growing population of homeless children

[strollingbones]

do we simply let this go on..with the realization that these homeless kids will be the next generation of criminals, misfits and outcasts? how do you resolve broken homes where the woman has the children and cant cope with them? where one spouse has walked off, giving no financial support? is the nation being a penny wise and a pound foolish by not dealing with the homeless kids?

Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless - CNN.com

not a long article at all..

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found

 

[Gunny]

do we simply let this go on..with the realization that these homeless kids will be the next generation of criminals, misfits and outcasts? how do you resolve broken homes where the woman has the children and cant cope with them? where one spouse has walked off, giving no financial support? is the nation being a penny wise and a pound foolish by not dealing with the homeless kids?

Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless - CNN.com

not a long article at all..

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found

We already have the mechanisms n place to deal with this issue. It is about as adequate to cope as our immigrations laws and enforcement, and given about as much attention.

The children CHOOSE to take the route they do, and avoid law enforcement/child welfare. Not a lot that can be done about that in a supposedly free society.

 

[strollingbones]

the focus of social services has shifted over the last few decades from the best interest of the child ..to the focus being on keeping families together.. foster care systems are overburdened on a good day...its time for this country to consider the concept of old fashioned orphanages

 

[Gunny]

the focus of social services has shifted over the last few decades from the best interest of the child ..to the focus being on keeping families together.. foster care systems are overburdened on a good day...its time for this country to consider the concept of old fashioned orphanages

Not sure there is a perfect answer. No matter what you do, an orphaned child is going to be affected by it. What is in the child's best interest is subjective. I agree with you though that it shouldn't be just one or the other.

We try to set these government agencies up with one-size-fits-all answers to every question and that, IMO is wrong. Individual necessity plays no part in decision-making. It's what does Rule 3 para 10 state is the correct, we won't be held liable solution.

 

[Ravi]

The children CHOOSE to take the route they do, and avoid law enforcement/child welfare.

 

[editec]

Families are in trouble...ergo children are in trouble.

This is not rocket science...it's much harder than mere rocketry to work out and keep on the right path.

It's social science.

 

[Newby]

Your version of the article is different than the version that I read. Mine stated that an estimated 1.5 million children experienced homelessness during that time period, not that there are that many homeless at one time or that they remained homeless, just that they had experienced it at one point during that time frame. To me that's a rather large distinction, so I question the validity of what it is they're trying to portray here.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,507589,00.html

NEW YORK — One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem.

The report being released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness gives Connecticut the best ranking. Texas is at the bottom.

"These kids are the innocent victims, yet it seems somehow or other they get left out," said the center's president, Dr. Ellen Bassuk. "Why are they America's outcasts?"

The report analyzes data from 2005-2006. It estimates that 1.5 million children experienced homelessness at least once that year, and says the problem is surely worse now because of the foreclosures and job losses of the deepening recession.

 

[editec]

Whole lotta kids here in Maine who are couch surfing.

 

[auditor0007]

do we simply let this go on..with the realization that these homeless kids will be the next generation of criminals, misfits and outcasts? how do you resolve broken homes where the woman has the children and cant cope with them? where one spouse has walked off, giving no financial support? is the nation being a penny wise and a pound foolish by not dealing with the homeless kids?

Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless - CNN.com

not a long article at all..

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found

This is a problem. The question is what do we do about it? Throw a bunch of money at it? The main reason for this is so many women having children out of wedlock. The fathers disappear and never have any involvement in the child's life, and they many never support these kids. I don't have figures on it, but I'd be willing to bet that over 75% of these kids are being raised by single mothers and are not receiving child support from the fathers.

One thing that is definitely needed is better enforcement of child support laws from these MIA fathers. All too often, these people find any way possible to not take responsibility for their actions.

 

[DavidS]

Let them get jobs. When I was a child, I worked for a living.

 

[Shogun]

we can always Zion them and drop some phosphorus weapons on them. They probably want to kill jews anyway.

 

[editec]

do we simply let this go on..with the realization that these homeless kids will be the next generation of criminals, misfits and outcasts? how do you resolve broken homes where the woman has the children and cant cope with them? where one spouse has walked off, giving no financial support? is the nation being a penny wise and a pound foolish by not dealing with the homeless kids?

Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless - CNN.com

not a long article at all..

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found

This is a problem. The question is what do we do about it? Throw a bunch of money at it? The main reason for this is so many women having children out of wedlock.

Yes. or have children in a marriage which has broken up.

The fathers disappear and never have any involvement in the child's life, and they many never support these kids. I don't have figures on it, but I'd be willing to bet that over 75% of these kids are being raised by single mothers and are not receiving child support from the fathers.

Kids who are homelsss and still with their mothers are only part of the problem.

Kid on their own that are homeless are the other part of that problem.

One thing that is definitely needed is better enforcement of child support laws from these MIA fathers. All too often, these people find any way possible to not take responsibility for their actions.

What we often discover with these MIA fathers is they don't have enough money to support these families..

Again, all these problems come from the fact that workers are finding it impossible to make the kind of money it takes to support families.

I'm not denying or justifying anybody's bad actions, but the real root of the problems American families are facing are macroeconomic, as much as microeconomic.

 

[theunbubba]

Your version of the article is different than the version that I read. Mine stated that an estimated 1.5 million children experienced homelessness during that time period, not that there are that many homeless at one time or that they remained homeless, just that they had experienced it at one point during that time frame. To me that's a rather large distinction, so I question the validity of what it is they're trying to portray here.

