Housing and Support Interventions for Homeless Youth in High-Income Countries
A Systematic Review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12386031 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David Taylor (0000-0002-6098-5636, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Stephanie Vecchio (0009-0004-3710-9939, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Susan Baidawi (0000-0003-4394-1313, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia), Aron Shlonsky (0000-0001-8096-726X, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-09 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Research on Social Work Practice (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1049-7315 • E-ISSN: 1552-7581 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10497315251415139 |
| OpenAlex | W7128439096 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 61 |
Purpose: Interventions combining housing with support services have emerged as a preferred approach to support homeless youth, however their effectiveness remains uncertain. Method: This systematic review examined such interventions’ impact on outcomes for homeless youth (16–25) in high-income countries, identified their core components, assessed barriers and enablers to implementation, and documented outcome instruments used. We undertook a comprehensive search for studies using randomized or non-randomized designs with valid counterfactuals. Results were transformed into standardized effect sizes, and components were coded against Housing First principles. The exploration, preparation, implementation, sustainment framework guided implementation analysis. Results: Five studies met the inclusion criteria, all were from North America and exhibited non-ignorable risk of bias. Heterogeneity in outcome measurement and timing prevented quantitative synthesis. Discussion: While some individual results, most prominently short-term improvements in housing stability, favored the intervention, this evidence overall is insufficient to conclude that these interventions, or their components, are effective
Inclusion (mineral · Intervention (counseling · Outcome (game theory · Psychological intervention · Public housing · Randomized controlled trial · Randomized experiment · Systematic review · Child Welfare and Adoption · Community Health and Development · Homelessness and Social Issues
Introduction to Meta‐Analysis
From home to street
Prisma2020
The At Home/Chez Soi trial protocol
Systematic review of the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (Epis) framework
Housing First for People with Severe Mental Illness Who are Homeless
The Sustainability of Evidence-Based Interventions and Practices in Public Health and Health Care
Identifying and Selecting the Common Elements of Evidence Based Interventions
Distribution Theory for Glass's Estimator of Effect size and Related Estimators
The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) developed and tested its first wave of adult self-reported health outcome item banks
The invisibility of disability for homeless youth
The lived experience of homeless youth
A systematic review of outcomes associated with participation in Housing First programs
Housing interventions for emerging adults experiencing homelessness
Interventions for youth homelessness
Effects of Housing First approaches on health and well-being of adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Moving on, not out
Using Cost–Benefit Analysis to Understand the Value of Social Interventions
Evidence-Based Practice at a Crossroads
Family histories and multiple transitions among homeless young adults
Variability in treatment outcomes from a housing intervention for young mothers misusing substances and experiencing homelessness by sexual identity
Homelessness and aging out of foster care
System involvement among young adults experiencing homelessness
Perceptions from emerging adults with a history of homelessness on their experiences with housing, health and other support services
Predicting Homelessness among Emerging Adults Aging Out of Foster Care
Implementing Housing First Across Sites and Over Time
Planning a Multi‐site, Complex Intervention for Homeless People with Mental Illness
The Health of Street Youth
Emerging adulthood
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |