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Building Partnerships to Support Stable Housing for Child Welfare-Involved Families and Youth

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Building Partnerships to Support Stable Housing for Child Welfare-Involved Families and Youth BULLETIN FOR PROFESSIONALS November 2018 Building Partnerships to WHAT’S INSIDE Support Stable Housing Child welfare and for Child Welfare-Involved housing instability Families and Youth Barriers to stable housing As a child welfare caseworker, you have most likely seen the impact of housing instability and Benefits of collaboration with housing and homelessness on families attempting to reunify homelessness services with their children or prevent placement in out-of- systems home care. They may be living in shelters, in their car, or in housing that is unsafe or overcrowded, Housing resources to or they may need financial or other assistance explore to access and maintain safe and stable housing. Collaboration tips If you work with youth who are preparing to transition from foster care, you know that many Conclusion of these young adults may soon face similar challenges if they do not receive timely and References thoughtful transition planning and support. Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS 800.394.3366 | Email: [email protected] | https://www.childwelfare.gov Building Partnerships to Support Stable Housing for Child Welfare-Involved Families and Youth https://www.childwelfare.gov Every community is unique. Some offer a full continuum Child Welfare and Housing Instability of housing crisis response options—including emergency The significant crossover between families and youth shelter, short-term housing, and permanent housing— involved (or formerly involved) in child welfare and those and supportive services—including short-term help with requiring assistance to maintain safe, affordable housing housing search and security deposits, intensive case is well-documented. According to the Administration management, and ongoing wraparound services once for Children and Families (ACF), roughly 10 percent of housing has been secured. In other communities, housing children entering foster care in 2015 (approximately resources and supportive services may be scarce. In 27,000) were removed from their families at least in part either case, collaborating with local affordable housing due to inadequate housing (U.S. Department of Health and homelessness services providers helps child welfare and Human Services [HHS], ACF, Children’s Bureau, 2017; agencies, housing professionals, and the homelessness HHS, 2016). Research has consistently found that families response system achieve their mandates and meet the experiencing homelessness are involved with the child needs of children, youth, and families more effectively. welfare system—including investigations, open cases, By building and engaging in these mutually beneficial and out-of-home placement—at a higher rate than low- partnerships, child welfare caseworkers and supervisors income families that are housed, even when controlling can help ensure the local array of housing services and for other factors (Dworsky, 2014). supports reflects and adapts to the evolving and varied needs of the families and youth they serve. Homelessness is defined differently by different Federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban This bulletin outlines affordable housing and Development (HUD) definition includes four broad homelessness services that may be available in your categories: (1) individuals or families who lack a fixed, community and how you can collaborate with those regular, and adequate nighttime residence (including systems to help the families and youth you serve. those living in places not meant for human habitation, Although directed primarily at child welfare professionals, residing in emergency or temporary housing, or leaving the information in this bulletin also may help housing and an institution); (2) people who are losing their primary homelessness services providers understand the unique nighttime residence within 14 days; (3) unaccompanied needs and concerns of child welfare-involved youth and youth under the age of 25 and families with children who families and how their programs can help. “Grantee meet other Federal definitions of homelessness; and (4) spotlight” boxes throughout the document feature people who are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic examples of programs focused on child welfare and violence and lack needed resources or support (HUD, housing collaboration that were funded by the Children’s n.d.). More information about other Federal definitions Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families can be found on the Youth.gov website: https://youth. of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as gov/youth-topics/runaway-and-homeless-youth/ part of the Partnerships to Demonstrate the Effectiveness federal-definitions. of Supportive Housing for Families in the Child Welfare System (SHF) and Youth At-Risk of Homelessness (YARH) grant clusters.1 1 For more information about these grants, see Appendix B of Information Memorandum ACYF-CB-IM-17-03 at http://www.csh.org/wp-content/ uploads/2017/01/ACF-ACYF-CB-IM-17-03-Housing-and-Child-Welfare- COMBINED.pdf. This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/bulletins-housing/. 2 Building Partnerships to Support Stable Housing for Child Welfare-Involved Families and Youth https://www.childwelfare.gov Not all families and youth struggling with housing Conversely, child welfare involvement appears to be concerns meet these definitions. Other housing a risk factor for later homelessness. Youth exiting the challenges that may affect families and youth include foster care system to independence face significant living in housing that is overcrowded, paying an challenges securing a safe, stable, and affordable place unsustainable percentage of income for rent or mortgage, to live without strong transition-planning assistance. In at or facing eviction. Unstable or inadequate housing least one study, half of youth living on the street reported increases the risk of children entering foster care and having been in foster care or a group home (HHS, ACF, can delay reunification—even when housing was not the Family and Youth Services Bureau, 2016). These youth reason for out-of-home placement (Dworsky, 2014). One were more likely to report longer periods of homelessness study found that housing problems, such as being evicted compared with youth with no history of foster care. or living doubled up, increased the risk of families having Youth formerly in foster care also have been found to an investigated report of physical abuse (Slack, Lee, & stay in emergency shelters longer than other youth (Park, Berger, 2007). Another study found that living doubled up Metraux, & Culhane, 2005). According to the National increased the odds of a substantiated child maltreatment Youth in Transition Database, 20 percent of 19-year-olds report among families struggling with a caregiver’s formerly in foster care surveyed in 2016 reported having mental illness or substance abuse (Font & Warren, 2013), been homeless at some point within the past 2 years. compared to stably housed families. It is clear that the child welfare, affordable housing, and The effects of inadequate housing on child safety may homelessness services systems have a vested interest be both direct and indirect. In addition to the physical in working together to address crossover and prevent dangers posed by unsafe or unstable living conditions, families and youth from becoming homeless or spending the resulting stress on caregivers can exacerbate these unnecessary lengths of time in the child welfare system. less-than-favorable conditions and lead to physical Working together can help all three systems achieve punishment, domestic violence, substance use, or neglect their goal of keeping children safely with their own (Dworsky, 2014). families when possible and reducing homelessness while improving individual, family, and community well-being. Addressing housing instability and homelessness Barriers to Stable Housing directly supports child welfare’s goals of safety, Two distinct child welfare populations can benefit from a permanency, and well-being for children, youth, collaboration between child welfare agencies and housing and families. Studies have shown that providing and homelessness services to promote housing stability: housing-related services can significantly reduce Families, including the following: repeat maltreatment and facilitate reunification ○ Those receiving family preservation or other for families with children in foster care (Dworsky, in-home services who are insecurely housed and 2014). Addressing family homelessness also can facing the possibility of their children being placed improve children’s physical and psychological in foster care health and support improved educational outcomes (U.S. Interagency Council on ○ Those facing reunification delays due to a lack of Homelessness, 2016). safe and stable housing Youth transitioning out of foster care This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/bulletins-housing/. 3 Building Partnerships to Support Stable Housing for Child Welfare-Involved Families and Youth https://www.childwelfare.gov Securing and maintaining safe and stable housing can Grantee Spotlight be challenging for families and youth involved with the child welfare system. Understanding common barriers
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