Policy & Treatment of Homeless Children

This research examines the evolution of policy related to the treatment of homeless children. Policy within the context of this research refers to initiatives that tend to cause the numbers of homeless children to increase or decrease, as well as to initiatives designed to provide assistance or care to children after they become homeless. The primary period of interest in this research is from 1980 onward, although earlier policies affecting homeless children also are examined.

Early Approaches to Dealing With Homeless Children

An asylum was established for homeless girls by Trajan in ancient Rome to prevent their being sold into slavery (Simpson, 1987, p. 135). The first pressing need for the care of homeless children, however, developed subsequent to the "outlawing of infanticide by the early Christian church" (Simpson, 1987, p. 136). The problem of homelessness for children was exacerbated by the short life expectancy of adults.

Finally, in the twelfth century, Guy de Montpellier established the Order of the Holy Spirit to care for homeless children in France (Simpson, 1987, p. 136). Soon thereafter, Pope Innocent III called upon de Montpellier to establish a branch of the order in Rome.

Until the time of the Reformation, churches provided the only care available for homeless children. During the reign of Elizabeth I, however, the Poor Relief Act led to the establishment of state-operated community nu

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attempt attained any degree of success with any constituency other than the far right-wing of the political spectrum. Both the number and the demographic composition of the homeless in the United States were then and are today matters of dispute, a situation which well suited the Administration's attempt to define the problem out of existence (Cameron, 1994, pp. 29-35). Such disagreements occur for reasons of both societal structure and political motivation. First, consider the number of the homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy group, stated in 1988 that approximately three million persons in the United States will be homeless at some point during any given 12-month time period (Ehrlich, 1988, p. 132). By contrast, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that at any given time the homeless number between 250 and 400 thousand. Counting the homeless is at best a difficult undertaking. The homeless are not congregated in easily found locations. Further, locations are often fluid--the individual who sleeps under one freeway overpass tonight may sleep under another tomorrow, and the family that parks its car in a K-mart parking lot to sleep tonight, may park for the same
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Singamsetti Panik, President Reagan, Reagan Administration, Revolution York, Ozzie Harriet, Burt Cohen, Urban Development, Conclusions Poverty, Homeless Children, Budget President's, homeless children, reagan administration, simpson 1987, panik 1990, singamsetti panik 1990, federal housing, singamsetti panik, ehrlich 1988, federal government, main 1986, poverty rate, ehrlich 1988 133, social insurance transfers, means-tested income transfers, federal government budget,
Approximate Word count = 3786
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page)

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