According to the National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH), there are nearly 6,000 homeless children in our state, under six years of age or enrolled in grades k-12.  I am certain there are more, because some homeless children don’t get enrolled in school.  At Positive Tomorrows, we enrolled several students in late October who hadn’t been in school yet this year.

From my perspective, homeless children face a number of practical issues that make it very hard for them to succeed in school or in other aspects of life.

Their sleep habits are often very poor.  It’s difficult for a homeless child to get a good night’s sleep.  Homeless shelters can be crowded and noisy, and require everyone to get up very early, which makes for a short night.  Sometimes two or three families share a small apartment and adults get the bedrooms.  Children end up on the floor in the living area and often can’t sleep until the television goes off, if it does.

Their clothing is a problem.  They may not have enough clothing because of growth spurts and wear the same thing over and over to school.  Or it may not be the right size—they wear hand-me-downs with pants cuffs dragging on the ground or shoes that fall off their feet.  One staple at Positive Tomorrows is a good supply of boys’ belts because they often wear pants that are too big for them.  Clothing may be dirty because mom doesn’t have access to a washer and dryer.

Their health is at risk.  Due to substandard housing and inadequate transportation, a homeless child may have uncontrolled asthma, allergies, high blood pressure, inadequate dental care, etc.  If they make it to a doctor, their parents may not have the education or reading ability to navigate the healthcare system, secure prescriptions, and follow directions.  They may be staying with friends or relatives and don’t have control over their living environment, making it difficult to deal with hygiene and cleanliness.

They are difficult for DHS workers to track.  These children may fall under the radar screen of DHS because they simply can’t find the children.  If a teacher, health care worker, or other adult asks DHS to check on a child’s welfare, it’s not unusual for DHS to find that the family has moved from their most recent address. 

Their parents are stressed beyond belief.  Parents are struggling with the everyday concerns of feeding the family, finding shelter, and staying alive on the streets.  They may be hiding from an abusive spouse.  Parents often don’t have the emotional or educational resources to pay attention to their children, read books, or offer emotional security.

Homelessness is not the child’s fault.  The problem is complex and stems from poor choices by uneducated, under-resourced parents and habits learned from generations of family members who have lived in poverty.  Our best chance to break the cycle is to help these children experience stability and learn there is a better way. —by executive director Susan Agel, reprinted from the OKC Rotary News, 11/03/2009

Today over 1.35 million children, from 600,000 families, are homeless in America.

• An additional 3.8 million adults and children are residing in doubled-up, overcrowded, or otherwise precarious housing situations.

Available shelter and housing for homeless families is decreasing.

• In 2007, the nationwide average shelter stay for a homeless family was 5.7 months.
• In a nationwide survey, 87% of homeless families cited a lack of affordable housing as the primary cause of their homelessness.
• Although most homeless families are headed by a single parent, families in 36 of the 50 states must work at least two full-time jobs in order to afford Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.

Overcoming homelessness is almost impossible without steady employment.

• Over two-thirds of homeless parents are unemployed.
• 53% of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma.
• In 17 of 50 states, households must earn over $16/hour to afford the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.

Homeless children have less of a chance of succeeding in school.

• Homeless children are more likely than housed children to be held back a grade.
• Homeless children have higher rates of school mobility and grade retention than low-income housed children.
• Frequent school transfers are the most significant barrier to the academic success of homeless students.

Homeless families are more vulnerable to serious health issues.

• Among youth aging out of foster care, those who subsequently experience homelessness are more likely to be uninsured and have worse health care access than those who maintain housing.
• Over 50% of all homeless mothers have a lifelong mental health problem.
• Homeless adults in family shelters, when compared to the general adult population, have three times the rate of tuberculosis and eight times more HIV diagnoses.

Homeless parents and their children are more likely to have experienced violence.

• Domestic violence is the second most frequently stated cause of homelessness for families.
• One out of three homeless teens have witnessed a stabbing, shooting, rape, or murder in their communities.
• On a given day in 2007, there were 1,740 survivors of domestic abuse in the U.S. who could not be provided emergency shelter, and 1,422 who could not be provided transitional shelter.

Homeless parents and their children are more likely to be separated from each other.

• Homelessness is the most important predictor of the separation of mothers from their children.
• 34% of school-aged homeless children have lived apart from their families.
• 37% of children involved with child welfare services have mothers who have been homeless at least once.
• 62% of children placed in foster care come from formerly homeless families.