Upload
abraham-halladay
View
217
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Young Children & Homelessness Convening
October 10, 2013
Welcome
Lynn HaglinVice President, Northland Foundation
Monica Idzelis RotheResearch Scientist, Wilder Research
Overview of Family Homelessness in Minnesota
Michelle Decker Gerrard Research Manager, Wilder Research
WilderResearch
Overview of family homelessness in Minnesota from the 2012 survey
Prepared for Start Early Funders CoalitionOctober 10, 2013
Presented by Michelle Decker Gerrard and Monica Idzelis Rothe
Point in time survey, every 3 years
Trained volunteer interviewers
On October 25, 2012:
Interviews in >250 shelters and programs
Outreach locations in >50 cities, towns, and outlying areas
About the statewide study
wilderresearch.org
One-night study counts
3,079
4,553
5,645
7,6967,854 7,751
9,65410,214
8891,791
2,2943,178 2,862 2,726
3,251 3,546
1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012
Total count
Children with parents
wilderresearch.org
Increase in numbers mainly accounted for by
– Children with their parents (up 9%)
– Older adults (age 55+)
22% increase in 2-parent families
Emergency shelter use up by 27%
What is new?
wilderresearch.org
Long-term health issues
Inability to afford housing
Racial disparities
Traumatic experiences in childhood
Violence and exploitation
Transition years (15-21) are time of greatest risk
What does not change?
wilderresearch.org
Children with their parents35%
Unaccompanied minors age 12-171%
Unaccompanied young adults age 18-2110%
Adult males age 22 or older
29%
Adult females age 22 or older
25%
Age groups
51%36%
13%Age 0-5
Age 6-12
Age 13-17
Ages of children with their parents
Children and families
Where homeless children were counted
wilderresearch.org
Battered women11%
Emergency shelter24%
Transitional housing
55%
Not in shelter
11%
On a single night, 1,747 families were counted with 3,546 children
Besides children who are homeless with their parents, at least another 2,000 are affected by a parent’s homelessness but are not with them
Children and families: counts
wilderresearch.org
72% of children are with their mom; 4% are with their dad; and 24% are with both
29% of youth (age 21 and under) are parents (for female youth 39%); 21% have their children with them
Median age for homeless parents is 29
Children and families: demographics
wilderresearch.org
Adults (18+)
Homeless parents MN
9% 1% American Indian
2% 3% Asian American
50% 5% Black
30% 86% White (non-Hispanic)
9% 3% Other, including multi-racial
8% 4% Hispanic (any race)
Parents: racial disparities
wilderresearch.org
92% of parents had been homeless at least a month
9% had spent at least one night outside/car etc. in the past 30 days
25% had spent at least one night doubled-up
31% of parents first experienced homelessness as a child
Parents: homelessness history
wilderresearch.org
52% of parents have serious mental health problems
48% have chronic physical health problems
9% have chemical dependency issues
Parents: health problems
wilderresearch.org
72% had lived in MN for more than 2 years
55% are on waiting list for Section 8 or subsidized housing
33% are employed; 11% full-time (35 or more hours/week)
93% receive food stamps/SNAP, 47% WIC, and 27% child care assistance
47% were physically or sexually abused as a child or youth
Parents: other characteristics
wilderresearch.org
Percent of parents who could not get needed care for their children in the past year:
Dental care (10%)
Physical health care (6%)
Mental health care (5%)
Health care needs of children with parents
wilderresearch.org
Percent of parents who report at least one child with a chronic or severe problem:
Emotional or behavioral (26%)
Physical health problem (15%)
Other health related needs
wilderresearch.org
Percent of parents who report:
Children skipped a meal in the past month because there was not money to buy food (11%)
Unable to get regular child care when needed in the past year (34%)
Other needs of children
wilderresearch.org
7 in 10 families had young children with them (ages 0-5)
Of those with young children (age 0-5):
42% have a child who is enrolled in Head Start or an early childhood program; 15% of these report that their children have difficulty attending because of their housing situation
Young children (age 0-5)
wilderresearch.org
Monthly median income of homeless adults
– Metro $381
– Greater MN $403
Fair market rent for a one bedroom apartment
– Metro $745
– Greater MN $531
Housing affordability gap
Some improvement among groups targeted for solutions
– Single long-term homeless adults
– Veterans
Children are able to get to and stay in school
Newly allocated money in Minnesota for housing
Solutions address systems, not just individuals
What gives us hope?
