Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts

Young adults experiencing homelessness face multiple challenges and are often confronted with additional barriers stemming from adverse past experiences. Whereas youth homelessness rates appear to increase across Europe, our knowledge on its nature in Belgium remains limited. Based on recent local p...

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Main Authors: Evelien Demaerschalk, Laure-lise Robben, Nana Mertens, Koen Hermans
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-08-01
Series:Youth
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/4/3/80
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author Evelien Demaerschalk
Laure-lise Robben
Nana Mertens
Koen Hermans
author_facet Evelien Demaerschalk
Laure-lise Robben
Nana Mertens
Koen Hermans
author_sort Evelien Demaerschalk
collection DOAJ
description Young adults experiencing homelessness face multiple challenges and are often confronted with additional barriers stemming from adverse past experiences. Whereas youth homelessness rates appear to increase across Europe, our knowledge on its nature in Belgium remains limited. Based on recent local point-in-time counts on homelessness in Belgium (2020–2022) and a focus group (2022) to interpret these results, we examine the profiles of more than 2000 homeless young adults and distinguish between three distinct groups (youth care leavers, Belgians with no care history, and newcomers). Alongside the need for universal prevention, tailored interventions are crucial for each subgroup to address their unique needs.
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publishDate 2024-08-01
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series Youth
spelling doaj-art-4284af6867d74ee5a0c4e2a22f9a12302025-08-20T01:56:13ZengMDPI AGYouth2673-995X2024-08-01431271128610.3390/youth4030080Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness CountsEvelien Demaerschalk0Laure-lise Robben1Nana Mertens2Koen Hermans3LUCAS, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumLUCAS, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumLUCAS, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumFaculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumYoung adults experiencing homelessness face multiple challenges and are often confronted with additional barriers stemming from adverse past experiences. Whereas youth homelessness rates appear to increase across Europe, our knowledge on its nature in Belgium remains limited. Based on recent local point-in-time counts on homelessness in Belgium (2020–2022) and a focus group (2022) to interpret these results, we examine the profiles of more than 2000 homeless young adults and distinguish between three distinct groups (youth care leavers, Belgians with no care history, and newcomers). Alongside the need for universal prevention, tailored interventions are crucial for each subgroup to address their unique needs.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/4/3/80homelessnessyoung adultsyouth homelessness prevention
spellingShingle Evelien Demaerschalk
Laure-lise Robben
Nana Mertens
Koen Hermans
Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
Youth
homelessness
young adults
youth homelessness prevention
title Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
title_full Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
title_fullStr Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
title_full_unstemmed Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
title_short Diverse Profiles of Homeless Young Adults: Implications for Tailored Prevention Strategies—Insights from Belgian Homelessness Counts
title_sort diverse profiles of homeless young adults implications for tailored prevention strategies insights from belgian homelessness counts
topic homelessness
young adults
youth homelessness prevention
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/4/3/80
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AT nanamertens diverseprofilesofhomelessyoungadultsimplicationsfortailoredpreventionstrategiesinsightsfrombelgianhomelessnesscounts
AT koenhermans diverseprofilesofhomelessyoungadultsimplicationsfortailoredpreventionstrategiesinsightsfrombelgianhomelessnesscounts