The Reality of Parenting Youth Experiencing Houselessness

Image Source: Envato Elements

As the rate of homelessness in the United States rises and resources for homeless families decrease, many people wonder what it must be like to live on the streets with children. While there are certainly many commonalities between adult homeless individuals and their younger counterparts, there are also some notable differences that make being homeless as a parent significantly more difficult than being homeless as an adult with or without children. This list describes some of the realities that homeless parents deal with every day, as well as ways that society can support them to help them overcome these challenges and get back on their feet again.

Statistics of Houseless Families

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 1.3 million people are homeless on any given night in the United States, including more than 200,000 children. However, it is likely that far more than a million families experience homelessness over the course of a year. That's because HUD estimates are based on how many people are literally homeless one night during a given year. But there are many who might not be literally homeless but still lack a permanent place to call home. For example, you could live in a shelter for six months and then go to live with family or friends for six months before returning to the shelter again; technically speaking, you wouldn't be homeless at all those times—but you certainly would experience housing instability.  There were a total of 120,587 sheltered homeless persons in 2016: Of these individuals 21% were under 18 years old and 8% were unaccompanied youth under 18 years old. Lower-income young parents typically have to wrestle with securing reliable child care, being able to maintain their education, and find jobs that offer a livable wage. These struggles are further compounded for homeless young parents who also need to secure safe housing. 

Image Source: Pixabay

Conflict and Trauma Leading to Youth Houselessness

According to the SHIFT Study: Final Report, 93% of mothers experiencing homelessness have a history of trauma. Studies have cited other experiences of mothers who experience homelessness, which include the following:

Traumatic stress

Childhood abuse and neglect

Interpersonal violence

Mental health issues, especially depression

Substance use issues

Homelessness

These experiences impact the ability to parent and provide stability in the lives of children. Youth homelessness is often rooted in family conflict.  A study by Harvard Medical School found that 40% of homeless families had at least one member who had been incarcerated. Substance abuse, mental health issues, and domestic violence are also factors that contribute to youth homelessness. Parents experiencing any of these factors may find themselves without a home, as well as struggling to keep their children safe. Many parents describe feeling overwhelmed when they are forced into homelessness, leading them to struggle with parenting responsibilities.

Image Source: DS News

Finding housing can be challenging

Finding housing can be a challenge for homeless youth. Despite efforts to end homelessness and prevent youth from becoming homeless, there are still roughly 2.5 million homeless people in America today. Some are families who have lost their homes to foreclosures or natural disasters while others, including many veterans of military service, were unable to find jobs after returning home from active duty. To make matters worse, some states require a social security number or two pieces of government-issued identification in order to be considered for public housing programs and to apply for federal assistance such as section 8 vouchers or food stamps. Many homeless young adults are forced to live on the streets because they do not have enough money to pay rent, cannot get into shelters or lack family support. In fact, nearly 1/3 of all homeless young adults between 18 and 24 years old live on their own without any kind of support system at all. This is especially true for LGBTQ youth: The Williams Institute estimates that 40% of all unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ; only 4% identify as heterosexual. In addition, an estimated 1 million parents ages 25–34 had their own children living with them but no spouse present in their household. These so-called parent-only households are associated with increased economic hardship among single mothers and fathers.

Image Source: Coalition For The Homeless

Finding work when you have kids

When you are homeless, work is difficult to find. Many employers do not want a steady history of job-hopping and will judge your resume harshly. If you have children and need childcare while working at a low-wage job that doesn’t offer benefits like healthcare or paid time off, it can be very hard to afford childcare on top of all your other expenses. Even when you aren't looking for work it's important to make sure they are in a safe environment, which is extremely difficult if you have limited people to watch your children while you are seeking employment. Finding work is stressful enough for anyone, but the stress compounds while being houseless, not to mention trying to care for children and give them attention while you are in a defeated state. In 2015, young parents ages 18–24 were more than twice as likely as young adults overall (9 percent versus 4 percent) to be neither enrolled in school nor employed.

In this 2007 photo, Kevin Smith, left, and Chimera Tucker, coo at their 7-month-old baby Jazzmine Smith inside of the D.C. Village shelter in Washington. The couple were homeless and had been staying in D.C. Village for six months. They were later approved for transitional housing through the Coalition for the Homeless that year. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Houseless youth not meeting TANF eligibility

Houseless youth and their children are often in unsafe situations

with poor access to basic resources like adequate food,

clothing, and health care. As some of the most vulnerable members of society, homeless young parents need access to public services, including welfare.

In 1996, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, a system of

cash grants for eligible low-income families was replaced by the Temporary Assistance

for Needy Families (TANF) program, which places a 60-month lifetime limit on

federal assistance to families and emphasizes work over education as the means toward

family self-sufficiency. In 1996, there were special provisions in the welfare bill that applied only to teen parents, namely that they had to be in school and at home or in an approved living situation in order to receive benefits. However well-intentioned this was, aiming to keep

teen parents improving their educational attainment while living in supervised

settings, it often made accessing welfare and other

benefits more difficult. 

According to the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and National Network for Youth 2002 report:

- Most homeless parenting youth met the basic eligibility

requirements to receive TANF benefits. In fact, 84 percent of homeless

parenting youth surveyed who applied were eligible. However, many homeless youth did not even know they might be eligible to receive welfare assistance. Fully one-half of homeless youth surveyed who had never applied for TANF did not even know about the program.

And, less than 40 percent of survey respondents reported receiving TANF

assistance at the time of the survey.

-Even when homeless youth know about TANF, they have trouble

accessing or keeping benefits. Fourteen of the 20 service providers surveyed said that the homeless parenting youth they served had problems accessing TANF. Further, 36 percent of homeless parenting youth who had received TANF reported having been sanctioned or terminated from the program,

although most thought they were complying with program rules. The living arrangement rule may, in fact, be operating as a barrier to TANF services rather than as an opportunity to help provide homeless

young parents with the resources to find safe housing. Thirty-one percent of TANF-receiving respondents who had been subject to the living arrangement rule reported that it actually put them in an unsafe situation.

The 2002 report also revealed a lot about the profile of parenting youth experiencing houselessness and receiving benefits. Almost two-thirds of homeless young parents surveyed were not currently receiving TANF assistance, a surprising finding given that this group of young families is likely
to be eligible for such aid under even the strictest public assistance program requirements. Due both to their age, their housing situation, and their family detachment,
homeless young parents are unlikely to be equipped to obtain economic self-sufficiency
without public assistance, even if they are working. Further, the children of these young
parents are very young, suggesting that the stability and well-being of the family is
especially precarious.

The specific demographic characteristics of the survey respondents included:

Age—The average age of the survey respondents was 18; two-thirds were

between 18 and 21 years of age.

Gender—Ninety-four percent were mothers, while 6 percent were fathers.

Relationship Status—Eighty-eight percent reported they were single, 7 percent reported they were married, 5 percent reported “other” (explained by the

respondent as either non-marital relationship or separated), and 1 percent

reported they were divorced.

Ward of State—Seven percent reported that they were currently a foster

child/ward of the state.

Number of Children—Eighty-one percent had one child, 18 percent had two

children, and 1 percent had more than two children.

Findings from the Survey of Homeless Young Parents:

Ages of Children—Forty-seven percent of respondents’ children were one year

of age or younger; 24 percent of respondents’ children were between one and two

years of age, and 28 percent of respondents’ children were older than two years of

age. 

Although the homeless youth surveyed were not asked this question, 10 respondents voluntarily reported that they were pregnant at the time of the survey.

Age Upon Parenthood—The average age of respondents when they first

became a parent was 17 years, with 35 percent being 18 years of age or older

and 11 percent being 14 years of age or younger.

Custodial Status—Eleven percent reported they did not have (at least) one

child currently living with them.

TANF Family History—Thirty-four percent reported that their own parent

received a welfare cash grant (either currently or in the past), 40 percent

reported that their own parent had never received a welfare cash grant (either

currently or in the past), and 26 percent did not know.

TANF Status—Only 38 percent reported that they were currently receiving a

welfare cash grant.

Source: Envato Elements

Helping Young Parents Experiencing Houselessness

To end homelessness, homeless youth and young adults need access to mainstream services as well as supportive connections to caring adults. In order to solve this, youth and young adults must be given support, with reunification with family and friends as a possibility. You need to support a youth's education, as well as his or her employment options. Also, short- and long-term low-barrier housing options should be in place for more flexibility, including rapid re-housing.

Homeless and at-risk youth are likely to be eligible for health care coverage under the

Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA vastly simplifies and expands

access to affordable health care, including for low-income and homeless youth, and allows states to

expand eligibility for Medicaid, a health care program for low-income individuals. No matter your age, every person has the potential to thrive. Those in adverse situations may be in enhanced need of support to ensure their health and well-being. Access to quality and affordable health care, including health coverage under the ACA, is an important support that can mitigate young people’s risk for poor physical health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, and mental health and substance use disorder issues. 

