Plight: [noun] unfortunate condition; a difficult or dangerous situation, especially a sad or desperate predicament.
What is a Throwaway Teen?
- From age 13 to early twenties.
- Not receiving adequate care from at least one guardian in a safe home environment.
A Throwaway can be a Runaway
- The teen can couch hop with various friends
- They can try to secure a place on their own
- They are often considered rebels, delinquents, or troublemakers
- They are not running to something, but running away from an intolerable situation
A Throwaway can be Homeless
- Teens who run away may have parents or caretakers who don’t care.
- Some run away and no effort is made by parents or guardians to recover them.
- Some run away from home and are on the streets for one day or less.
- Some never return home.
- Some throwaway teens experience physical emotional or sexual violence in the household.
- A throwaway’s initial destination could be a friends house.
- Teens thrown away are without a place to sleep.
A Throwaway can still be living in the home.
Throwaways who remain in the home
- Can be abused/neglected.
- Feel they have no alternative but to remain.
- Might have a fear of Foster Care or other abusive relative adoption.
- An abusive family might be the only family they know.
- Are often not reported.
What Creates a Throwaway
- Guardian abandons or neglects.
- Guardian asks them to leave.
- Guardian forces them to leave.
- Guardian/s abuse the teen.
- The teen chooses to leave.
- The teen is barred from returning.
Juvenile Codes Grant the Legal Right for Permanency with a safe family. That means:
- Freedom from physical, sexual or emotional abuse/exploitation
- and freedom of substantial neglect or basic needs
Throwaways are Highly Vulnerable
- Physical Abuse
- Emotional Abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual Abuse
More on this topic at Dawn’s Blog