Resources: Homeless Facts

Children and Homelessness - Some Facts

Homelessness is a devastating experience for children and their families. The increase in homeless families over the past few years has meant a dramatic rise in the number of children who are living in shelters, campgrounds and motels. The upheaval these children experience means much more than not having a home-the displacement strains virtually every aspect of family life, damaging the physical and emotional health of family members, interfering with children's education and development, and frequently resulting in the separation of family members. At NO TIME in the history of COTS have we sheltered so many families with children. The number of homeless families served by COTS has increased by 400% over the past five years—from 73 families in 1995 to 300 families last year. As the following statistics clearly indicate, the impact of homelessness crosses all sectors of our community. We must find permanent solutions to homelessness so no more children will suffer its harmful effects.

Homelessness affects children's education

Even if a homeless child is able to continue to attend school, the child faces discouraging barriers to her academic success. According to a study by the Better Homes Fund, homeless children:

	Have four times the rate of delayed development;
	Are in special education programs at a rate three times higher than other children;
	Are suspended twice as often as non-homeless children;
	Attend an average of two different schools in a single year. (Poussaint et al.)

Homelessness Causes Health Problems

Homeless children have:

	Four times as many respiratory infections;
	Five times as many stomach and diarrheal infections;
	Twice as many emergency hospitalizations;
	Six times as many speech and stammering problems;
	Four times the rate of asthma as non-homeless children.

Homeless Children Experience Abuse and Neglect

The causes of child abuse are complex, but there is substantial evidence that poverty is associated with child maltreatment (Drake and Pandey). Exposure to violence injures children and destroys their sense of self and family. Combining homelessness with violence is even more detrimental, since homeless children have fewer tools to recover from the trauma of such violence. Other troubling facts include the following…

	More than half of homeless school-aged children (57%) were witness to or victims of violence in their households or communities. (Stern & Nunez)
	Domestic violence is alarmingly prevalent among homeless families--affecting 63% of homeless parents. (Stern & Nunez).
	Just over 60% of homeless single mothers grew up in the foster care system.

Homelessness Wounds Young Children

Every day, homeless children are confronted with stressful, often traumatic events. As these painful experiences continue throughout their young lives, these children are indelibly shaped and sometimes scarred. The stress has profound effects on the cognitive and emotional development of homeless children, as indicated below.

	More than one-fifth of homeless children between 3 and 6 years have serious emotional problems requiring professional care.
	Homeless children aged 6 to 17 years struggle with high rates of mental health problems.
	Less than one-third of homeless children are receiving mental health treatment they need.

Homelessness Tears Families Apart

Homelessness can result in separation of family members and quite often the placement of children in foster care. One in three homeless children are separated from their parents. Until we address the underlying problems of homelessness and help families to regain their independence, our children will continue to suffer.

REFERENCES

Drake, D. & Pandey, S. (1996). Understanding the relationship between neighborhood poverty and specific types of child maltreatment. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20 (11), 1003-1018.

Poussaint, A.F. et al. (1999). America's homeless children: New outcasts. Newton, MA: Better Homes Fund.

Rafferty, Y., & Shinn, M. (1991). The impact of homelessness on children. American Psychologist, 46 (11), 1171.

Sandel, M., Sharfstein, J., & Shaw, R. (1999). There's no place like home: How America's housing crisis threatens our children.SanFrancisco: Housing America.

National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (1996). Third national incidence study of child abuse and neglect (DHHS Publication No. CD-23595). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Stern, L. & Nunez, R. (1999). Homeless in America: A children's story, part one. New York: The Institute for Children and Poverty.

Vondra, J. (1990). The community context of child abuse and neglect. Marriage and Family Review, 15 (1/2), 19-39.