Homelessness

Lisa Marie AmabileEDU 365Professor Spatt

Homelessness• Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling.

• Unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain a regular, safe, and adequate housing

• Lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence."

• The meaning homelessness can vary within countries

• More than one-in-four homeless children live in poverty

• The average age for a child in poverty is under 5 years old

Residence

• Homeless shelter, a warming center, a domestic violence shelter

• American Government homeless enumeration studies also include persons who sleep in a public or private place not designed for use as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

• Many homeless people are moved from shelter to shelter

Parental Education• In order to break the cycle, parents need a good

education in order to provide the experiences, resources, and services that are essential for children to thrive and to grow into healthy, productive adults.

• A lot reflects on the parents education, whether they received proper education or lived their life in the streets.

• Most parents are pregnant at young ages because of the lack of education.

Parental Employment

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=E_fS4hDBJ10C&oi=fnd&pg=PA71&dq=parental+employment+and+children+and+homelessness&ots=aUGV_L_dyL&sig=w5VG_WSwEIHAbuim2b9yBwrhbSc#v=onepage&q=parental%20employment%20and%20children%20and%20homelessness&f=false

•A variety of studies have tied drops in family income to negative effects on children’s

development.

•With parents unemployed, children are greatly affected.

•Children become noticeably angrier, more prone to throwing tantrums.

•Absorbing more than their parents are fully aware of.

•A study found that children in families where the head of the household had lost a job were 15% more likely to repeat a grade.

•Adolescent children of low-income single mothers who endured unemployment had an increased chance of dropping out of school and showed declines in emotional well-being.

Challenges in School

• Children suffer from instability and inadequate supplies to live or even learn in school

Homeless people face many problems beyond the lack of a safe and suitable home. They are often faced with many social disadvantages also, reduced access to private and public services and reduced access to vital necessities:

• Reduced access to health care

• Limited access to education

• Limited access to books, school materials

• Increased risk of suffering from bullying

• General rejection or discrimination from other students in the school

• Loss of usual relationships with the mainstream

• Keeping contacts, without a permanent location or mailing address

• Reduced access to communications technology

Other Challenges• Homeless children are more likely to suffer developmental care because of a lack of

prenatal care.• They could drop out of high school because of a lack of interest or motivation or join a

gang.• Undergo stress, anxiety, pressure• They may have poor health as an adolescent and possibly give birth during their teen

years because they are uneducated (like parents) or have been abused. • The children will grow up and continuously have poorer health as an adult, poor

employment outcome, and in turn become homeless or poverty stricken just like their parents.

• Throws a childs’ lack of confidence and assurance off. • A study has determined that 83 families sheltered in New York City (Citizen’s

Committee for Children, 1988) revealed that 66% of parents had observed adverse behavioral changes in their children since becoming homeless.

NY Times Article• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/nyregion/ordinary-families-cloaked-in-a-veil-of-homelessness.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=hidden%20homeless&st=cse

• • • • • •

Tonya Lewis faces hardships -

“poverty, unemployment, and a marathon commute” with two children.

What can we do?

• Strong role models can help keep these students on top and level minded.

• Teachers, administrators, friends, and faculty can keep children in schools on a positive path and help them maintain better score levels by attending extra help and providing them with appropriate assistance.

• Maintain constructive and encouraging morale

References• http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/12families.html?pagewanted=all• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/nyregion/ordinary-families-cloaked-in-a-veil-of-

homelessness.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=hidden%20homeless&st=cse• Noll, E., & Watkins, R. (2003). The impact of homelessness on childrens literacy

experiences. The• Reading Teacher, 57(4), 362-371. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/203276959?accountid=28076.• Rafferty, Y., & Shinn, M. (1991). The impact of homelessness on children. American

Psychologist, 46(11), 1170-1179. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.46.11.1170.