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According
to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1.35 million U.S.
children are homeless on any given night. (2000)
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Families
with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population,
accounting for almost 41% of the nation's homeless. (2005)
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In 2003,
children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless
population.
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42% of
homeless children are under the age of five.
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Nearly 20%
of homeless children lack a regular source of medical care.
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Homeless
children are hungry more than twice as often as other children.
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Almost 1/3
of low-income families do not have enough money to prepare three
meals a day.
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14% of
homeless children are diagnosed with learning disabilities -
double the rate of other children.
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21% of
homeless children repeat a grade because of frequent absence from
school.
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Within a
single school year, 41% of homeless students attend two different
schools, 28% attend three or more.
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For
children and youth identified as homeless by State Departments of
Education, 35% lived in shelters, 34% lived doubled up with family
or friends and 23% lived in motels or other locations. (FY 2000)
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Poverty and
lack of affordable housing are the principal causes of family
homelessness.
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Today, 35.2%
of persons living in poverty are children (2007).
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In Michigan,
1/3 of homeless families are working poor.
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51% of
homeless people in Michigan are adults and children in families.
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MISD
Homeless Education Project for Children & Youth Student Count
by year in Macomb County:
Sources:
Homes for the Homeless, The Institute for Children and Poverty, and The
Better Homes Fund, U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005, National Coalition
for the Homeless.
