Many different terms are used to describe young people experiencing homelessness, including street youth, street kids, runaways, and homeless youth. Youth homelessness means young people between the ages of 13 and 24 who are not living with parents and/or caregivers, lack many of the social supports necessary to go from childhood to adulthood, and do not have a stable or reliable place to live or source of income. Many don’t have access to the support networks needed to make a safe and nurturing move into the responsibilities of being an adult.

Being homeless can result in many long-term issues, including: