Serving Young Children With Disabilities Who Are Homeless: IDEA and McKinney-Vento Hand in Hand

1. Serving Young Children With Disabilities Who Are Homeless: IDEA and McKinney-Vento Hand in Hand Identifying and Serving Children and Their Families: Vulnerable Populations Call 7 September 13, 2007 Diana Bowman, National Center for Homeless Education Patricia A. Popp, Project HOPE-Virginia I’m Diana Bowman from the National Center for Homeless Education, the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for homeless education. I am presenting today with Pat Popp from Project HOPE, Virginia’s homeless education program. Pat and I are very pleased to be a part of this training series. It represents an opportunity to connect across programs to address the complex needs of young children who are experiencing homelessness and have (or may be at risk of having) developmental delays or disabilities. I’m Diana Bowman from the National Center for Homeless Education, the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for homeless education. I am presenting today with Pat Popp from Project HOPE, Virginia’s homeless education program. Pat and I are very pleased to be a part of this training series. It represents an opportunity to connect across programs to address the complex needs of young children who are experiencing homelessness and have (or may be at risk of having) developmental delays or disabilities.

2. Goals for Today Greater awareness and understanding of: Challenges that face young children with disabilities experiencing homeless Challenges for their educators and service providers Intersection of IDEA, Part C, Part B, Section 619, and the McKinney-Vento Act Importance of and strategies for collaboration between IDEA Part C and Section 619 and homeless education programs We’re going to be discussing the challenges that young children who are homeless and have disabilities face, as well as the challenges that service providers face as they work to meet the needs of these children. Based on our experience, we’ve learned that the most fundamental strategy for meeting these children’s needs is collaboration across programs and agencies. So, our focus today will be on how IDEA, Part C and Section 619 of Part B and the McKinney-Vento Act provide a foundation for program collaboration, and we’ll share information we’ve gathered from homeless education coordinators at both the state level and local school district level.We’re going to be discussing the challenges that young children who are homeless and have disabilities face, as well as the challenges that service providers face as they work to meet the needs of these children. Based on our experience, we’ve learned that the most fundamental strategy for meeting these children’s needs is collaboration across programs and agencies. So, our focus today will be on how IDEA, Part C and Section 619 of Part B and the McKinney-Vento Act provide a foundation for program collaboration, and we’ll share information we’ve gathered from homeless education coordinators at both the state level and local school district level.

3. Challenges for young children who are homeless: Inadequate or unstable housing Inconsistent and inadequate health care Inadequate nutrition Adolescent mothers Disrupted or limited family support Emotional stress or depression Limited early childhood programming and waiting lists First of all, let me review some of the challenges that young children in homeless families face. Inadequate and/or temporary housing is devastating from the standpoints of both physical and emotional needs. And, some challenges derive from living in the poverty that most often accompanies the loss of housing, such as inadequate health care and inadequate nutrition. Many of our young children who are homeless have very young mothers who are struggling to be self-sufficient without adequate education and resources to do so. Many homeless parents and children do not have monetary or emotional support from their families. And in many cases, they are dealing with the effects of stress and depression. Finally, many homeless families with young children cannot access early childhood programs due to never being in one location long enough to move up on waiting lists.First of all, let me review some of the challenges that young children in homeless families face. Inadequate and/or temporary housing is devastating from the standpoints of both physical and emotional needs. And, some challenges derive from living in the poverty that most often accompanies the loss of housing, such as inadequate health care and inadequate nutrition. Many of our young children who are homeless have very young mothers who are struggling to be self-sufficient without adequate education and resources to do so. Many homeless parents and children do not have monetary or emotional support from their families. And in many cases, they are dealing with the effects of stress and depression. Finally, many homeless families with young children cannot access early childhood programs due to never being in one location long enough to move up on waiting lists.

4. Challenges for young homeless children with special needs: Homelessness can have far-reaching negative impacts on a child and compounding impacts on a child with special needs 54% of children in homeless situations experience some form of developmental delay 40% of children living in homeless shelters are under the age of five 15% of young homeless children are enrolled in preschool programs The effects of homelessness on young children are devastating, but the effects are compounded for a child who is homeless and has special needs. Research from the National Center on Family Homelessness indicates that approximately 54% of children in homeless situations experience some form of developmental delay. The Center’s research indicates further that homeless children of all ages are diagnosed with learning disabilities at twice the rate of other children, suffer emotional or behavioral problems that interfere with learning at almost three times the rate of other children, and are likely to experience trauma at a significantly higher rate than other children. So, you can see that a great need for early intervention exists for these young children. The estimate from The Urban Institute that approximately 40% of all homeless children are under the age of five coupled with the data from the U.S. Department of Education’s 2006 Report to Congress that shows only 15% of young homeless children are enrolled in preschool programs suggests that a large number of young homeless children need services. The effects of homelessness on young children are devastating, but the effects are compounded for a child who is homeless and has special needs. Research from the National Center on Family Homelessness indicates that approximately 54% of children in homeless situations experience some form of developmental delay. The Center’s research indicates further that homeless children of all ages are diagnosed with learning disabilities at twice the rate of other children, suffer emotional or behavioral problems that interfere with learning at almost three times the rate of other children, and are likely to experience trauma at a significantly higher rate than other children. So, you can see that a great need for early intervention exists for these young children. The estimate from The Urban Institute that approximately 40% of all homeless children are under the age of five coupled with the data from the U.S. Department of Education’s 2006 Report to Congress that shows only 15% of young homeless children are enrolled in preschool programs suggests that a large number of young homeless children need services.

5. Challenges for educators and service providers: Parental involvement Family transience Building trust Communication with families Language barriers Awareness of resources Policies/structures Enrollment Attendance Transportation Community awareness and buy-in Coordination among programs Limited resources Identification