Early Learning Project
I know that many families are struggling to pay their bills; however, I do not know the scope of the homeless population. Can you tell me how many children and families are homeless in Illinois today and which areas of the state are experiencing the highest rates of homelessness?
During FY2008 (FY2009 data are not yet available), 26,238 children and youth in Illinois were identified as homeless (the number of families that were homeless is not an indicator that we report on). Though there are children and youth who are homeless throughout the state, approximately half of these children are from Chicago and the Chicago metropolitan area.
In FY2006, only approximately 6,000 children and youth were identified and reported as homeless. As evidenced by FY2008’s much larger number, awareness training across the state has definitely had an impact on the number of children and youth who are being identified and reported as homeless.
Statistics show that 4%-8% of all students who receive free or reduced lunch are homeless, which means that 60,000 students, conceivably, could be homeless in the state of Illinois. If you compare this 60,000 to the figure of 26,238, you can see that there is still much work to be done in identifying children and youth who are homeless.
Is there a list of agencies and organizations by community that provide assistance to families with young children who are homeless? I know families that might be willing to ask for help if there were an organization in their community they could go to, but they might not call a toll-free number to ask for help from a centralized office.
Yes, here are several places that you may call to obtain a resource list for your community: your local school district, Regional Office of Education (PDF), local shelters, community action centers.
These places have lists and Web sites that have the names, addresses, and phone numbers for shelters, food banks, resale shops, medical care, public housing, public aid, transportation, etc. In addition, every school district in the United States is required by federal law to have a school district homeless liaison, who should be able to provide answers regarding resources in their local communities.
Is a teacher legally expected to do something if he or she finds out that a family with young children is homeless and not staying in a shelter--for example, if they are living in a car? Is that considered neglect that should be reported to DCFS? Or are there other agencies to contact instead?
This is a complex question. Calling DCFS without first trying to help the family may cause the family to flee the area. So, first, a teacher should try to give the parent of the family a list of resource agencies that provide temporary housing, shelter, or vouchers for a motel/hotel. If this does not work, then DCFS should be called to make a determination as to whether or not this is a situation of neglect of the child.
How can we reach out to these families and include children in our program who do not have a fixed address?
You may contact your local grade schools, shelters, transitional housing providers, and agencies that provide motel/hotel vouchers to inform them that you have a preschool program available in your community.
In addition, it is federal and state law that all public school district preschool and Head Start programs, unlike private preschool programs, must reserve slots for preschool children who are homeless within their community. Children who are homeless should be immediately enrolled, even without proof of residency, birth certificates, or medical records. The school district homeless liaison should help the families obtain the preceding information if needed. If a preschool’s enrollment is full, children who are homeless are to be placed at the top of the waiting list to be enrolled.
Are Preschool for All programs that are unaffiliated with a public school coordinating with Homeless Liaisons to ensure that homeless preschoolers always have a preschool slot? If so, can you give an example?
Preschool for All (PFA) programs not affiliated with a public school are required to coordinate with school district homeless liaisons to ensure immediate enrollment of preschool students who are homeless within their districts. PFA programs and preschool programs that are affiliated with a public school must coordinate with one another to ensure that preschool students who are homeless are enrolled immediately into one program or the other. If both programs are full, preschool students who are homeless are required to be placed at the top of the waiting list for the next available slot.
I suspect that a family in my child care program is currently homeless, but I am not certain. How do I approach the family in a way that respects their privacy but allows me to offer assistance and support?
It is always appropriate to take the family to an area where there is privacy to discuss their living arrangements. It is our practice to use the term “in transition” when trying to approach the discussion about the family’s housing situation. Asking the family “Are you in transition right now with housing?” or “If you had the means to live in a place of your own, would you do so?” are a couple of ways to approach the topic. If there is a hesitancy on the part of the family, explain that your reason for inquiring is to help them receive services for their children that are available under the McKinney-Vento law. In the case of a preschool child, for example, the child will either be enrolled immediately if there is an opening or moved to the top of the waiting list if there is not an opening. In addition, school supplies and free lunches, as well as other resources, can be made available to them.
In what ways might homelessness affect a child’s ability to learn in the classroom?
There are a number of concerns related to a child’s ability to learn in the classroom when the child is homeless. Some examples include attendance at many different schools, gaps in skill development, mistaken diagnosis of abilities, poor organizational skills, poor ability to conceptualize, fatigue, numerous absences, poor self-esteem, poor attention span, developmental delays, consistent lack of preparation for school, incomplete or missing homework (no place to work or keep supplies), lack of basic school supplies, and anxiety late in the school day. The following question is quite similar, so please read both responses.
Are the classroom needs of a child who is homeless different from those of other children affected by poverty?
While many of the needs of students who are homeless are much like those of children affected by poverty, there are several noticeable differences. Children of poverty who are not homeless do not have the same anxiety level as a child who does not have a permanent place to live and are always concerned about being separated from their caregiver. They do not suffer the embarrassment of having to tell someone that they live in a shelter, motel/hotel, car, campgrounds, etc., or have to worry about keeping all of their belongings with them at all times. In addition, children who are not homeless generally do not show behavioral concerns in the area of trusting peers, teachers, and those in authority, or socializing with classmates at recess. The previous question is quite similar, so please read both responses.
Is homelessness a problem only in urban areas?
Homelessness, which at one time was much more prevalent in large urban areas, has now become an issue for all areas of the state. As foreclosures and unemployment escalate, all areas are experiencing larger homeless numbers. The homeless count in rural areas has more than doubled in the past several years. More students who are homeless are being identified because school personnel have become educated in the definition of homelessness.
If I do find out that I have a child in my classroom whose family is homeless, what are some of the most important things to do to support the child? The family?
First and foremost, try to give the child and parents as much privacy as possible when working with their needs. Avoid using the word “homeless,” which many families feel will stigmatize them. Be sensitive, patient, calm, and reassuring when helping a child find his or her way into the flow of your classroom.
In addition, you may need to adjust assignments so that students not living in permanent settings can complete them; ensure that the student has every opportunity that a student who is not homeless has for participation in after-school activities and in-school programs; communicate with parents about school performance, tutoring, and remediation services; and keep a store of snacks if you have a snack break. Do not take away possessions (many children need their “stuff” for security), and do not hold students accountable for things that are not under their control (e.g., inability to watch a particular television program or purchase a poster board for a project). And finally, talk with your school district’s homeless liaison to see if there are more resources or services that may be available for the child and the family.
What are some of the more frequently asked questions and requests you receive as a “lead liaison for the homeless” in Illinois? What are the most challenging requests you receive for assistance—the ones that are most difficult for you to respond to?
The most frequently asked questions and challenging requests are related to affordable housing and adequate paying jobs. Low-rent apartments and affordable single-family dwellings are almost nonexistent. For a long time, there has been a lack of family shelters, transitional housing, and domestic violence shelters. In today’s economy, foreclosures on housing units and apartment buildings have left hundreds more families homeless and in need of these basic services. Just like affordable housing, adequate paying jobs are challenging to find. In today’s job market, in the wake of more and more businesses closing or moving out of state, the task of finding an adequate paying job is almost impossible. It is very difficult to meet with families who are going through a housing transition and tell them that there simply are not enough resources to fulfill all their needs.
One example of a challenging request for assistance is when a family needs temporary shelter. If the family has any male children who are 14 years or older, they are unable to stay with the rest of the family because of shelter rules. In this instance, a mother must choose to split up her family and has to find appropriate shelter for her older male children, or she may choose to leave the shelter without any place to stay, just to keep her family together.
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