The Institute for Children, Poverty, & Homelessness recently released its eighth “Profile of Risk” report on children and families experiencing homelessness.

 

How Does School Readiness Differ for Homeless and Stably Housed Children?

Among all low-income families in the United States, relatively few ever become homeless. What characteristics separate these families from those with low incomes who maintain their housing? For policy makers and others seeking to alleviate family homelessness, a more complete understanding of these differences is urgently needed.

“Profiles of Risk: School Readiness” is the eighth research brief in this ICPH series, which draws on data from the nationwide Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study to highlight characteristics of those families at greatest risk of experiencing homelessness. This brief, like the seventh in the series, focuses on an aspect of child well-being; in this case, school readiness. The findings reveal significant differences in behavioral and attention problems between children who experience housing instability and those who are stably housed. Differences in cognitive scores are also explored. Children who experience housing instability enter school less ready to learn than their peers, which has long-term implications including and extending beyond academic achievement.

 

Download the eighth brief here.