Children & Youth

In Philadelphia, more than 800 children and youth live in emergency or transitional housing facilities on any given day hundreds more are living doubled up. They face strikingly more challenges and have far fewer positive opportunities than other young people. The combination of growing poverty, rising housing costs, and government cuts in services has resulted in families who are experiencing homelessness residing in the system not for days or weeks, but for months and even years.

In the Philadelphia region, PEC leads advocacy campaigns to create a supportive policy and funding environment that meets the needs of homeless children and youth. These campaigns include the Children’s Committee of the Family Service Provider Network (FSPN) and the Campaign to End Child Homelessness.

Nationally, PEC also works with the National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness, and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

PEC’s publications page also features a section on children and youth who are experiencing homelessness, which includes policy briefs, BrainGain@PEC, and testimony.

For information, the Policy Department, or call 215.382.7522 x 264.