wilderresearch.org
Special reports on youth, American Indian reservation homelessness, and veterans
Seeking funding for a special report on homeless families
Next steps
WilderResearch
To learn more about homelessness in Minnesota go to www.wilderresearch.org
Dr. Ann Masten, Ph.D.Professor of Child Psychology
University of Minnesota
Keynote Address: Resilience and Homeless Children
Risk and Resilience in Homelessand Highly Mobile Children
Early Childhood as a Window of Opportunity
Ann S. MastenUniversity of Minnesota
October 10, 2013Start Early Convening on Young Children and Homelessness
A translational research story
• Beginning
• Collaborating
• Evolving
• Intervening
RESILIENCE
Capacity of a system
to adapt successfully
to significant disturbances
that threaten its adaptive function, viability, or development
The beginning…1980s - awareness
1988 - invitation
1989 - first study
1990s - series of small collaborative studies
Art by Donna Miliotis
Homeless compared to housed but similar families
• More recent stressful life events• Children had more fears (deprivation)• More school changes and disrupted lives• Similar but more extreme levels of risk• Parents expressed more distress• Child problems relate to parent distress, risk
Masten et al 1993
Variation in cumulative risk
Risk Factors
Low education
Single parent
Parent died
Parents divorced
Foster care
Maltreatment
Saw violence
See Masten & Sesma 1999CURA Reporter
Conclusions from early work
• Homelessness indicates high cumulative risk
• High risk for health, school, behavior problems
• Homeless similar to other disadvantaged families but higher on a risk continuum
• Variation in risk and function among homeless children
• Resilience related to parenting, cognitive skills
Fast forward to recent research
• New concerns• New opportunities• Translational goals• Fully collaborative
In 2010/2011 over one million American school children
were identified as homeless by Federal guidelines
THE BIG PICTUREAnalyzing administrative data
General
- Norm, & …RPM
Free mealsHHM
Rea
din
g s
core
46%
12%
75%
21%
Reading scores 2005 to 200926,501 students
Cutuli et al 2013Child Development84, 841-857
HHM student individual reading scores
National avg
Homeless avg
Rea
din
g s
core
MATH 26,474 students
General
Norm & RPM
Free meals
HHM
Mat
h s
core
18th percentile avg score
12th
76th
79th
Additional findings
• 45% of HHM show academic resilience– Scoring in the normal range or higher all tests
• Slow down in growth related to HHM status– Comparing year following HHM with other years– Growth rate in math (but not reading) slows– Consistent with acute disturbance as well as
chronic risk
What makes a difference?
• Attendance
• Minority status
• English language learner
• Earlier achievement
First grade reading skills
• Shows a similar risk gradient
• Predicts later achievement and growth in math and reading
• Shows protective effects for high-risk students (interactions) on free lunch or homeless
Herbers et al 2012 Educational Researcher, 41, 366-374
High
Low
Administrative data limitations
• Schools cannot collect data on key protective influences due to time burden and cost
A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Potentially malleable protective factors
Important…malleable…interrelated
• Child executive function (EF) skills• Parenting• Stress
Executive Function Neurocognitive processes involved in goal-
directed control of attention, thought, actions (cognitive control) Working memory Cognitive flexibility Inhibitory control
Needed to succeed in school pay attention…control emotions… wait turn…
follow instructions…listen to teacher…plan…
switch from one activity to another
Why EF?• Long implicated in
resilience
• Important for learning
• Affected by “toxic stress”
• Related to good parenting
• Related to competence over time
• Develops rapidly in preschoolers
• Promising malleability
graph courtesy of Stephanie Carlson
Neural effects of training See Espinet et al. 2013 graph courtesy of Philip David Zelazo
Sample of findings• Executive function task performance
– Predicts “child on task” observations– Predicts school success over & above IQ– Related to good parenting– Mediates relation of parenting to school outcomes
• ACEs much higher than State averages
• Cortisol (a stress hormone; salivary)– Related to worse child executive function (EF)
• Parenting– Correlate and protective factor for achievement– Related to parent EF as well child EF skills
• Asthma – High rates (28%)– Related to academic and behavior problems
Resilient children have better executive function skills
Obradović 2010Masten et al 2012
Resilient
Parenting Quality Moderates Risk
1 2 3 4 52
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4
higher quality parentinglower quality parenting
Cumulative Risk
Acad
emic
Fun
ction
ing
Herbers et al., 2011
Children cannot wait
Interventions to consider• Reduce risk and stress
– Prevent homeless episodes– Stabilize housing and schooling– Reduce hunger and food insecurity
• Increase resources– Access to quality programs, housing, health care– High quality education (starting early)– Tutoring and summer programs
• Promote protective processes– Effective parenting– Executive function skills– Teacher-child relationships See Masten 2011
PROMOTING SCHOOL SUCCESSTargeting executive function
Ready? Set. Go!