 Help is available if you have young children and are homeless or at risk for homelessness. Find information about services in your community. Help is available to parents experiencing housing problems; for example, supportive housing for formerly homeless families with children can include on-site supports that help people maintain their housing and make progress toward economic self-sufficiency. Many local programs provide a wide range of services to assist youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness.

lity of Being Houseless with Children

As the rate of homelessness in the United States rises and resources for homeless families decrease, many people wonder what it must be like to live on the streets with children. While there are certainly many commonalities between adult homeless individuals and their younger counterparts, there are also some notable differences that make being homeless as a parent significantly more difficult than being homeless as an adult with or without children. This list describes some of the realities that homeless parents deal with every day, as well as ways that society can support them to help them overcome these challenges and get back on their feet again.

Statistics of Houseless Families

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 1.3 million people are homeless on any given night in the United States, including more than 200,000 children. However, it is likely that far more than a million families experience homelessness over the course of a year. That's because HUD estimates are based on how many people are literally homeless one night during a given year. But there are many who might not be literally homeless but still lack a permanent place to call home. For example, you could live in a shelter for six months and then go to live with family or friends for six months before returning to the shelter again; technically speaking, you wouldn't be homeless at all those times—but you certainly would experience housing instability.  There were a total of 120,587 sheltered homeless persons in 2016: Of these individuals 21% were under 18 years old and 8% were unaccompanied youth under 18 years old. Lower-income young parents typically have to wrestle with securing reliable child care, being able to maintain their education, and find jobs that offer a livable wage. These struggles are further compounded for homeless young parents who also need to secure safe housing. 

Conflict and Trauma Leading to Youth Houselessness

According to the SHIFT Study: Final Report, 93% of mothers experiencing homelessness have a history of trauma. Studies have cited other experiences of mothers who experience homelessness, which include the following:

Traumatic stress

Childhood abuse and neglect

Interpersonal violence

Mental health issues, especially depression

Substance use issues

Homelessness

These experiences impact the ability to parent and provide stability in the lives of children. Youth homelessness is often rooted in family conflict.  A study by Harvard Medical School found that 40% of homeless families had at least one member who had been incarcerated. Substance abuse, mental health issues, and domestic violence are also factors that contribute to youth homelessness. Parents experiencing any of these factors may find themselves without a home, as well as struggling to keep their children safe. Many parents describe feeling overwhelmed when they are forced into homelessness, leading them to struggle with parenting responsibilities.

Finding housing can be challenging

Finding housing can be a challenge for homeless youth. Despite efforts to end homelessness and prevent youth from becoming homeless, there are still roughly 2.5 million homeless people in America today. Some are families who have lost their homes to foreclosures or natural disasters while others, including many veterans of military service, were unable to find jobs after returning home from active duty. To make matters worse, some states require a social security number or two pieces of government-issued identification in order to be considered for public housing programs and to apply for federal assistance such as section 8 vouchers or food stamps. Many homeless young adults are forced to live on the streets because they do not have enough money to pay rent, cannot get into shelters or lack family support. In fact, nearly 1/3 of all homeless young adults between 18 and 24 years old live on their own without any kind of support system at all. This is especially true for LGBTQ youth: The Williams Institute estimates that 40% of all unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ; only 4% identify as heterosexual. In addition, an estimated 1 million parents ages 25–34 had their own children living with them but no spouse present in their household. These so-called parent-only households are associated with increased economic hardship among single mothers and fathers.

Finding work when you have kids

When you are homeless, work is difficult to find. Many employers do not want a steady history of job hopping and will judge your resume harshly.  For example, if you have children and need childcare while working at a low-wage job that doesn’t offer benefits like healthcare or paid time off, it can be very hard to afford childcare on top of all your other expenses.  If you have kids, even when you aren't looking for work it's important to make sure they are in a safe environment, which is extremely difficult if you have limited people to watch your children while you are seeking employment. Finding work is stressful enough for anyone, but the stress compounds while being houseless, not to mention trying to care for children and give them attention while you are in a defeated state. In 2015, young parents ages 18–24 were more than twice as likely as young adults overall (9 percent versus 4 percent) to be neither enrolled in school nor employed.

Houseless youth not meeting TANF eligibility

Houseless youth and their children are often in unsafe situations

with poor access to basic resources like adequate food,

clothing, and health care. As some of the most vulnerable members of society, homeless young parents need access to public services, including welfare.

In 1996, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, a system of

cash grants for eligible low-income families, was replaced by the Temporary Assistance

for Needy Families (TANF) program, which places a 60-month lifetime limit on

federal assistance to families and emphasizes work over education as the means toward

family self-sufficiency. In 1996, there were special provisions in the welfare bill that applied only to teen parents, namely that they had to be in school and at home or in an approved living situation in order to receive benefits. However well-intentioned this was, aiming to keep

teen parents improving their educational attainment while living in supervised

settings, it often made accessing welfare and other

benefits more difficult. 

