Homeless Youth Services 1 Running head: HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES Homeless Youth Services and Their Relation to Children’s Day in The Plaza

Families make up 40 percent of the homeless population in America and within these families more than 1.3 million children are homeless at some time each year (Bassuk & Friedman, 2005). Homeless parents face unique challenges in the sense that they are required to look to public services to provide basic needs for their children. Children who are homeless face distinct disadvantages related to their development, physical and mental health, and education (Bassuk & Paquette, 2009). Bassuk, Brooks, and Weinreb found a need for family oriented programs that consider the emotional status of mothers as well as the traumatic life events and stressors experienced by children (1999). Homeless families are more likely to have multiple traumas in their lives. A few examples are domestic violence, community violence, and abuse. If they experienced those traumas while they were housed, it is more likely that they will experience further trauma while homeless (Bassuk & Friedman, 2005). Experiencing trauma increases the likelihood of developmental and psychological problems in children. These neurological, social, emotional, psychological, behavioral, and cognitive problems in homeless children negatively effect their developmental growth and put them at risk for ongoing mental health problems (Baggerly &amp