Young Homeless Children: Key Strategies for Success in School

Staci Perlman, University of DelawareFrancine Hahn, NAEHCYGrace Whitney, CT Head Start State Collaboration OfficeVicki Hodges, Illinois State Board of EducationCarie Bires, Ounce of Prevention Fund

Session Overview• Impact of homelessness on young children• Relevant laws and regulations• 5 minute break• Early childhood landscape and activity• Barriers and strategies• 5 minute break• Scenarios and small group discussion• Reflection worksheet• Q and A

IMPACT OF HOMELESSNESS ON YOUNG CHILDREN

Dr. Staci Perlman

National Picture of Homelessness

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Homeless

< 1 1-5 6-12 13-17

Ages of Children Experiencing Homelessness

12%

41%

31%

16%

And, if we turn the microscope up…

% Homeless

(N = 906)

Infant 33

Toddler 33

Preschool 23

Elementary 11

Challenges Facing Families Experiencing Homelessness

• Transience

• Schedules

• Histories of family violence/trauma

• Stressed attachments to caregivers

• Lack of access to food & health care

• Lack of developmentally-appropriate living spaces

• Invisibility

Top Five Reasons Why the Homeless System Needs to be Concerned About Children & Youth

1. Infants and toddlers have the highest r_____ of po_____ of any age group in America 

2. Infants and toddlers in the U.S. are a "maj_____ mi______"

3. The majority of m_____ of infants and toddlers are e________.

4. Experiencing ____whelming or “t____" levels of s_____ harms the ____ brain development of inf____ and tod_____. 

5. Current se_____ and su_____ for infants, toddlers, and their parents reach only a ____ fraction of families who ____them

Child Development: 101

Development Happens…

Synaptic Density

Caucasian

African-American

Hispanic

Asian

Sex (male)

Poverty

Prenatal Care

Lead Exposure

Low Maternal Education

Substantiated Maltreatment

Unsubstantiated Maltreatment

Foster Care

Emergency Housing (EH)

EH

3.7

91.0

5.3

0

51.4

71.1

52.2

39.5

41.6

24.6

18.6

21.4

-

Cohort

11.3

68.0

16.2

3.7

50.2

54.7

32.8

25.9

25.1

10.5

11.8

5.2

12.0

Prevalence & Co-Occurrence of Risks

23% Housed NO Risks3% EH had NO Risks

20% Housed > 3 Risks50% EH > 3 Risks

Children who have experienced homelessness

School Problems

Poor Health

Social Skills

Academic Achievement

Developmental Delays

Poor Mental Health}

DNA does not control our destinyWe can do something about this…

The good news is…

Developmental science tells us what works to promote

early development!

Early Childhood Services

Reflection 1

Take a moment to reflect on the impact of homelessness on young children and their families and the relevance of this information to your work. Jot down a phrase or two to record your thoughts.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Francine Hahn

McKinney-Vento and Preschool

• School district McKinney-Vento liaisons must ensure that families and children have access to Head Start, Even Start, and other public preschool programs administered by the LEA

• State McKinney-Vento plans must describe procedures that ensure that homeless children have access to public preschool programs

• School districts are required to remove barriers to the enrollment of homeless children, including preschool children

HEARTH Act: Who is Covered?

• Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid

Transition to Housing (HEARTH)• The Continuum of Care agencies• Shelter + Care providers• Emergency Solutions Grants• Supportive Housing Project• To find your Continuum of Care, go to

www.hudhre.gov

HEARTH: Definition of Homelessness

• Families must meet criteria before M-V definition applies:

– Do not otherwise qualify

– Homeless for 60 days or more

– Moved at least 2Xs in 60 days

– Expected to remain homeless

• Definition of chronic homelessness includes families where a head of household has a disability.

Shelters and service providers must:• Establish policies and practices consistent with

M-V and they cannot interfere with a child’s education

• Entities that provide housing or services to families must identify a point person who is responsible for ensuring all children are enrolled in school and connected to services, including early childhood programs such as Head Start, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and McKinney-Vento education services.

HEARTH Act: HUD Assurances Related to Children

• Continuum of Care and HUD-funded homeless service programs

• Continuums must:– Collaborate with school districts to identify

and inform homeless families of M-V education rights

– Must consider child’s educational needs when placing in shelter and/or providing services

Hearth Act: HUD Assurances Related to Children

How Can Providers Meet the HEARTH Education Requirements?

