as a major contributing factor to their homelessness. In addition, youth who are homeless frequently face high rates of sexual and physical abuse. Compared to the estimated 1% to 3% in the general population, rates of sexual abuse among youth experiencing homelessness tend to be in the range of 21% to 42%. Everyone has the right to a safe living environment, especially young individuals. However, family conflict not only violates these rights but also leads to the cause of many youths who end up on the streets. Moreover, it is evident that family dynamics are a significant factor leading to homelessness.

Overarching Issue

Homelessness within families has become a significant issue, as since the beginning of the early 1980s, families with young children have become one of the fastest-growing groups of the homeless population and now make up 34% of the total homeless population. This research indicates that 420,000 families, of which 924,000 of whom are children, are homeless in the U.S. in any given year. Moreover, as research has shown, issues within families are contributing greatly to the number of homeless youth. Without a stable shelter, youth must face many challenges, as their opportunities to succeed are limited and their education is disrupted. Ultimately, this impacts their ability to find a stable job that will be able to provide for them and their families, which feeds into the cycle of homelessness as their children proceed to be born into homelessness, limiting their opportunities in life. Homelessness can have significant long-term effects on one's physical and mental health, especially when combined with abuse and neglect. Therefore, it is important to resolve underlying family issues to protect youth and prevent homelessness from increasing.

Resolutions

Some solutions that could resolve this would be to reach out to anyone around who seems to be suffering from this issue. Family homelessness is often hidden, as many families are couch-surfing and staying in temporary residences. Ultimately, it is crucial to provide support and guide those around you to prevent the issue of homelessness from growing. Professionals recommend that those experiencing family conflict should try to promote open communication, identify underlying issues, and reach out to support services. Significantly, as family dynamics are a contributing factor to homelessness due to mental instability, it is important to identify this issue and resolve it. By establishing a positive connection within the family, family members will be able to improve their health and handle financial difficulties. Overall, many little aspects can make a big difference, and something you can do to resolve this issue is to begin by identifying if anyone around you is suffering.

References

Family Conflict and Violence | Youth.gov. (n.d.). https://youth.gov/youth-topics/family-conflict-and-violence

Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. (2007, September 30). ASPE. https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/characteristics-dynamics-homeless-families-children-0

The Cycle of Impossibility: Pathways into and out of Family Homelessness | The Homeless

Hub. (n.d.). https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/cycle-impossibility-pathways-and-out-family-homelessness

Family conflict. (n.d.). Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/family-conflict