Otherwise, they might become chronic runaways. If you don't intervene, you're going to have another run. Life on the street or on the run for these children can be extremely dangerous and harmful. The longer children are on the street, the greater their chances of falling victim to criminals who exploit them for monetary purposes. Bray said runaways are often reluctant to report people who commit crimes against them because they fear being taken to juvenile detention.
Most kids wind up stealing to eat.
It's not unusual for the girls to have to turn to prostitution. Coming home Experts agree that counseling is absolutely vital once a runaway returns home. Harmony provides five free counseling sessions, Bray said. Our goal is family unification. The goal is not to put the child in the shelter and keep them.