Life without family in the experiences of homeless people

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of the value of the family for homeless people who are currently living away from home, most often with the help of institutions. The aim of the analysis is to point to the broader experience of homelessness, which refers to the period before living away from home and begins in dysfunctional families. The text addresses the problem of socialising individuals to negate basic values - living in a family, building lasting bonds with loved ones and taking on basic caring and protective roles. It reveals negative life experiences and dysfunctional role patterns in families of origin and homeless proclivities as causes of gradual pauperisation and the ultimate pathology of continuing without the ability to meet basic needs. The article shows the problem of life without family and the dysfunctionality of this state from the perspective of homeless people: men, women and children. It points out the paradoxes of institutional support that focuses on individuals experiencing homelessness, most often ignoring the family context, which reinforces the misconception that relatives are freed from responsibility for the fate of family members. This is particularly relevant for families that are not characterised by pathologised life and have a manageable duty of family support. The reflections undertaken in the article refer to the author's long-term research in the area of homelessness and social exclusion, as well as to the work undertaken for years on behalf of people in crisis of homelessness. The article uses the desk research method, which allows for a broad context of analyses of the problem of homelessness in Poland in relation to family life.