Spring 2017 CW360°—The Impact of Housing and Homelessness on Child Well-Being
Editors: Traci LaLiberte, PhD, Korina Barry, MSW, LGSW, & Jennifer Bertram, MSW, LISW
On any single night, an estimated 550,000 people experienced homelessness in 2016 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2016). Research has shown that the well-being of both families and unaccompanied youth is greatly affected by the experience of housing instability and homelessness. The nexus between housing insecurity and child welfare has become more clear over time. Poorer physical health, mental health, and educational outcomes are just a few of the negative consequences that families and unaccompanied youth face. Families and unaccompanied youth facing the many obstacles tied to attaining and retaining safe and stable housing often become involved with the child welfare system, and those same housing obstacles later contribute to barriers for family reunification once involved with the child welfare system.
This issue of CW360° explores the complexity of ensuring access to safe and stable housing and the resulting impact on the well-being of unaccompanied youth and families.