New report: Participation of Young Children Experiencing Homelessness in Early Childhood Programs in PA

Posted by Pennsylvania Head Start Collaboration Office on February 22, 2022

This new brief includes overall population and poverty data for children under age 6 and presents data on what we know about the participation of young children experiencing homelessness enrolled in quality early childhood programs from both the early childhood and housing perspectives. These data and trends over time are available to establish baselines, set policy directions, and gauge progress. Areas are identified for further study. Throughout, suggestions are apparent for enhancing policy alignment and for moving forward toward the goal of ensuring access and full participation in quality early childhood programs for young children experiencing homelessness throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

These data and trends over time are available to establish baselines, set policy directions, and gauge progress. Areas are identified for further study.

Throughout, suggestions are apparent for enhancing policy alignment and for moving forward toward the goal of ensuring access and full participation in quality early childhood programs for young children experiencing homelessness throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Who should read this? Actors in the following systems: to early learning including childcare, home visiting, PreK, Head Start/Early Head Start, homeless housing programs, county administrators, school districts, early intervention, family services, child welfare, and, who else?

The brief was developed by the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office with partnership from Dr. Grace Whitney and the People’s Emergency Center.

Read the report here.