Putting an End to Child & Family Homelessness in Canada Putting an End to Child & Family Homelessness in Canada Our Funding Partners We would like to express our deep gratitude for the generosity of our Funding Partners, who have supported the work of the Child and Family Raising the Roof provides national leadership on long-term Initiative and the development of this report. solutions to homelessness through partnership and collaboration with diverse stakeholders, investment in local communities, and public education. LEAD PARTNERS This report is the result of the three-year Child and Family Children’s Mental Health Pillar Homelessness Initiative. This project aims to support communities and government by reviewing existing programs, creating a comprehensive framework, and developing practical tools and recommendations for addressing child and family homelessness in Canada. Ontario Collaborative Agreement Also available: • Building a comprehensive framework to address child and family homelessness in Canada: Phase I, an environmental scan • Beyond Housing First: A Holistic Response to Family Homelessness in Canada Acknowledgements MAJOR PARTNERS We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their incredible work and dedication to the Child and Family Homelessness Initiative and this final report. Report Author: Tanya Gulliver-Garcia Primary Researchers: Amanda Noble and Tyler Pettes SUPPORTING PARTNERS Research Assistants: Llyvell Gomes, Fairuz Haque, and Jane Wang Report Editor: Caitlin Boros Report Designer: Brenda Martin – Hermit Creative Report Translator: Fernande Onanga – Made in Gabao Translation Report developed under the leadership of Carolann Barr, Executive Director and Raising the Roof’s Board of Advisors. Our Community Partners We would like to thank the following Partner Agencies for their immense contributions to this report, without which this work would not have been possible. Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty in Canada Ending Violence Association of British Columbia Family Enrichment and Counselling Service, Fredericton Inc. Homeward Trust Edmonton Oolagen Community Services Port Cares Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health YMCA Yellowknife How to cite this report: Gulliver-Garcia, T. (2016). Putting an End to Child & Family Homelessness in Canada. Toronto: Raising the Roof. Copyright ©2016 Raising the Roof The author’s rights re this report are protected with a Creative Commons license that allows users to quote from, link to, copy, transmit and distribute for non-commercial purposes, provided they attribute it to the authors and to the report. The license does not allow users to alter, transform, or build upon the report. More details about this Creative Commons license can be viewed at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/ For more information, visit: www.raisingtheroof.org Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 3 Introduction – Child and Family Homelessness Initiative ................................................... 7 Methodology in Detail .................................................................................................... 7 Background on Family Homelessness in Canada .............................................................. 11 Causes of Homelessness ............................................................................................... 15 Why Does It Matter? .................................................................................................... 16 The Framework and Symbols ........................................................................................... 18 The Three Components of the Framework....................................................................... 20 Primary Prevention Overview ....................................................................................... 20 Systems-Based Responses Overview ............................................................................ 20 Early Intervention Overview ......................................................................................... 21 Primary Prevention ........................................................................................................... 22 The Eight Pillars of the Framework ................................................................................... 25 Poverty/Income ................................................................................................................ 25 Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty in Canada ............................................... 26 Recommendations Related to Poverty/Income .......................................................... 33 Affordable Housing .......................................................................................................... 34 Recommendations Related to Affordable Housing ..................................................... 44 Child Care ......................................................................................................................... 45 Recommendations Related to Child Care ..................................................................... 47 Family Enrichment and Counselling Services Fredericton Inc. ......................................... 49 Food (In)Security ............................................................................................................... 50 Recommendations Related to Food (In)Security .......................................................... 53 YWCA Yellowknife ............................................................................................................. 54 Discrimination ................................................................................................................... 55 Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health .............................................................................. 58 Recommendations Related to Discrimination .............................................................. 63 Ending Violence Association of BC (EVA BC) ..................................................................... 64 Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) ........................................................................................ 65 Recommendations Related to Intimate Partner Violence ........................................... 77 1 Children’s Mental Health and Family Wellbeing ............................................................. 78 Recommendations Related to Children’s Mental Health and Family Wellbeing ........ 84 Stigma .............................................................................................................................. 86 Recommendations Related to Stigma ......................................................................... 89 Young Parents No Fixed Address (YPNFA) ....................................................................... 90 Systems-Based Responses ............................................................................................... 91 Recommendations Related to Systems-Based Responses ........................................ 100 Port Cares ....................................................................................................................... 101 Early Intervention ........................................................................................................... 102 Recommendations Related to Early Intervention ..................................................... 109 Homeward Trust Edmonton .......................................................................................... 111 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 112 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 114 Recommendations for ALL Levels of Government .................................................... 114 Recommendations for the Federal Government Only .............................................. 114 Recommendations for the Provincial/Territorial Governments Only ....................... 114 Recommendations for Municipal Governments Only ............................................... 114 Recommendations for Community Agencies ............................................................ 114 Summary of Recommendations ................................................................................ 115 Recommendation 1.0 – National Coordinated Action and Response on Children’s Mental Health ............................................................................................................ 116 Recommendation 2.0 – National Housing and Homelessness Strategy.................... 117 Recommendation 3.0 - National Poverty Reduction Strategy................................... 119 Recommendation 3.1 - National Housing Benefit ..................................................... 121 Recommendation 4.0 – One Child, One Case (or One Family, One Case) ................. 122 Recommendation 5.0 – Homelessness and Housing Secretariat ................................ 123 Recommendation 6.0 – Plans to End Homelessness ................................................. 124 Recommendation 7.0 – Inclusionary Zoning & Development of Affordable Housing .................................................................................................................................... 126 Recommendation 8.0 – Development