The child labor laws now on the books only make the problem worse. They need to be changed. I should know. I was one of those kids once. I survived, and eventually thrived, because someone was willing to break the law.
Homelessness is particularly frightening for women.
And they are more likely to turn to prostitution or crime to eke out an existence. I was lucky. It was legal for me to work, and I did so as a file clerk in an appliance store. But the owner broke labor laws by allowing me to stay on the premises at night. In return, I put in unpaid overtime.