Boosting readiness for Kindergarten
in homeless children living in emergency shelter– Focused on executive function skills– Strategically timed – Implemented August 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013– Inspired a new IES-funded research project
IES projectPIs = Masten + Carlson + Zelazo
• Promoting EF in preschool• Developing components collaboratively
Curriculum + Parent education + individual child training
• Community Advisory Board• Design team
– Teachers & researchers– Pooled expertise
• EF• Teaching preschoolers• Teacher training• Preventive intervention• Risk and resilience• Context
IES Developmental Project
• Iterative process– Design – try – refine – try again - repeat– One component to isolate effects– All components to evaluate promise
• Leading to – Pilot study– Randomized efficacy trial– Effectiveness trial
• HHM is a window on risks, barriers, safety gaps
• Mobile children key for closing achievement gaps
• Executive function skills central to school success
• Promoting resilience is possible
Observations from recent HHM studies
Windows of Early Opportunity
• Preventing stress
• Protecting brain development
• Promoting tools for learning
• Supporting parents
• Minnesotans who opened their lives to inform and help others
• Collaborators in community and university – and especially to – People Serving People; The Family Partnership; Mary’s Place; St. Anne’s Place– Minneapolis and Saint Paul Public Schools– Professors Stephanie Carlson, Abi Gewirtz, Megan Gunnar, Jeff Long, Philip David Zelazo– Many graduate and undergraduate students
• Funders who supported the research discussed in this talk– Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA)– Center for Personalized Prevention Research (NIMH supported)– Irving B. Harris Professorship; McKnight University Professorships– Institute of Education Sciences– National Science Foundation (NSF)– National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)– Sauer Children’s Renew Foundation
• All of you for listening!
Thank you!
Expert Panel
Denise Mayotte- Panel ModeratorExecutive Director, The Shelter Arms Foundation
Angela KimballEducation Services Manager, People Serving People
Nancy CashmanSupporting Housing Director, Center City Housing- Duluth
Ryan StrackEarly Learning System Coordinator, School District 622 (North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale)
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The People Serving People Early Childhood Development Program is licensed by the state of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services and a Parent Aware 4 Star rated program. Our center serves up to 52 children per day in the following age groups:
-Infants: Ages 6 weeks – 15 months
-Toddlers: Ages 16 months – 2 years
-Preschool Prep: Ages 2 ½ years – 3 ½ years
-Preschool: Ages 3 years – 5 years
Program hours are Monday thru Friday 8:30am – 4:30 PM
CURRICULUM
*Teacher created curriculums to meet the unique challenges of our setting.
*Average stay is 37 days
*New kids always coming and kids always moving out
*Children have varied backgrounds and previous experiences
*Children exhibit unique challenges due to living with high levels of stress.
*Kids Resiliency Education (KRE), Creative Curriculum, and Building Language for Literacy were used as resources.
Primary focus is to provide a calming and secure environment with consistent routines where children feel safe and are able to thrive and learn.
Daily schedules include typical preschool activities, self-directed learning (free play), large and small group lessons, large motor, snacks/lunch, and rest time.
The primary goal is to provide a learning environment where the children can be successful.
Skill focuses center around social/emotional development and include yoga, deep breathing exercises, emotion recognition activities, and movement/music; and Executive Function activities such as Bear/Dragon, BLINK, I Spy and freeze dancing.
CURRICULUM CONTINUED
ASSESSMENT
The Creative Curriculum Gold Assessment tool is used for all 4 classrooms to track children’s growth
We see about 25% growth in children’s scores throughout their stay.
Assessments are done frequently, every 1-2 weeks, to track progress and account for the limited time we have with the children.
PARTNERSHIPS
People Serving People partners with various organizations to support families while they are in shelter, as well as connect them to community resources.
* University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development
*Minneapolis Public Schools
-Preschool Screening and Early Intervention
* St. David's Center for Children
*Metro State
*St. Kate’s nursing students
*MacPhail Center for Music
* Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
How can we assure our impact is sustained?
We believe that parents are their children’s #1 influence and primary educator.
