Parental Struggles, Children's Needs: Understanding Children Experiencing Homelessness

Background and Purpose

Families with children are increasingly becoming a prominent demographic among those affected by homelessness. The phenomenon of family homelessness is characterized by inherent instability, social isolation, traumatic experiences, disruptions in familial dynamics, and heightened susceptibility to various health and mental health adversities. These adverse living conditions often result in negative outcomes across multiple domains, including health, social well-being, and economic stability, impacting both parents and children. Despite these challenges, existing research and homeless services predominantly target single individuals, necessitating a more comprehensive understanding of the unique complexities faced by families and children experiencing homelessness. This study aims to investigate specific parental factors influencing the needs of children within the context of the Texas-funded Healthy Community Collaborative (HCC) program. This program provides housing and holistic services for individuals experiencing homelessness alongside mental health issues or co-occurring disorders.

Methods

This study analyzed 170 participants aged 19-83 from a Texas metropolitan area, drawn from the HCC program's F-SPDAT database spanning July 2014 to February 2024. The focus was on assessing children's needs, including health, mental well-being, abuse history, and school attendance. Demographic variables (age, gender, race, and ethnicity) and various factors such as mental and physical health, substance use, trauma experiences, risky behaviors, legal issues, parental involvement, and interactions with Child Protective Services were examined. Logistic regression compared high-needs (n=108) to low-needs (n=62) groups to identify parental factors influencing children's needs in homelessness.

Results

Parents with children exhibiting high needs had an average age of 43.58 years, predominantly identified as female (88.8%), multi-racial (47.1%), and non-Hispanic (51.8%). Key predictors significantly associated with high needs among children experiencing homelessness were a parental history of abuse and trauma (OR=2.83, p<.001), increased interactions with emergency services (OR=.57, p<.05), heightened legal involvement (OR=1.68, p<.05), increased substance use needs (OR=.40, p<.01), low family resiliency (OR=1.85, p<.05), and challenges in managing tenancy (OR=3.18, p<.001).

Conclusion and Implications

An in-depth examination of family homelessness within the HCC program has shed light on a group that is often understudied: children experiencing homelessness. Understanding the parental factors impacting these children's well-being is crucial for informing practice and policy measures aimed at supporting such families. Specifically, supporting parental figures to address ongoing challenges stemming from experiences of abuse and trauma, providing assistance for substance use needs, and improving tenancy arrangements can significantly contribute to stability for children facing homelessness. Additionally, implementing screening and assessment protocols for children in non-emergency settings like primary care offices, along with ensuring timely access to support services, is essential for addressing the unique challenges faced by children in unstable living situations. These efforts collectively aim to reduce the adverse health and mental health impacts of homelessness on children and their families.