Child Homelessness on the Rise, Report Says

The number of homeless children in America has reached new heights, exacerbated by the economic downturn, according to a report released on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

At least 1.6 million children, or one in 45, are homeless in the United States, with the majority of those under the age of 7, the National Center on Family Homelessness said in its latest report.

The overall number of homeless children rose 38 percent from 2007 to 2010, the report said.

“There are more homeless children today than after the natural disasters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which caused historic levels of homelessness in 2006,” stated Ellen L. Bassuk in a press release. She is head of the Massachusetts-based advocacy group.

Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas have the worst rates of homelessness for children, respectively, while Vermont, Minnesota, and Nebraska were ranked the best in the report.

According to the report, homeless children suffer from a wide range of problems, including hunger, poor physical health, poor emotional health, and limited academic proficiency.