The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as reauthorized by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, defines homeless children and youth (school age and younger) as, "Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are residing in the following situations due to a due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason." This can mean children:

• Who are "doubled up" with relatives, friends or strangers.

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters.

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds or abandoned in hospitals.

• Living in cars, parks, public spaces, bus or train stations, or abandoned buildings.

• Having a primary nighttime residence that is substandard or a public/private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodations due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.

• Migratory children or youth living in circumstances described above.

• Unaccompanied youth, meaning youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian, such as runaways and youth denied housing by their families (sometimes referred to as “throwaway” children and youth).