Chapter 15 Homeless Families An Extreme Stressor American was homeless families In the 1980s and 1990s the emergence of a new and growing social problem in The NSHAPC was conducted in 1995 1996 a study that indicated that on any given day at least 800 000 people were homeless in the U S including about 200 000 children in homeless families The USDHUD was conducted in 2007 about 1 6 million people who used an emergency shelter or transitional housing facility in 2006 through 2007 500 000 were persons in families About 131 000 sheltered family household during that period About 23 of homeless persons of this were members of households with children o 10 of the cities studied reported an increase in the number of homeless family households as compared with 2006 o Children who are homeless with one or more parents are distinguished from homeless youth who are considered unaccompanied minors Estimated 50 homeless women and children fleeing domestic violence No longer single men increasingly single women and families with children Vast majority of homeless families are single mother headed Hidden homelessness the ones you don t necessarily see living in motels or staying with other families homeless shelters No permanent residence Doubled up families living with another families to double up resources How many homeless Difficulty in counting 2007 estimated 1 6 million homeless has used shelters Oct 06 Sep 07 Look at incidence vs prevalence number of homeless vs ever homeless 2 3 3 5 million people who have experienced homelessness It isn t necessarily at one time Pathways to Homelessness Leaving intimate partner abuse most reported is leaving a domestic violence situation About homeless women fleeing abuse Not all states release intimate partner abuse victims from housing contracts different laws in different states Unsafe living conditions House fire Drug use or sales in the area Condemned structures that are not safe Lack of electricity or heat Couldn t pay rent Family disputes Lack of affordable housing Transition to homelessness Slow transition due to decline in safe living conditions Quick transition eviction foreclosure family problems no place to go Never had own residence Who are homeless families Typical sheltered family mother 2 3 kids African American families overrepresented More than homeless families African American Whites and Hispanics underrepresented 1 5 million or 1 5 children are homeless Homeless Mothers 46 never married 53 never graduated from high school Homeless moms often young between age 22 and 34 on average Higher rates of homelessness among minority groups Inconsistent work histories common Reflection of low SES and high poverty Although most homeless families receive some kind of income it s not enough to pay for housing without additional assistance Most homeless families do work but don t make enough Mental illness and substance abuse still more common among homeless men but an issue for many homeless women 40 homeless women had alcohol issue 46 experienced drug problems 54 had mental health issues Many people have duel diagnosis both alcohol and drug issue plus mental health issues Poverty and homelessness key factors in causing depressive symptoms Factors that mitigate stressors of homelessness Positive social support Doing something to confront problem directly C factor Willing to ask for or accept help Having patience to work on problem and enduring hardships Finding purpose in helping others giving back Homeless Kids 53 homeless children are male 75 homeless children under age 12 Homeless kids exposed to poor living conditions mold communal sleeping Many homeless shelters don t allow teen males Homeless women may leave children with family members or friends Homelessness influences child development and health there are more chronic health outcomes because of poor living conditions and stress Theories about Causes of Homelessness Increasing rates of homelessness related to overall increase in rates of poverty over past 2 decades Rich getting richer poor getting poorer shrinking middle class Structural and SES factors lack of low cost housing imbalance between low cost units and families that qualify for units Individual Factors Youth low income ethnicity physical disabilities DV as adults low education family breakup Social Factors Unhealthy social support negative coping poor social networks job loss economic changes people are being taxed more health insurance premiums gone up Social network theory Poor social networks cause of homelessness However homeless often turn to family or friends until their safety nets had worn too thin to support them any longer Attachment theory Certain people have limited support networks Family history can lead to extreme disaffiliation and inability to use social networks depending on level of attachment with loved ones Children who experience high degrees of abuse and family discord low degrees of parental involvement and poor family organization and social integration are likely to experience later difficulty in seeking caregivers much higher rate of homelessness p 345 High rates of early childhood disruptive experiences among homeless women if you are homeless moving from place to place more disruptive experiences disrupt attachment Impact of Homelessness on Family Relationships Family boundaries fragmented more permeable because everyone is living in the same spot No family boundaries Parenting roles change Either abdicated failed to be fulfilled or rigidly conceived and performed Lose home can affect parents ability to be consistent and supportive caregiver All of this can be influenced by parental emotional state How do they cope what are their skills and how does this effect the children How families emerge from homelessness Support networks 3 stages Family social support friends kin networks service providers Meeting immediate family needs be specific with what needs are Creating new home Maintaining stability once in permanent housing Keeping things stable can be more difficult to those at risk of being homeless Factors affecting escape from homelessness Children personal and external resources SES Many people who have children are more likely to have friends who want to help Future Directions Help families meet immediate and transitional needs Recognize homelessness and poverty as systemic rather than individual problems a social problem Attention to help families avoid homelessness Assess high risk