Unaccompanied youth: school nurses caring for adolescent minors living without a parent or guardian

There are many reasons that a child does not have a functional or legal guardian. The parent may be incarcerated, deceased, debilitated, deported, or have abandoned them. The teen may be a runaway or may have been exited from foster care. School nurses are challenged to find an adult who can legally consent to treatment when an unaccompanied minor needs health care. This article provides strategies for case management of these students. The school needs to be a stable and safe environment where the unaccompanied teen can thrive and succeed.