Rising Poverty in the Nation\'s Young Families Children and Homelessness

Rising Poverty and Homelessness

NOT TO BE IGNORED

Rising Poverty in the Nation's Young Families, Children and Homelessness

Census Bureau (2010) reported that, for the three consecutive years, the number of people living in poverty has been increasing and reached 46.2 million or 15% of the total population. Overall poverty rate for all U.S. families went up from 9.8% in 2007 to 11.7% in 2010. Recession in the late 2007 has strongly cut through all ages, both genders and all race-ethnic groups. But the most severely affected are young families, headed by adults under 30, with one or more children. This condition is seen to assert long-lasting negative effects of children's cognitive achievement, education, nutrition and physical and mental health as well as social behavior. These developments are likely to have long-term consequences on the nation's economy and social future U.S. Census Bureau). But professionals and parents can buffer these threats to promote health early development in these young populations (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, 2012). . Interventions include building nurturing, supportive and respectful relationships with parents, which can strengthen young people's functioning and capability to care for their own young and reduce the risks of poor development (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation).

The Effects of Poverty on Children

This study bolsters evidence that family income may be selective, but substantially still affects the child's well being (Gunn & Duncan, 1997). It also appears to assert greater influence over a child's ability and achievement more than emotional factors. It found that children who live in extreme poverty or who live below the poverty level for many years tend to suffer the worst. The timing of poverty is also a major factor. Children who experience extreme poverty in preschool and early school years had lower rates of educational completion than those who experience extreme poverty in later years. As they are, these findings strongly suggest that support and interventions in early childhood would be most effective in addressing and reducing the impact of poverty on these vulnerable children (Gunn & Duncan). .

Homelessness and Its Implications

D. Hoffman and Rosenheck, 2001 as qtd in David, 2012) reported that as many as 70% of homeless mothers endure separation from at least one child below 18. Separations range from 44-56%. Separations present as additional difficulty to finding an appropriate dwelling, keeping in touch with already separated children, and tackling negative emotions resulting from separation. The mother is sometimes compelled to decide to separate from her children in her desire to provide for them or to protect them from the harsh consequences of homelessness. She often entrusts the children to relatives or friends at least temporarily. At times, the separation is the decision of the child welfare system or by shelter policies. When she agrees to surrender her parenting role up, even temporarily, the separation can damage her sense of adequacy as a mother. It can also basically adversely affect her sense of meaning and purpose in life (David).

Women who are separated from their children become so-called "invisible mothers" while they live and thrive alone in adult-only shelters or on the streets (David, 2012). In this "invisible" state, it becomes very difficult for them to hear about and access the services they need, such as housing and reunification with their separated children. The emotional toll that separation takes on infant, toddler or preschooler can be only an estimate and certainly not well-understood. There is deep need to undertake more research on separating children from their mothers and placing them, whether temporarily or permanently, with relatives or foster families. This should be contrasted with devoting resources to unification and enhancing childcare environment at a period of homelessness (David).

Helping Hands

The Ascend (2012) Program at the Aspen Institute offers support from compassionate investors to help parents, especially women, and their children move out of poverty and a bid for educational achievement and economic security. It applies a two-generation approach to accomplish these ends. The approach consists of creating opportunities for, and addressing the needs of both parents and children together. The core components for the approach are education, economic supports and social capital. By creating partnerships across programs, policies and systems currently focusing on children and their parents separately, economic security and educational success can be achieved by letting these pass from one generation to the next (Ascend).

Parents and professionals can help young children who live in poverty and/or homeless rise from their trauma (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, 2012). One way is for these helpers to determine what each child needs and enjoys. These helpers can then create clean, child-proofed and organized in introducing safe play and exploration. Then they can create opportunities for listening, talking and sharing. Parents and professionals can realize the gains by sensing the children's individual needs, providing them safe environment for nurturing interactions, and by appropriately and sensitively responding to cues and messages by very young children to help them rise from their traumatic experiences. Young parents can better function if they receive supports and services. Through these measures, children's brain development and social emotional health can be firmed and reduce obstacles to their development (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation).

Residential Instability

Studies establish the connection between housing instability and homelessness in early life, i.e., infancy to age 5 (ICPF, 2009). The effects are seen as long-lasting for these young children. These studies also reveal that frequent transfers in early childhood tend to damage school attainment more than during adolescence. Overall, frequent transfers and homelessness constitute a source of stress to parents, which equates to difficulties in caring for young children. Housing instability was also viewed as affecting the stability of children's childcare arrangements, which in turn, tend to affect their readiness for school. All these are stressors, which can have long-term effects on one's well-being. Results, moreover, suggest that low-income or poor children are at a high risk of homelessness and housing instability. More than half of homeless children at some point of their lives moved more than three time during that period (ICPF).

Recommendations for Homeless Children

Increased housing subsidies should be provided for their permanent housing (Aratani, 2009). Research shows that homeless families receiving housing subsidies are likely to experience housing stability more than those who did not receive these subsidies. These children's school-based and community-based health services should be increased. Programs that better identify and serve homeless children with developmental delays and disabilities should be created. Children in shelters and temporary housing should be provided nutritiously adequate food and nutrition outreach. Funding should be provided for the collection of data for the creation of a national longitudinal sample of children who experience homelessness. Current research is conducted largely on metropolitan samples, which exclude the homeless in non-urban areas (Aratani).

Credibility Criteria

The Impact of Rising Poverty on the Nation's Young Families and Their Children (2010) by the U.S. Census Bureau is an official/government report on the subject. It is, therefore, authoritative, accepted as accurate, objective, the most current to-date, and has comprehensive coverage of the subject.