NEW YORK — One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem.

The report being released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness gives Connecticut the best ranking. Texas is at the bottom.

"These kids are the innocent victims, yet it seems somehow or other they get left out," said the center's president, Dr. Ellen Bassuk. "Why are they America's outcasts?"

The report analyzes data from 2005-2006. It estimates that 1.5 million children experienced homelessness at least once that year, and says the problem is surely worse now because of the foreclosures and job losses of the deepening recession.

Yeah see,
This is more of what I thought it really was about. I was sitting here reading this thread and thinking this just isn't what I see on the street here in Knoxville. And we have a VERY extensive help network for the homeless. We have housing facilities for about 2,000 people here. The townsfolk are really getting worried about becoming a mecca for the homeless.

 

[KittenKoder]

Your version of the article is different than the version that I read. Mine stated that an estimated 1.5 million children experienced homelessness during that time period, not that there are that many homeless at one time or that they remained homeless, just that they had experienced it at one point during that time frame. To me that's a rather large distinction, so I question the validity of what it is they're trying to portray here.

NEW YORK — One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem.

The report being released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness gives Connecticut the best ranking. Texas is at the bottom.

"These kids are the innocent victims, yet it seems somehow or other they get left out," said the center's president, Dr. Ellen Bassuk. "Why are they America's outcasts?"

The report analyzes data from 2005-2006. It estimates that 1.5 million children experienced homelessness at least once that year, and says the problem is surely worse now because of the foreclosures and job losses of the deepening recession.

Yeah see,
This is more of what I thought it really was about. I was sitting here reading this thread and thinking this just isn't what I see on the street here in Knoxville. And we have a VERY extensive help network for the homeless. We have housing facilities for about 2,000 people here. The townsfolk are really getting worried about becoming a mecca for the homeless.

Housing for only 2K? We have at least 200K in Seattle now.

 

[KittenKoder]

It is true that experiencing homelessness is very different than the number who are homeless at one time. It's another example of reinterpreting the data to make a more sensationalized story.

Technically you are homeless any time you are not paying for your own place (own or rent), once you have reached the age of 18. Thus they can really exaggerate the numbers by including the children teen parents still living at home, any single parent who is living with their parents (octomom for example) and anyone staying with a friend for a short period of time. They can also increase the numbers by counting all the children in foster care since technically they also count as homeless.

 

[Newby]

There's always a slight of hand going on, and you can't trust what you read.

FOXNews.com - What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless'
Friday, March 13, 2009
By Joshua Rhett Miller

Print ShareThisA well publicized report this week that an estimated 1.5 million American children experienced homelessness in 2005-06 did not use the federal definition of homelessness. Instead, it used a different definition that grossly inflated the actual number.

The report — released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness and reported by numerous news organizations, including FOXNews.com — estimated that one out of every 50 children in America experienced "homelessness" during that two-year span.

But rather than using the definition of homelessness established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Massachusetts-based organization used a standard adopted by the Department of Education that includes children who are "doubled up," or children who share housing with other persons due to economic hardship or similar reason.

The difference? About 1,170,000 children.

 

[KMAN]

do we simply let this go on..with the realization that these homeless kids will be the next generation of criminals, misfits and outcasts? how do you resolve broken homes where the woman has the children and cant cope with them? where one spouse has walked off, giving no financial support? is the nation being a penny wise and a pound foolish by not dealing with the homeless kids?

Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless - CNN.com

not a long article at all..

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found

Sure would've been nice to take all of that earmark money and apply that to this problem...

 

[Ravi]

There's always a slight of hand going on, and you can't trust what you read.

FOXNews.com - What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless'
Friday, March 13, 2009
By Joshua Rhett Miller

Print ShareThisA well publicized report this week that an estimated 1.5 million American children experienced homelessness in 2005-06 did not use the federal definition of homelessness. Instead, it used a different definition that grossly inflated the actual number.

The report — released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness and reported by numerous news organizations, including FOXNews.com — estimated that one out of every 50 children in America experienced "homelessness" during that two-year span.

But rather than using the definition of homelessness established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Massachusetts-based organization used a standard adopted by the Department of Education that includes children who are "doubled up," or children who share housing with other persons due to economic hardship or similar reason.

The difference? About 1,170,000 children.

So...if I'm staying in a homeless shelter I'm not really homeless?

 

[WillowTree]

There's always a slight of hand going on, and you can't trust what you read.

FOXNews.com - What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

What's In a Number? That Depends on How You Define 'Homeless'
Friday, March 13, 2009
By Joshua Rhett Miller

Print ShareThisA well publicized report this week that an estimated 1.5 million American children experienced homelessness in 2005-06 did not use the federal definition of homelessness. Instead, it used a different definition that grossly inflated the actual number.

The report — released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness and reported by numerous news organizations, including FOXNews.com — estimated that one out of every 50 children in America experienced "homelessness" during that two-year span.

But rather than using the definition of homelessness established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Massachusetts-based organization used a standard adopted by the Department of Education that includes children who are "doubled up," or children who share housing with other persons due to economic hardship or similar reason.
The difference? About 1,170,000 children.

So...if I'm staying in a homeless shelter I'm not really homeless?

in reading one gleans so much information..

 

[Newby]

I was thinking the same thing, her reading and/or comprehension skills are obviously sadly lacking.