A HEAD START ON HOUSING STABILITY
ONE CHILD, MANY HANDS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON CHILD WELFARE
FIELD CENTER FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2017
Kathleen Creamer, Supervising Attorney
Community Legal Services, Philadephia, PA
Michael Heard, Social Services manager
Washington State Office of Public Defense, Olympia, WA
Ruth White, Executive Director
National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, College Park, MD
Presenters
Monette M. Ferguson
Director of Early Childhood Learning, ABCD Inc., Bridgeport, CT
Betsy Cronin
Director of Housing Development, The Connection Inc., Middletown, CT
Ruth White
Executive Director, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, College Park,
MD
Homelessness in
Early Childhood
Education
MONET TE M. FERGUSON
DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD ABCD INC.
What we know……
3,000-9,000 children under 6 are homeless in CT
according to the Federal McKinney- Vento
standard.
Over 1500 live in emergency shelters and other
emergency locations for families in crisis.
All of these children from 0-5 are categorically
eligible for Head start and Early Head start services.
Connecticut Early Childhood Homeless Policy Proposals. (2016).
http://www.ctearlychildhood.org/uploads/6/3/3/7/6337139/homeless_policy_proposals_f
inal.pdf
Why Target Homelessness in
Head Start?
“Inadequate housing and the accompanying
instability is traumatic for a family, but particularly
detrimental for the long term health and
development of a young child”(Homeless policy,
2015).
“During the first five years, brain development is at
its peak and stability, safety and a nurturing
environment are critical to supporting children to
build healthy social-emotional behaviors as well as
intellectual abilities”(Homeless policy, 2015).
Why Partner with Head Start to
End This Tragic Phenomenon
Children are categorically eligible.
Wrap around services.
Existing connections to community
resources.
Relationships with families.
The Partners
ABCD Head Start
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Agency Needs Assessment identified Housing
for Head Start Families as an agency priority
The Connection, Inc.
Leading Supportive Housing Services Agency
provides services and has offices located in
the ABCD Head Start building in Bridgeport
l
Where we are now
Private donors contributed start up funding in 2016 for:
DATA COLLECTION:
◦ Contract with University of Chicago at Chapin Hall to work with ABCD
Head Start screening 1100 enrolled children to evaluate housing risk
and need using the QRAFT screening tool (April/May 2017)
RESEARCH FINDINGS:
◦ Chapin Hall to write brief of QRAFT findings (July 2017)
MEDIA/MARKETING:
◦ Video being produced to demonstrate need; Conference
presentations, meetings with public and private funders and housing
providers to gain support for the model, stakeholder engagement
What we know now
There is a population of Head Start families
that are experiencing significant or severe
barriers to stable housing.
Of these same families employment and
budgeting is a significant barrier.
Housing and
Supportive Services
for Educational
Stability
THE CONNECTION, INC. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR
FAMILIES MODEL
BETSY CRONIN
ISHF SERVICE MODEL:
CORE COMPONENTS
Financing Housing
& Supportive
Services
RUTH WHITE, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING
AND CHILD WELFARE
Housing versus Cash Assistance
Sustained economic investments make the difference –
in cases of great financial stress, a small handout or
purchase of equipment may not tangibly improve the
plight of families. (Littell and Schuerman, 2002).
Families who received housing subsidies improved
their circumstances, while families who received cash
assistance continued to have problems. In order to get
cash assistance, you have to continue to report
problems. This is not the case with housing – it is quite
the opposite.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE NOVEMBER 2015
Housing is Cost-Effective

A $15 million investment in FUP means that
more than 9,000 children can return home.
This will result in a savings of $101 million in
foster care expenditures. (Harburger and
White, 2004). (or $56, 892 per family)

It costs approximately $53,500 to serve a
homeless young person on the street or in
residential treatment but supportive housing for
one young person costs only $5,300. (Van
Leeuwen, 2004).
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE NOVEMBER 2015
NCHCW 2015 cost analysis
Estimated National Annual Average Savings for Two Bedroom and
Three Bedroom FMR
Per child annual savings in a two bedroom: $12,021
Per family annual savings in a two bedroom: $32,458
Per child annual savings in a three bedroom: $9,954
Per family annual savings in a three bedroom: $26,878
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE NOVEMBER 2015
NCHCW 2015 cost analysis
Estimated National Annual NATIONAL Average Savings for Two
Bedroom and Three Bedroom FMR
National savings if housing plus services intervention applied to all Title
IV-E eligible families who need it: $822,992,330 (two bedroom)
National savings if housing plus services intervention applied to all Title
IV-E eligible families who need it: $681,494,639 (three bedroom)
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE NOVEMBER 2015
What can child welfare agencies do
about housing?
Use the considerable flexibility ALREADY available in local, state,
and federal child welfare dollars for housing assistance for
families and youth.
Create an Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)-like Program for families
and youth – this is like an IDA.
Partner with local housers – like PHAs, HFAs and private nonprofit developers (CHDO)
Set up a local Family Unification Program (or FUP-like
partnership)
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE NOVEMBER 2015
A Partial List of Housing Resources
Rapid Re-Housing Program
Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs (MIECHV)
Permanent Supportive Housing
Community Action Programs
Rural Housing Development Section 315
HOME
Low Income Housing Tax Credit
City and State housing funds, SHFAs
Private Landlords
Public Housing Authorities – Section 8 and PH
Family Unification Program
Community Continuum of Care
Philanthropy
18
More Info on Housing
Resources
For more information visit
www.nlihc.org and check out
the Advocate’s Guide
For Example…
McCarver Elementary School Housing Program
Designed by Michael Mirra, Director, Tacoma Housing
Authority, Tacoma WA
THA attached Housing Choice Vouchers to families in
the community surrounding McCarver ES.
The parents are required to participate in the PTO/PTA,
assist their children with their school work and ensure
that their children attend school regularly.
Early results show a positive impact on the families,
children, school performance, and the community.
***TCA is a Moving to Work PHA
Questions?