Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Education
Homelessness often causes long-term implications for young people’s educational outcomes and their futures. Read on to learn more about the prevalence of young people experiencing homelessness in Chester County, its impact on education, the local resources available, and how you can help make a difference.
The Prevalence of Young People Experiencing Homelessness in Chester County
According to the 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count, 213 people were experiencing homelessness in Chester County on January 24, 2024, and 30% of the homeless population were children. 63 children under age 18 were staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing, and 101 individuals (or 47% of people experiencing homelessness) were part of families with children. This highlights the ongoing challenge of young people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Impact of Homelessness on Education
Young people experiencing homelessness face many obstacles to enrolling in, attending and excelling in school. Young people experiencing homelessness may struggle to get consistent transportation to school, have issues completing residency requirements, or may have an inability to obtain previous school records. Some young people experiencing homelessness may not have adequate clothing or school supplies. Being healthy enough to attend school is also a concern – according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, young people experiencing homelessness are in fair or poor health twice as often as other children and also experience more mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and withdrawal. They are two times more likely to experience hunger than their housed peers, and four times more likely to have delayed development.
All these impacts mean that young people experiencing homelessness may miss more school or need to transfer mid-year, leading to inconsistent education and limited access to support services. The risk of not graduating high school is higher for students who experience instability in their education. These factors contribute to higher dropout rates and lower academic performance among young people experiencing homelessness.
Local Housing Resources
Chester County has implemented several programs to support young people experiencing homelessness and their families. The Eviction Prevention Case Resolution Program is designed to reduce eviction filings in the county, and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program supported rent costs for community members who suffered an income reduction as a result of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program ended in February of this year and there is still much to be done to address the crisis of youth people experiencing homelessness in our county.
How You Can Help
When students experiencing homelessness are able to attend school regularly and don’t have to transfer mid-year, research shows that they can graduate high school at rates similar to their housed peers. Addressing homelessness for young people requires the collective effort of the entire community. Donations to Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness partners are essential in order to sustain the programs that support young people experiencing homelessness. Your contributions can provide shelter and food, expand the number of affordable housing units in our county, increase educational resources, and provide other essential services to children in need. To make a difference today, please visit our housing solution partners page and contribute to the fight against homelessness in Chester County.