• Assess education needs at intake• Inform families of education rights and options• Assist discussion regarding school selection• Connect families with schools/education programs• Advocate for enrollment and access to services• Collaborate with school districts around provision of

supportive services• Monitor attendance and achievement• Ensure shelter policies do not create barriers to

education• Discuss education as part of exit planning

Head Start & Early Head Start

• Categorical eligibility• HS & EHS must ID and prioritize for

enrollment• Allow to attend while waiting for documents• HS & EHS must collaborate with school

districts• Every state has Head Start Collaboration

Office

IDEA Part B: Child Find • Evaluations must be completed within 60 days from

parent’s request• If family changes LEAs during evaluation period the

same 60 day time frame applies to new LEA• Assessments must be coordinated between former

LEA and receiving LEA• When homeless child has IEP and enters new LEA,

the IEP must be implemented• If LEA is in a new state, the IEP must be

implemented while the school conducts its evaluation.

IDEA Part C: Infants & Toddlers

• Homeless infants & toddlers 0-3 must be identified and served

• Homeless family shelters are a primary referral source

• 7 day referral time frame• States can opt for screening process to

determine if there is suspected disability• At screening level parents must receive

notice of right to request an evaluation

IDEA Part C: Final Regulations

• Enhanced due process option: lead agency may establish procedure allowing aggrieved party at hearing to request reconsideration (appeal)

• Copies of evaluations, assessments and IFSPs must be provided to parents at no cost

Child Care Subsidy

• Child Care Development and Block Grant Act of 2015

• Provide grace period for homeless children to become up-to-date on immunizations

• Allow immediate enrollment w/o all required documents

• Structure co-payments on sliding scale fee basis

• Lead agency must coordinate w/ M-V school liaison and other community providers

EARLY CHILDHOOD LANDSCAPE

Grace Whitney and Carie Bires

Early Care and Education Landscape

• Child Care• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act• State Pre-Kindergarten Programs • Head Start & Early Head Start• Home visiting• Federal initiatives• State Advisory Councils • Early childhood collaborations

Child Care Development Fund: the Basics

• Primary Federal funding source for subsidized child care; supplemented with state funds and TANF

• Goals of CCDF: (1) Promote self-sufficiency by making child care more affordable to low-income parents; (2) Foster healthy child development and school success by improving the quality of child care

• 1.7 million children monthly• CCDF designates set asides for quality initiatives and

services for infants and toddlers• States must submit a biennial CCDF plan

CCDF: Family Eligibility

• CCDF serves children under the age of 13; up to age 19 for children with disabilities

• Children must be citizens or qualified aliens • Parents must be working or participating in education

or training activities• Family income must be below 85% SMI• Protective services category• Priority required for children with special needs or very

low income families• States have a lot of discretion

CCDF: Provider Eligibility

• CCDF regulations define four types of child care: center-based, family child care, group home child care, and in-home care

• Providers must be licensed/regulated under State/Tribal law; or must be legally exempt from regulation

• Providers must meet basic health and safety requirements

• Because licensing/regulation requirements vary by state, so do eligible providers

CCDF: Payment

• Certificate: subsidy issued directly to a parent

• Contract: States can contract with providers for child care slots that are then available to children participating in CCDF

• Parent co-pays

CCDF: Finding Child Care

• Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)– CCDF requires coordination of ALL child care through

CCR&R– Resource to help families find child care– Consumer education, provider training, data

collection, administer subsidies• Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)

– System to assess, improve, and communicate the quality of early care and education programs

– Operating in nearly half of all states– www.qrisnetwork.org

Increasing Access to Child Care

States can: •Cover homeless children under the “protective services category”, and waive work/school requirements•Offer priority access•Allow for a period of job search•Waive co-payments for families at or below poverty level•Exempt housing assistance from income determination•Use grants or contracts to build supply for vulnerable populations

IDEA Parts B & C

• Federal funds to states under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)– Part B – Preschool Special Education ages 3-5– Part C – Infants and Toddlers

• Uses McKinney-Vento definition of homeless

• Provides for identification, location, evaluation and education of children with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness– Individualized Plan: IFSP/ISP – Home-based, classroom & consultation models– Goal of mainstreaming, integrating into ECE

State Pre-K Programs

• State funding of preschool services for 4-year-olds or for 3- and 4-year-olds

• State agencies provide leadership and provide funding to local school districts– Both school based and community providers– Both targeted and universal designs– State Cabinets and integrated state agencies and

departments– Local councils and community partnerships

• Most states now have some type of state pre-k system; federal funds coming

Head Start: Basic Overview

• Created under LBJ’s “War on Poverty” ~ 1965– Early Head Start – pregnant women and

children ages birth to 3 years• Less than 5 % of those eligible

– Head Start – preschool-aged children 3-, 4-and 5-year-olds

• Less than 50% of those eligible

• Intended to achieve 2 primary goals:– break the cycle of poverty– empower low-income families– school readiness**

Head Start: Basic OverviewComprehensive Services mandated for children

and families – a unique feature

– Health, mental health, dental and nutrition

– Education and special education/disabilities • Approximately 20% of children with IEPs served by

Head Start

– Family support thru Family Partnership Agreements, parent involvement/governance, fatherhood initiatives, etc.

