It is critical that young children experiencing homelessness are connected to early childhood programs in their area so they can receive the support they need to succeed in school. Helping students experiencing homelessness to achieve graduation begins with supporting our youngest learners.
Parents and Caregivers of Young Children
There are several publicly-funded early childhood programs and services to support your young child as they develop.
- The CDC offers a milestone tracker app to track your child’s developmental milestones so that you can act early if you have a concern about their development.
- The guide to Virginia Early Intervention and Public Preschool Programs outlines the early intervention and public preschool programs available throughout Virginia.
Professional Development Resources for Early Childhood Educators
- Please visit our Learning Library to complete our McKinney-Vento training module for early childhood educators in Virginia.
- There are also several short, supplemental whiteboard videos for early childhood educators and early childhood special education and early intervention providers in our Learning Library. These videos outline ways to identify young children experiencing homelessness and connect them to the supports they need.
- Supporting Young Children Experiencing Homelessness Webinar Series is a 3-part webinar series from the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) that outlines how to serve young children under the McKinney-Vento Act, early care and childhood programs, and childhood trauma and homelessness.
Reports & Briefs on Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
- National Center for Homeless Education Preschool/Early Childhood Resources – NCHE provides several resources to assist educators and service providers with strategies for giving young children and families experiencing homelessness the support they need.
- Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) – Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center provides resources and curriculum for educators and providers as well as tools for parents and caregivers seeking Head Start programs in their area.
- Resources Young Children Experiencing Homelessness – SchoolHouse Connection provides several tools for educators and providers to identify young children experiencing homelessness and ensure they gain access to needed early learning programs.
- Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance System, Families Experiencing Homelessness and Services for Families of Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Trauma: A Research-to-Practice Brief – This brief from the Administration for Children and Families summarizes the impact of trauma on infants and toddlers as well as intervention strategies and trauma-informed practices that can reduce the effects of trauma on young children.
Other Resources
- Home at Head Start: Helping Families Experiencing Homelessness Access Head Start Services –This initiative from ECKLC focuses on increasing the number of young children experiencing homelessness enrolled in Head Start.
- Sesame Workshop – This workshop is Sesame Street’s nationwide Initiative to address the impact of homelessness among America’s youngest children.
- Early Childhood Self-Assessment Tool for Family Shelters – Shelters have the potential to be a positive, stable force in the lives of displaced children and mitigate the negative impact that homelessness can have on their development by creating an environment that is safe and developmentally appropriate. This self-assessment tool for shelters serves as a guide to support the safe and healthy development of young children in a shelter setting.
- Wingspan – This resource identifies teaching strategies for developing young children’s social-emotional skills, problem-solving abilities, and healthy decision-making.
- Al’s Pals –This resource is a comprehensive curriculum and teacher training program that equips teachers to create an emotionally safe, trauma-sensitive classroom where children learn to form caring relationships, self-regulate, and acquire key social-emotional skills.