We have a Parent Engagement coordinator who is licensed in Parent Education working closely with the Early Childhood Teaches to support parents. Both individual sessions and parenting groups are offered.
Scholarships to high quality early childhood programming after their stay at PSP
EXTENDING OUR IMPACT
ENDING THE CYCLE
Our ultimate goal is to permanently end a family’s homelessness with one visit to our shelter, and end the cycle of homelessness for the children.
Low Income Housing Developer
Owner manager supportive service provider
Currently owns 421 Units
Expanded State wide in 2009
Serves most difficult to house
Homeless Family supportive housing
Chronic alcoholic homeless
Partner based programming
Center City Housing Corp
Supportive Housing For Homeless Families with children
Currently manage 32 units21 transitional housing11 permanent supportive housing
44 new units beginning construction
Social/emotional/developmental delaysHighly mobile and episodes of homelessnessLacking positive parenting skills and knowledgeWorld of violence and chaos
The Homeless Experience
The Housing Experience
• TOTS Programming• Addresses needs• Develop individual plan for each child• Referrals to other providers• Parenting skills at parents current level of understanding• Addresses attachment issues
Success: 3 plus years of housing stability
the story of Anilah and Nevaeh
Start Early Funders Coalition Presentation
October 10, 2013Wilder Foundation
Ryan Strack, School District 622
Overview of School District 622
• Serve 11,000 school-age students• East metro inner-ring suburbs• According to census, about 3500 children
birth to kindergarten age• 213 K-12 students experiencing
homelessness (SY 12-13)• 68 B-5 children experiencing homelessness
(SY 12-13)• 50% of students on free or reduced meals
Outreach and Intentionality Matters
• B-5 children experiencing homelessness identified pre- and post- program implementation
2011-12
2012-13
24 68
McKinney-Vento Act (Education) Overview
• First authored in 1987, President Reagan• Re-authorized in 2001 under Title X, Part C of No Child
Left Behind• Applies narrowly to early childhood • Establishes educational rights for children and youth
experiencing homelessness (FAPE)• Named for former St. Paul Congressman
Program Overview
• Primary goal is to connect more kids and their families to services in order to increase protective factors and become more prepared for kindergarten
• Work through four main components• Outreach and awareness building• Enrollment in programs and services• Stability/consistency• Education
Outreach and Awareness Building
• To shelters and housing programs• Service provider locations (food shelves, etc.)• Community groups (CoC, FHPAP)
Program Enrollment
• Pays fees for programs (preschool and parent education)
• Provides assistance with applications and paperwork
• Makes connections with programs
Stability/Consistency• Children in consistent programming and
services• Transportation provided when possible • Consistent navigator
• Follow-up and follow-through
Education • About the education system• About efficacy and importance of early
childhood programs and services • For families and educators and homeless
services providers
Snapshot of Services Provided
Program Number Type of Access Provided by District 622
Stepping Stones Preschool 5 5 Enrollment 2 Transport 5 Tuition
Early Childhood Screening 9 9 Appointment 1 Transport
Pre-Kindergarten 3 3 Enrollment 3 Transport 3 Tuition
Head Start 19 17 Application 2 Enrollment 1 Transport
Close to My Heart Preschool 2 2 Enrollment 2 Transport 2 Tuition
ECFE 4 4 Enrollment 4 Transport 4 Tuition
School Readiness summer class 2 2 Enrollment 2 Transport 2 Tuition
Safety Town 1 1 Enrollment 1 Transport 1 Tuition
ECSE 7
Totals 52 43 17 18
Program Logistics
• Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance grant administered by the MN Department of Education
• Share two-day per week Outreach Worker with another program in the district
Successes• Number served who would not otherwise have
had access• Stories and gratitude from families • Demand for services
Challenges • Multiple counties • Working across different systems
• Homeless service providers• Education
Contact Information
Ryan Strack, Early Learning System Coordinator Email: [email protected] Phone: 651-748-7696Twitter: @ryan_strack School District Website: www.isd622.org
Discussion
Developing Policies
Sharon Henry-BlytheDirector, Visible Child Initiative at the Family Housing Fund
Cathy ten BroekeState Director to Prevent and End Homelessness
The Visible Child InitiativeEnding homelessness by investing in the healthy development and academic success of children who have known homelessness
Sharon Henry-BlytheFamily Housing Fund
Visible Child Initiative
Start Early Young Children & Homelessness Convening, October 2013
Breaking the Cycle of Generational Homelessness
Visible Child Initiative Key Strategies
• Embed Evidence Based, Research Informed, Culturally Appropriate Practices
• Accountability
• Influence Public Policy
Visible Child Initiative Key StrategyEmbed Evidence Based, Research Informed, Culturally Appropriate Practices
– Visible Child Training Series– Conversations on Chemical Health– Culture Matters
• Providers asking for multi-session or full day session at a minimum.• Looking to answer how trauma can be generational and often
unknown to the parent.
