An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
This policy brief summarizes selected literature on homeless families with children who are less than five years old, and incorporates findings from a project prepared for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on the challenges facing families with young children who are temporarily staying with others or in motels/hotels. The aim of this policy brief is to examine the following questions from the project: What are families’ current living arrangements, and do they have alternative plans for shelter if they cannot stay at their current temporary location and are unable to receive the services of a shelter? What conditions are homeless families and children exposed to when they cannot or do not access the services of a shelter? To what extent are families knowledgeable about the federally sponsored early childhood support services available to them?
A guide to support the safe and healthy development of young children in shelter settings. In this tool, you will find recommendations and information on how your shelter environment, programming, policies, and staff can support early childhood safety and development of children experiencing homelessness.