According to the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and National Network for Youth 2002 report:

- Most homeless parenting youth met the basic eligibility

requirements to receive TANF benefits. In fact, 84 percent of homeless

parenting youth surveyed who applied were eligible. However, many homeless youth did not even know they might be eligible to receive welfare assistance. Fully one-half of homeless youth surveyed who had never applied for TANF did not even know about the program.

And, less than 40 percent of survey respondents reported receiving TANF

assistance at the time of the survey.

-Even when homeless youth know about TANF, they have trouble

accessing or keeping benefits. Fourteen of the 20 service providers surveyed said that the homeless parenting youth they served had problems accessing TANF. Further, 36 percent of homeless parenting youth who had received TANF reported having been sanctioned or terminated from the program,

although most thought they were complying with program rules. The living arrangement rule may, in fact, be operating as a barrier to TANF services rather than as an opportunity to help provide homeless

young parents with the resources to find safe housing. Thirty-one percent of TANF-receiving respondents who had been subject to the living arrangement rule reported that it actually put them in an unsafe situation.

The 2002 report also revealed a lot about the profile of parenting youth experiencing houselessness and receiving benefits. Almost two-thirds of homeless young parents surveyed were not currently receiving TANF assistance, a surprising finding given that this group of young families is likely

to be eligible for such aid under even the strictest public assistance program requirements. Due both to their age, their housing situation, and their family detachment,

homeless young parents are unlikely to be equipped to obtain economic self-sufficiency

without public assistance, even if they are working. Further, the children of these young

parents are very young, suggesting that the stability and well-being of the family is

especially precarious. The specific demographic characteristics of the survey respondents included:

Age—The average age of the survey respondents was 18; two-thirds were

between 18 and 21 years of age.

Gender—Ninety-four percent were mothers, while 6 percent were fathers.

Relationship Status—Eighty-eight percent reported they were single, 7 percent reported they were married, 5 percent reported “other” (explained by the

respondent as either non-marital relationship or separated), and 1 percent

reported they were divorced.

Ward of State—Seven percent reported that they were currently a foster

child/ward of the state.

Number of Children—Eighty-one percent had one child, 18 percent had two

children, and 1 percent had more than two children.

Findings from the Survey of Homeless Young Parents:

Ages of Children—Forty-seven percent of respondents’ children were one year

of age or younger; 24 percent of respondents’ children were between one and two

years of age, and 28 percent of respondents’ children were older than two years of

age. 

Although the homeless youth surveyed were not asked this question, 10 respondents voluntarily reported that they were pregnant at the time of the survey.

Age Upon Parenthood—The average age of respondents when they first

became a parent was 17 years, with 35 percent being 18 years of age or older

and 11 percent being 14 years of age or younger.

Custodial Status—Eleven percent reported they did not have (at least) one

child currently living with them.

TANF Family History—Thirty-four percent reported that their own parent

received a welfare cash grant (either currently or in the past), 40 percent

reported that their own parent had never received a welfare cash grant (either

currently or in the past), and 26 percent did not know.

TANF Status—Only 38 percent reported that they were currently receiving a

welfare cash grant.

Source: Giving Compass

Helping Young Parents Experiencing Houselessness

To end homelessness, homeless youth and young adults need access to mainstream services as well as supportive connections to caring adults. In order to solve this, youth and young adults must be given support, with reunification with family and friends as a possibility. You need to support a youth's education, as well as his or her employment options. Also, short- and long-term low-barrier housing options should be in place for more flexibility, including rapid re-housing.

Homeless and at-risk youth are likely to be eligible for health care coverage under the

Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA vastly simplifies and expands

access to affordable health care, including for low-income and homeless youth, and allows states to

expand eligibility for Medicaid, a health care program for low-income individuals. No matter your age, every person has the potential to thrive. Those in adverse situations may be in enhanced need of support to ensure their health and well-being. Access to quality and affordable health care, including health coverage under the ACA, is an important support that can mitigate young people’s risk for poor physical health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, and mental health and substance use disorder issues. 

Help is available if you have young children and are homeless or at risk for homelessness. Find information about services in your community. Help is available to parents experiencing housing problems; for example, supportive housing for formerly homeless families with children can include on-site supports that help people maintain their housing and make progress toward economic self-sufficiency. Many local programs provide a wide range of services to assist youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness.

For an online resource including comprehensive training, tools, and technical assistance to help frontline service workers, stakeholders, and system leaders strategize systems to end houselessness visit the National Alliance to End Homelessness.