1. Casting a Wide Net to Support Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
Presented by Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D. – The College of William and Mary
November 10, 2015• VCPD Meeting

2. Who is considered homeless? How many children are there?
Why is this important?
Who is considered homeless?
How many children are there?
What can we do?
For school-age siblings?
For young children?
For their families?
Introduction
Survey audience
Have you served hcy
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

3. Risk Factors Housing Inconsistent and inadequate health care
Inadequate nutrition
Adolescent mothers
Disrupted or limited family support
Emotional stress or depression

4. Poverty & Special Needs
“Poverty and its attendant stressors have the potential to shape the neurobiology of the developing child in powerful ways…” (Duncan, Ziol-guest, Kalil, 2010)
Experiences build brain architecture
Connections and pruning
Jack Shonkoff
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

5. Homeless and Special Needs
“Compared to middle class peers and low-income children who are housed, “young homeless children experience more developmental delays, emotional problems such as anxiety and depression, and behavior issues.”
— Education Law Center, 2010

6. When children experience 6-7 risk factors, what is the chance of development delay?
25 – 50%
50 – 75%
75 – 85%
90 – 100%
90 – 100

7. Popp, 2014

8. Young Children and Homelessness
Child Find, Part B & Part C
Head Start
VPI
Child Care and Development Fund Plan

9. Who is considered homeless?
Chat: When you hear the word homeless, what image comes to mind?

11. Who is homeless?
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - ESEA, Title X, Part C
Same definition referenced in
IDEA 2004
Child Nutrition Act
Head Start Act
Higher Education Act
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

12. Defining homelessness
An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth:
Sharing housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship
Hotel/motel due to lack of adequate alternative
Sheltered
Unsheltered
Popp, 2009
Popp, 2011

13. Fixed, Regular, and Adequate
Fixed: Stationary, permanent, and not subject to change
Regular: Used on a predictable, routine, or consistent basis (e.g. nightly)
Adequate: Sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments
Can the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed) EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)?
Popp, 2014

14. Homeless or NOT Homeless
Open to questions
Homeless or NOT Homeless
Check the box with the correct answer
NOT Homeless
Homeless
In a shelter
In a motel after an eviction
Living with grandparents to save money for a house down payment
In a motel while house is renovated
Living with aunt following a foreclosure
In an overcrowded trailer with 6 children

15. How many children?

16. Children Experiencing Homelessness
One in 30 children (NCFH, 2014)
1,240,925 in SY (USED, 2014)
Families with young children are the fastest growing subgroup
National Profile
2010 – one in 50
2011 – one in 45
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

17. 82% Increase

18. Virginia 2014-15 Initial Primary Nighttime Residence

19. Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
Nationally > half of sheltered children were under age 6
Virginia ( )
50% of children served by Emergency Solutions Grants were under age 5
452 enrolled in public PreK
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

20. Program Information Report Head Start PIR Data 2013-14
Total number of children experiencing homelessness that were served during the enrollment year
National: 48,754, 4.6%
Virginia: 854, 6%

22. Our Youngest 545 birth to 2 served by MV subgrants in 2014-15
Numbers from ITOTS (EI Data System) Environmental/Social Risk Factor – lack of adequate shelter:
Request attention to this data point to help us identify the need
Open for questions

23. What can WE do?

24. McKinney-Vento EHCY Requirements
Appoint a local homeless education liaison in every school division
For Virginia liaisons, visit:
Many liaisons are familiar with the community resources these families may need in addition to their knowledge of the school system
Kestner, 2014
Popp, 2009

25. EHCY Requirements (school age)
Enroll students immediately in local school OR
Maintain student enrollment in the school of origin when feasible and in the student’s best interest
Includes transportation
Even across school division lines
Get the student enrolled and
keep the student enrolled!
This is worth knowing for those families with school age children that you serve and parenting teens

26. Implementation Challenges
Verification: who is homeless
Lack of space
Mobility and lack of notice

27. Tips for discussing/ identifying
Avoid using “homeless”
Focus on temporary nature of housing or being in transition

28. Lack of Space Invite to socialization activities Provide books or toys
Home visiting when doubled up or shelter space are inappropriate
Open for suggestions for working with families with limited space

29. Mobility and lack of notice
Build trust
Have other contacts on file – release of information
Recognize fear to share what basics are not available

30. Promising Practice and Resources
Parent Pack adapted for younger children

31. Importance of Education for Young Children Experiencing Homelessness https://vimeo.com/124629860
Popp, 2012

32. Helpful Websites Project HOPE-VA – www.wm.edu/hope
CoC –
NCHE –
NAEHCY –
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

33. Homelessness Online Lessons

34. “HOME”work Get to know your homeless liaison(s)
Look for ways to share the story
Others??
Other ideas?

35. Thanks for all you do!
Popp, Mondak, & Hayden, 2011

36. Project HOPE-Virginia
The College of William & Mary
P. O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187
(toll free)
(fax)
Popp, 2009
Popp, 2012