Each year, more than 1 million young children experience homelessness in the United States. These children are automatically eligible for Head Start services. 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 them to physical, mental, and developmental risks. This resource collection features materials to help Head Start programs provide needed support to children and families experiencing homelessness.
Explore relevant eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance (ERSEA) strategies and resources for supporting families in your program.
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.
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.
Watch this three-part webinar series features exemplary practices from Head Start programs and collaboration directors.
Explore this webinar for ways to help programs meet the needs of families experiencing homelessness. Learn about regulations that can support programs in this work.
Explore materials to help your program enroll and support children and families experiencing homelessness. Learn to support sensitive conversations about living circumstances and find state and local partners.
Explore this tip sheet to learn about how homelessness impacts health and wellness. Learn how to identify and assess the needs of families experiencing homelessness and connect them to medical and dental homes.