Chatting to Ryan*, you can see how easy it would be to think the charming, charismatic 15-year-old had been afforded every opportunity in life.
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Especially listening to his passion for music - playing acoustic, bass and electric guitar - with aspirations to pursue art and become a tattoo artist. And yet the opposite is true.
Ryan has been homeless for months. He is just one of many Griffith children aged between 12 and 15 who have fallen through the gaps in the welfare system.
Always knowing he would leave home at a young age to escape a "vicious cycle", Ryan made the hard decision to finally pack it up.
"I decided to leave for good. It was so tough finding essentials with no money whatsoever," he said.
"I was roaming the streets looking for food. One day I hadn't eaten for three days, so my friend took two apples - one for me and one for him. It was the best apple I've ever eaten in my whole life."
Ryan found a place to sleep, but said it was "scary" as people he didn't know where coming in and out, but he had no other choice.
Going through what I've been through changes you - having to learn and adapt to the situation you are in and overcome it.
- Ryan, 15-years-old
"There's no accommodation or shelters for people under the age of 16, but I took what I could get and was really grateful for it."
But Ryan was not alone - he was surprised to learn many of his mates were in similar situations. He said there would be four or five kids staying where he was some nights, and others there would be 10.
Almost three weeks ago Ryan and a friend found Youthlinks, who went above and beyond to help him any way they could, and yet his case worker Fiona Grosser say many constraints remain.
"Despite the system flaws, there are so many people who think they are delinquents, they should go back home, but they have removed themselves from terrible situations and are left with nothing," Ms Grosser said.
But not only struggling just to survive or stay on track, Ryan worked extremely hard to get enrolled into school.
What should have been an easy task was in reality a near impossibility for someone under the age of 16 without a parental authority to obtain any form of ID.
"One of my proudest moments was finally being enrolled - I am so proud of myself for doing it on my own."
Luckily now he is staying with a friend's family and has a safe roof over his head, however for others the reality is not so lucky.
With no screening checks of hosts in place for those couch surfing for under 16s, children may find themselves at the mercy of those with worse intentions.
"Going through what I've been through changes you - having to learn and adapt to the situation you are in and overcome it," Ryan said.
*Names have been changed to protect identities.
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