ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with homeless young people in Wales, looks at the numbers, the characteristics and the reasons behind youth homelessness there and considers how agencies are dealing with the problem on the ground. Estimating numbers is a notoriously unreliable way of assessing the extent of homelessness. Youth homelessness, as an issue and as a day-to-day experience, cannot be considered apart from the fast changing backdrop of government policy and legislation. If homelessness amongst young women and young people from ethnic minority groups tends to be hidden, then it must be remembered that homelessness amongst young people in general also tends to be hidden. Within the legislation, it would appear that inadequate thought and understanding have been given to the issues of young people and homelessness with the result that much legislation is often inadequate, inappropriate and sometimes contradictory.