• 20-25% of Head Start staff current/former parents

– Community partnerships

Head Start: Basic Overview

Head Start Program Options

◦ Full-day/full-year◦ School day/school year◦ Part day/part year◦ Home-based Model◦ Family child care home (Home Start)◦ Locally designed option

Head Start Act of 2007 allows programs to explore changing program designs to meet changing community needs.

Head Start: Basic Overview

• Enrollment primarily based on federal poverty

• Not less than 10% of each HS & EHS program’s enrollment must be children with special needs

• The following families are categorically eligible for HS:– *families receiving public assistance (e.g. TANF) – *children in foster care– *children experiencing homelessness

(McKinney-Vento definition)

Children in Head StartChildren in Head Start

Head Start: A Perfect Match for Homeless Families

Head Start provides comprehensive services that homeless children may not otherwise receive

The Head Start focuses on entire family means parents receive assistance in reaching their goals

Community partnerships put Head Start in an excellent position to work with all agencies serving homeless families

Head Start programs are required to identify and prioritize homeless children for enrollment; allow homeless children to enroll while required paperwork is obtained; and coordinate with LEA liaisons and other community agencies

Early Childhood Home Visiting

• Home visiting programs match at-risk parents with trained professionals who provide information, advice, and support during pregnancy and throughout the first few years of the child’s life

• Funded with federal, state, and private dollars

• Targets pregnant women, families with young children

• Multiple evidence-based models: Parents as Teachers (PAT), Healthy Families America (HFA), Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)

Proven Benefits of Home Visiting

• Improved prenatal, maternal, and child health outcomes

• Enhanced social-emotional and language development

• Supports cognitive and physical development

• Reduces child maltreatment and injury

• Increased school readiness• Improved coordination with

community resources

How Does Home Visiting Support Homeless Families?

• Addresses and buffers negative impacts of homelessness

• Helps families build resilience and strengthen family functioning

• Mobile service: visits can take place in families’ homes, in shelter programs, or in other settings

• Connects families to other community resources

Federal Initiatives

• Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC)

• Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP)

• Preschool Development/Expansion Grants

• Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV)

State Advisory Councils

• Charged with developing a high-quality, comprehensive system of early childhood development and care

• Ensure statewide coordination and collaboration among the wide range of early childhood programs and services in the State, including child care, Head Start, IDEA preschool and infants and families programs, and pre-kindergarten programs and services

• Can be a great opportunity to influence early childhood policies, practices, and investments in your state

Early Learning Coalitions

• Early Learning Coalitions at state, county and/or community levels

• Wide variety of participation and funding support

• Homeless service providers and liaisons should consider attending to create connections and learn local resources

• The Foundation for Early Learning guides the coalition-building process –www.earlylearning.org/grantmaking/coalitions

Early Care & Education Landscape: A Grid

Work with someone sitting near you to complete the Early Care and Education Infrastructure in My State/ Community for either the state or local level

If you cannot complete a cell, use the Early Care and Education Resource List to find a resource for obtaining the name, contact information you need to complete our grid.

You will have 5 minutes for this activity.

Reflection 2Reflection 2

Take a moment to reflect on the various resources that support early learning. Which do you currently partner with and who might you become more familiar with in the future? Jot down a phrase or two to record your thoughts.

BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES

Vicki Hodges

Barriers to Early Childhood Programsfor Families Experiencing Homelessness

• Lack of Awareness– Families and agency staff unaware that homeless children are

prioritized for EC programs– Head Start programs unaware of definition of homelessness– MV liaisons may not know “lay of the land” of ECE

• Lack of available slots – For eligible children, especially Infants and Toddlers, including

those who are homeless

• Lack of capacity for McKinney-Vento liaisons and Head Start programs to do outreach and targeted assistance

Barriers to Early Childhood Programsfor Families Experiencing Homelessness

• High Mobility

• Lack of Transportation

• Lack of documentation for enrollment

• School selection

Removing Barriers:Strategies for Awareness and

Identification

• Head Start programs/school districts– incorporate questions on housing status on applications

