Homeless Child Care Program
Today, many families are homeless due to a variety of reasons, including:
  • The economy
  • The lack of affordable housing for low/moderate income families
  • The demolition, non-replacement, or boarding up of sound housing stock
  • And the lack of discharge/release planning on behalf of public institutions

 
The characteristics of the homeless have changed from that of a "lone individual" to that of intact family units; battered women with their children; single partents with children, and abused children who are running away from itolerable circumstances in the home.  While many of these families are accustomed to stable homes; circumstances now beyond their control have placed them in a state of homelessness.  The homeless cycle is hard to break.

The goals of the Homeless Child Care Program are:

  • To provide children of homeless parents with full child care services
  • To promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual developments of children.

At the same time, parents are relieved of child care responsibilities to work towards specific goals such as:

  • Seek housing
  • Attain employment
  • Obtain training
  • Receive counseling

This program is a support service to shelters in the Houston area.  The shelters are the primary caregiving agencies for the homeless.  However, they do not have the resources available to provide adequate child care for the children in the shelters.  Our child care program for the homeless has been in effect since July 1988, and is funded by grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development funds.

 

 

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