W-15 Serving Young Children Experiencing Homelessness

1. W-15 Serving Young Children Experiencing Homelessness Washington State Coalition for the Homeless 21st Annual Conference on Ending Homelessness Kennewick, WA - May 11, 2011

2. Young Homeless Children:National Numbers and Trends • In 2008-2009, 52% of all children in HUD homeless shelters were under the age of 6 • Nearly 30,000 homeless children ages 3-5 (not kindergarten) were enrolled in public preschool programs in 2008-2009; this is only 4% of all students identified as homeless by public schools • The number of homeless children served by Head Start nationally increased by 44% between 2007 and 2009

5. The Reality of Family Homelessness • Lack of structure, routine, stability • Trauma • Loss • Lack of access to food • Lack of health care • Inappropriate living conditions (no play space, overcrowded, unhealthy, over-stimulation or under-stimulation) • Stressed attachments to caregivers • Invisibility

6. Impacts on Young Children • Higher rates of developmental delays: • Infants who are homeless start life needing special care four times more often than other babies • Homeless toddlers show significantly slower development than other children • Higher rates of chronic and acute health problems • Higher exposure to domestic and other types of violence

7. The life of a young homeless child….

8. Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Authorizes and amends the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs administered by HUD Signed into law May 2009 Regulations not yet issued However, new assurances related to children went into effect with the most recent NOFA Hearth act: new hud assurances related to CHILDREN

9. “Project applicants must demonstrate that programs that provide housing or services to families are designating a staff person to ensure that children are enrolled in school and connected to the appropriate services within the community, including early childhood programs such as Head Start, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, and McKinney-Vento education services” Hearth act: new hud assurances related to young children

10. Early Care and Education Landscape • Child Care • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act • State Pre-Kindergarten Programs – ECEAP • McKinney-Vento and Preschool • Head Start & Early Head Start

11. Early Care and Education Landscape: Child Care • Federal CCDF block grant that states can supplement • State and local child care funding supplements • States can use federal TANF block grant funds • Designated “state child care administrator” • State administrative rules, e.g., eligibility, priorities • State and some local regulations • CCDF requires coordination of ALL child care through Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCR&R) • CCDF designates set asides for quality initiatives and services for infants and toddlers

12. Early Care and Education Landscape: Child Care • Subsidized Child Care • State-funded child care centers, networks of family child care homes through contracts and grants to local agencies • Child Care Subsidies, or Vouchers • Used by families to purchase care from licensed and unregulated care providers, including relatives and friends, for the care that best meets their needs • Serve children from infants through school-age

13. Early Care and Education Landscape: IDEA Parts B & C • Federal funds to states under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) • Part B – Preschool Special Education for 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 • Home-based, classroom & consultation models • Goal of mainstreaming

14. Early Care and Education Landscape – 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

15. 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

16. Early Care & Education Landscape in Your World – 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 needs to completer our grid. You will have 5 minutes for this activity.

17. Head Start: Basic Overview (1) • Created under LBJ’s “War on Poverty” initiative ~ 1965  included other programs & initiatives like Job Corps and Community Action Agencies • Originally part of the Office of Economic Opportunity; later transferred to HEW (now HHS) ~ 1969 • Intended to achieve 2 primary goals: ~ break the cycle of poverty ~ empower low-income families

18. Head Start: Basic Overview (2) • 1,600 grantees in the U.S (and U.S. territories) that serve over 900,000 children (age 0 to 5) annually • Early Head Start – pregnant women and children ages birth to 3 years • Smaller percent of overall number • Head Start – preschool aged children 3-, 4-and 5-year-olds • Vary as to number of three’s and four’s

19. Head Start: Basic Overview (3) Head Start mandates the provision of COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES to children and families (a unique feature of the program) • Health, mental health, dental and nutrition services • Education and special education/disabilities services • Approximately 20% of children with IEPs served by Head Start • Family services thru Family Partnership Agreements, parent involvement and governance, fatherhood initiatives, etc. • 20-25% of Head Start staff are current or former Head Start parents • Community partnerships

