Youth Homelessness: A review of the literature

Youth Homelessness is perhaps the most extreme form of poverty and social exclusion today, with those residing 'out of home' amongst the most vulnerable in society (Focus Ireland, 2010). While homelessness has traditionally been viewed as a male experience and problem, recent decades has seen the nature and composition of the homeless changing significantly, with an increase in women and children, and a drop in the average age 'out of home' (Focus Ireland, 2011). This paper focuses specifically on this population of younger homeless, defines and describes youth homeless in Ireland and discusses the causes of homelessness among this vulnerable population.