Family problems force UK youths onto streets
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Sun, 25 Jan 1998 16:57:53 -0800 (PST)
FWD from BBC News December 22, 1997 UK
FAMILY PROBLEMS FORCE YOUTHS INTO STREETS
The report says many young people do not choose to be homeless
Family problems are one of the main causes of homelessness among young
people, according to a new survey.
Almost half of the 3,000 homeless people aged under 25 surveyed said that
physical and other abuse, marital breakdown between parents and other family
problems had forced them to leave home.
The report also challenges the view that it is only big cities that have a
problem with young people living on the streets.
It highlights problems in three provincial areas - Lincolnshire, Crawley and
Horsham in West Sussex, and South Yorkshire, where interviews were conducted
between November 1996 and October 1997.
The report was published by The Network, a partnership between the homeless
charity Shelter and Midland Bank.
Shelter director Chris Holmes said: "This research explodes the myth that young
people choose to be homeless.
"For most of them family breakdown, actual violence or abuse means they find
themselves facing housing difficulties through no fault of their own.
"It is particularly worrying that there are so many people under 18 facing
homelessness, but even these high figures are just the tip of the iceberg
since so many young people who have housing difficulties do not contact
local agencies, turning to friends for advice instead.
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