20. Head Start: Basic Overview (5) 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.

21. Head Start: Basic Overview (6) • 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 benefits) *Foster children *Homeless children (McKinney-Vento education definition)

22. Head Start: A Perfect Match for Homeless Families • Head Start provides comprehensive services that homeless children may not otherwise receive • The Head Start focus 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

23. Barriers to Early Childhood Programsfor Families Experiencing Homelessness • Lack of awareness: Head Start programs may not know the definition of homelessness, MV liaisons may not be “fluent” in early childhood systems, HUD providers may not know “lay of the land” of ECE • Lack available slots for all 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 • High mobility • Lack of transportation • Lack of documentation for enrollment

24. Removing Barriers:Strategies for Awareness and Identification • Head Start programs/school districts can incorporate questions on housing status on applications • McKinney-Vento liaisons can inquire about young siblings of school-age children • Homeless service providers can document ages of all children at intake, and make referrals to Head Start, ECEAP, and other ECE programs

25. Removing Barriers:Strategies for Awareness and Identification • Early childhood programs can include information on how to recognize homelessness in staff development/trainings/inservices • Shelters can make sure that young children are assessed for developmental delays • New HUD contacts can be trained in assessment programs (Ages and Stages, Early Intervention programs, and Special Education Child Find) that provide indicators of potential developmental delays

26. Removing Barriers:Strategies for Identification and Responding to Mobility • Obtain parental consent for release of information from providers or liaison in order to share information between agencies, and obtain new addresses and continue to provide services when families move • In anticipation of mobility, develop joint procedures to expedite services and provide continuous services for highly mobile children.

27. Removing Barriers:Strategies to Expedite Access • Liaisons and homeless service staff can provide Head Start applications to identified families and help them fill them out • Expedite records by working together; e.g. liaisons can get immunization records, etc. for young siblings of school-age children • Develop joint or streamlined procedures and forms (e.g. housing intake forms)

28. Putting it All Together:Strategies for Collaboration Head Start & ECEAP Programs in WA have adopted a number of strategies to reach homeless families: • Develop relationship with K-12 Homeless Liaison for referrals • Assign staff member to be the liaison with local homeless shelters/service providers • Training for family advocates to continue identifying homeless families throughout the year as circumstances change • Presentations and visits to (and from) homeless shelters and advocacy groups about services available • Create connections with food banks, CAPS, churches, health department, and housing groups in the community

29. Services WA Programs Provide • Many programs have changed their enrollment criteria to put homeless families at the top of the list • Family advocates are trained to provide information on housing resources, emergency shelters, DSHS services, domestic violence and substance abuse support, counseling, & medical. • Transportation – some programs don’t have program-wide transportation, but do provide if for homeless families

30. Services WA Programs Provide • Programs provide donations of food, clothing, baby items, and other necessary items to families on a weekly basis and have started new partnerships with grocery stores who host food drives and schools hosting coat drives • One program has set up a gated “safe park” area with shower facilities for families living in cars, along with an indoor “camp” where families can set up tents out of the weather

31. WA Early Learning Coalitions • Early Learning Coalitions in every county in Washington state • Wide variety of participation and funding • 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

32. Case Study: Young FamilyExperiencing Homelessness in Okanogan • Homeless 18-year-old with one-year old child • Educational supports so mom will graduate from high school • Connecting to Section 8 for housing assistance • Assistance Applying to Early Head Start • Benefits to child

33. 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

34. Contact Information Katy Warren Barbara Duffield Professional Development Coordinator Policy Director Washington State Association NAEHCY Of Head Start & ECEAP bduffield@naehcy.org katy@wsaheadstarteceap.com202.364.7392 425.453.1227 Julia O’Connor Okanogan & Tonasket School Districts' Homeless LiaisonDirector, Family Empowerment ProjectTelephone: (509)422-5414joconnor@oksd.wednet.edu