• McKinney-Vento liaisons– Participate in community based and cross-agency events– Inquire about young siblings of school-aged children

• Homeless service providers– Document ages of all children at intake– Make referrals to Head Start, ECEAP, and other ECE

programs

Removing Barriers: Strategies for Awareness and Identification

•Early Childhood programs–Include information to staff on how to recognize homelessness

•Shelters–Ensure that young children are assessed for developmental delays

•New HUD Contacts–Train on assessment programs, e.g. Ages and Stages, Early Intervention programs, and Special Education Child Find

•Provide indicators of potential developmental delays

Removing Barriers:Strategies for Identification and

Responding to Mobility

• Obtain parental consent for release of information from providers or liaison– to share information between agencies– To obtain new addresses to be able to continue to provide

services when families move

• Develop joint procedures to serve highly mobile children – To expedite services – To provide continuous services to highly mobile children

Removing Barriers:Strategies to Expedite Access

• Liaisons and homeless service staff– provide and assist with completing Head Start applications

to identified families

• Expedite records– e.g. liaisons can get immunization records, etc. for young

siblings of school-aged children

• Develop joint or streamlined procedures and forms (e.g. housing intake forms)

Putting it All Together:Strategies for Collaboration

• Head Start & ECEAP Programs could adopt a number of strategies to reach homeless families– Develop relationship with K-12 Homeless Liaison– Assign staff member to be the liaison with local homeless

shelters/service providers– Training for family advocates to identify homeless families

throughout the year – Conduct presentations and visits to and from homeless shelters

and advocacy groups regarding services available– Establish connections with food banks, churches, health

departments, and housing groups within communities

Reflection 3

Take a moment to reflect on the various strategies that can be used to overcome barriers and new approaches you might try in your program and community. Jot down a phrase or two to record your thoughts.

SCENARIOS AND DISCUSSION

Carie Bires

Scenarios and Discussion

In your small group, read through the scenarios on your table and answer the question: What would you do?

Reflections to Actions

1. Using your three reflections on the work we’ve done today, take a moment to record an action or two that you will take when you return to your program

2. Share your Action Plan with another person, or two, or three.....

Resources - ECLKC

Office of Head Start – Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center – Search ECLKC - enter “homelessness”

Go to: Training and Technical Assistance System: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

From there, go to Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

From there, go to Crisis Support

From there, go to Homelessness Online Lessons

Recent ACF Efforts

Building Partnerships to Address Family Homelessness

Promising Practices for ChildrenExperiencing Homelessness: A

Look at Two States

ACF Efforts in ReviewEarly Childhood Self Assessment for

Family Shelters

General Resources

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth– http://www.naehcy.org

• National Center on Homeless Education– http://www.serve.org/nche

• National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center– http://www.nectac.org

• Horizons for Homeless Children– http://www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org

• Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP-- http://wsaheadstarteceap.com

• Parent Training and Information Centers– http://www.taalliance.org/centers/index.htm– (888) 248-0822

Policy Resources

• NAEHCY: www.naehcy.org, Barbara Duffield, bduffield@naehcy.org, 202.364.7392

• National Center on Homeless Education: www.serve.org/nche

• National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty: www.nlchp.org

• Zero to Three, http://www.zerotothree.org• National Head Start Assoc., http://www.nhsa.org/• National Center for Children in Poverty, http://nccp.org/• Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness,

http://www.icphusa.org/• Center for Law and Social Policy, http://www.clasp.org/• Center on Budget Policy and Priorities,

http://www.cbpp.org/

Contact Information

Staci M. Perlman, MSW, PhDAssistant Professor University of DelawareHuman Development and Family Studies Delaware Education Research & Development Center106 Alison HallNewark, DE 19716302.831.4724sperlman@udel.edu

Grace C. Whitney, PhD, MPA, IMH-E(IV)CT Head Start State Collaboration OfficeCT State Department of Education165 Capitol AvenueHartford, CT 06106Phone: 860-713-6767Email: grace.whitney@ct.gov

Carie Bires, MSWPolicy ManagerOunce of Prevention Fund33 W. Monroe, 24th FloorChicago, IL 60606309-261-3138cbires@ounceofprevention.org

Francine K. Hahn, J.D.NAEHCY, Board of DirectorsBaltimore, MDPhone: 443-756-7451fhahn1229@gmail.com

Vicki J. HodgesPrincipal ConsultantIllinois State Board of Education100 N. FirstSpringfield, Il. 62777217-782-8535vhodges@isbe.net