New Peer-Reviewed Published Journal Article!

Perceptions of support in shelter environments for caregivers and young children experiencing family homelessness
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FEBRUARY 25, 2022

Sarah C. Vrabic, Janette E. Herbers, Mariah Davis, Courtney Thomas. Published in Child: Care, Health and Development.

A supportive shelter environment can serve as a protective factor that fosters resilience for children and families experiencing homelessness. To determine caregivers’ perceptions of support within their shelter program and how those perceptions may influence child functioning and family well-being, we interviewed caregivers staying in five family housing programs in Philadelphia. 

With data from 60 caregivers of children ages birth to 5 years recruited from family shelters, we assessed caregivers' perceptions of community support as well as child and family well-being in terms of recent adverse experiences, parenting stress, access to social support, and child social–emotional functioning. We found that children whose caregivers had more negative perceptions of the shelter environment displayed worse social–emotional functioning, even when accounting for differences in parenting stress, recent family adversity, and other sources of social support.

To learn more about our study and our recommendations for family homelessness service providers based on these enlightening findings, please email svrabic@pec-cares.org to read the full article.

We will present this important work at the March 18th Children's Work Group Early Childhood Conference.

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