“Visible Child monthly training series with the Conversations on Chemical Health has caused the case managers, who all have a degree in Social Work, to heighten their level of expertise in serving their families at Model Cities as whole.”
Quotes from Providers
Visible Child Initiative Key Strategy
Embed Evidence Based, Research Informed, Culturally Appropriate Practices (Continued)
– Children’s Mental Health Project– 90 Day Window for Children– Evidence Based Parent Education and Coaching – Trauma Informed Child Care/Early Childhood Services
“Trauma has been buried so deep.”
“It’s like something has been uncorked for our moms.”
Quotes from Providers
Visible Child Initiative Key Strategy
• AccountabilityThe Visible Child Initiative Will:– Increase the number of homeless and formerly homeless
children who receive developmental screening.– Increase homeless and formerly homeless children’s access to
needed mental health and early intervention services.– Increase homeless and formerly homeless young children’s
access to existing publically funded family and child focused services and programs.
Visible Child Initiative Key StrategyInfluence Public Policy2009 Legislative ActionOmnibus Education Finance Bill signed into law which included a key
provision that allows Head Start programs with “innovative initiatives” more flexibility – without penalty – to serve children and families who live in shelters, transitional housing, or permanent housing.
Visible Child Initiative Key StrategyInfluence Public Policy2012 Legislative Action Legislation passed creating Minnesota Visible Child Work Group to
identify and recommend issues that should be addressed in a statewide, comprehensive plan to improve the well-being of children who are homeless or have experienced homelessness.
Addressing Child Homelessness in Minnesota: Report of the Visible Child Work Group submitted to legislature December 2012
Visible Child Initiative Key Strategy
Influence Public Policy 2013 Legislative Action Agencies serving homeless children and their families will be represented on
local Interagency Early Intervention Committees (IEICs) across the state. Requiring IEICs to include representation from providers serving homeless families will help ensure that the developmental needs of homeless children are addressed.
Minnesota Department of Education will collect statistics on the number of homeless children who receive Part C services and will report the results annually to the legislature.
Visible Child Initiative Key Strategy
Influence Public Policy2014 Visible Child Advocacy Agenda
– Carry forward the recommendations of the Visible Child Work Group through the creation of a statewide plan to address the well-being of children who have experienced homelessness. The statewide plan will increase access to early childhood and related family support services by children and families who have experienced homelessness.
Kindergarten Readiness“A poll of kindergarten teachers found that they rate knowledge of letters and numbers as less important readiness skills than being physically healthy, able to communicate verbally, curious and enthusiastic, and able to take turns and share.”
The Future of Children-Princeton-Brookings:
School Readiness: Closing Racial and Ethnic Gaps
For More Information
Sharon Henry-BlytheFamily Housing FundDirector, Visible Child Initiative
612-375-9644, ext. [email protected]
www.visiblechild.org
THE MINNESOTA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS
Cathy ten Broeke
Minnesota’s Director to Prevent and End Homelessness
Why is this important for Minnesota?
Housing stability is a platform for better educational outcomes for our children, a stronger workforce both now and in the future, increased public safety, better health, reduced health care costs, and reduced disparities among populations.
Minnesota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness:
Corrections Education Employment and Economic Development Health Higher Education Housing Human Rights Human Services Public Safety Transportation Veterans Affairs Governor’s Office
Vision: Prevent and End Homelessness for All Minnesotans
What do we mean by “ending homelessness?”
“Ending Homelessness” means that we will prevent homelessness whenever possible and if a family or individual does become homeless we will have a crisis response system to assess their needs and provide them the opportunity to quickly access stable housing.
It does not mean that no one ever again will experience homelessness.
Levers for Change
• Increase investments in what we know works• Reduce barriers and increase access to mainstream resources• Improve effectiveness and targeting of existing resources• Improve our data, both quality and access, and use it to drive policy
• Reduce disparities through culturally responsible actions and approaches
Can we end homelessness?
Not a question of can we,
but will we.