The foster care system is broken. Our youth are being set up for failure. Children, who have no control over where they call home, endure abuse, neglect, and irreversible trauma. Once they outgrow the system, who is responsible for them?
Approximately 2.5 million children in America face homelessness each year; that is 1 in 30 children. These children suffer physically, mentally, and often struggle as adults if they are not helped. It is fundamental that we support these children in order to give them a fair chance at success and happiness.
According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, more than 1.3 million children experience homelessness each year, with families making up 40% of those experiencing homelessness in the United States. Many of these families and children previously experienced trauma before becoming homeless. They can also be more likely to experience cycles of trauma. To illustrate, children undergoing homelessness are more likely to be sick and hungry, face learning disabilities, and experience major mental disorders than their housed children counterparts.
