ABSTRACT
Homelessness can be a terrible experience for young people. In areas where there are few hostel, YMCA or foyer bed spaces, young people often ‘sofa surf’; they sleep on a friend’s sofa or floor, move to another friend, to another and also sleep rough for brief periods. Even in areas where there is provision for young homeless people, many will have difficulty finding that provision. On top of the insecurity, uncertainty and worry of homelessness there are also problems associated with why they became homeless. A minority may be homeless because they had spent some of their lives in institutions (care homes, or even custody), but others are homeless because they have been evicted from their family home, or chose to leave.
