The statistics on homelessness in the United States are astounding. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) (2011), more than 1.3 million children are homeless at some time each year and on the average day, at least 800,000 Americans, including 200,000 children are without a home. These individuals have also encountered trauma before becoming homeless and homelessness itself can exacerbate or re-traumatize children and adults. Ultimately, it is an experience that has powerful effects not only on individuals and families, but also on our neighborhoods and communities.
Homelessness affects individuals of all ages and in all areas of the US; it disproportionately affects people of color and single parent families, but it also impacts people of all ethnicities. For children, the loss of a stable home environment may include loss of pets and possessions, previous routines, school changes, and lack of privacy, compounding the stress related to homelessness. There can be additional stresses too, including abrupt separation, interpersonal or domestic violence, or illness that add to emotional challenges and risk for increased trauma reactions. Children may experience higher incidence of ear infections, asthma attacks and stomach problems; may develop learning and cognitive difficulties; and may have emotional problems that require professional intervention, but frequently go without recognition or treatment. According to NCTSN, by the time homeless children are 8 years old, one in three has a major emotional disorder. Additionally, trauma-related symptoms make recovery more difficult for these youngsters.
A recent episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes addresses how children are impacted by sudden homelessness in the U.S. and highlights the unique challenges children and families face when displaced from home and familiar routines. If you missed this compelling episode, take a few minutes to watch it and hear firsthand accounts from children who are confronting the realities of homelessness in their daily lives:
So what can we do to help homeless children and families? Here are just a few evidence-based, trauma-informed, and resilience-focused practices:
- Work to ensure that children and families are not re-traumatized after entering a shelter or program;
- Respond in trauma-informed ways to support resilience and empower individuals;
- Provide safe and non-threatening environments that maximize choice and control for individuals;
- Model positive behavior, maintain clear boundaries, allow participants to make decisions and share power, and respond with cultural sensitivity;
- Help children and adults learn skills to self-regulate and reduce trauma reactions;
- Provide support for both emotional and physical health, adaptive coping, and culturally appropriate services that address trauma and the experience of homelessness;
- Above all, help children and families become survivors and eventual “thrivers” who are capable and empowered to overcome challenges and move forward with hope and dignity.
Be well,
Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT
Reference
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2011). Facts on Homeless and Children. Retrieved on June 28, 2011 at http://www.nctsn.org.
Additional Recommended Resources:
National Coalition for the Homeless, www.nationalhomeless.org
Urban Institute, www.urban.org
National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, www.nlchp.org/
Children’s Defense Fund, www.childrensdefense.org
National Alliance to End Homelessness, www.naeh.org
National Health Care for the Homeless Council , www.nhchc.org
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