Caring for the Oral Health of Children Experiencing Homelessness
Families experiencing homelessness may face barriers to meeting their child’s oral health needs, including accessing oral health care. Learn tips to support their oral health.
Families Experiencing Homelessness
More than 1 million children ages birth to 6 experience homelessness in the U.S. These children are automatically eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Homelessness is a circumstance families may experience when they are faced with such challenges as extreme poverty and lack of affordable housing. It can also occur when a family's current living situation becomes unsafe or unstable.
Homelessness is a state of vulnerability for children and families. It can expose families to physical, mental, and developmental risks. Head Start programs can provide needed support to children and families.
Explore relevant eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance (ERSEA) strategies and resources for supporting families in your program.
How to Help Families Experiencing Homelessness Access Quality Health Care for Their Children
This resource describes the health care needs of children experiencing homelessness, and it has tips for helping families access quality health care for their children.
Supporting the Health and Wellness of Children Experiencing Homelessness in the Time of COVID-19
Learn about impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family homelessness.
Reflection and Planning Tool for Partnering with Families Experiencing Homelessness
Use this tool to reflect on your program’s relationship-building practices and plan for next steps in supporting families experiencing homelessness.
Supporting Professionals Who Support Families: The Parallel Process
Consider how you might enhance what you already do to partner with families experiencing homelessness. Use this tool to reflect on your program’s relationship-building practices and plan for the next steps in supporting families experiencing homelessness.
Decision-making Tool to Determine a Family’s Homelessness Situation
Use this tool to determine a child and family's situation or status using the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s definition of “homeless children and youth.”
Connecting with Partners Planning Worksheet
Working with local partners is a key strategy for identifying and reaching out to families experiencing homelessness.
Enrolling Children and Young Families Experiencing Homelessness in Early Head Start
Learn about the Maternity Group Homes (MGH) program. Discover how one MGH and Early Head Start program are working together to meet the needs of pregnant and parenting youth who are experiencing homelessness.
Establishing and Sustaining Community Partnerships for Outreach and Continuity
Hear how programs can partner with community agencies to help families who face homelessness. Learn how this effort can help programs reach children and families who are in need of services.
Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness
Enhance your knowledge around family homelessness and discover the importance of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act's definition of homelessness as it refers to children and youth.