Homelessness is much more than not having a roof over your head. For children and families, it can involve dislocation, uncertainty and loss. Experiences of homelessness and the factors that contribute to children and their families being homeless have a high correlation to poor developmental outcomes for young children. Many of these children have experienced abuse, family violence, trauma, unstable family relationships and developmental delay.
The numbers of young children in families who are experiencing homelessness in Victoria is alarming. In Victoria in 2002-03, 19,850 children were part of families accessing support and accommodation due to homelessness with 85% of these children aged under 12 years and a total of 8,250 aged under 5 years.
Program Background
Children living in families who are experiencing homelessness have been identified within Victorian Homelessness Strategy VHS) as particularly vulnerable and at risk.
The VHS also recognises the critical role of Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Family Support Workers and other early years service providers in identifying and assessing the needs of children experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These services are well placed to provide important support to families and facilitate the connection for children and families with increased vulnerability to more targeted services.
The Changing Places Program has been funded by the Department of Human Services, Office of Housing and seeks to strengthen capacity of early years professionals to better understand and respond to the needs of children and their families who are experiencing homelessness.
Who has developed Changing Places?
The Changing Places Program has been developed by the Australian Childhood Foundation in partnership with the National Research Centre for the Prevention of Child Abuse at Monash University and the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency.
Who is Changing Places for?
This Program is specifically targeting Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Family Support Workers, Preschool Field Officers and the Koori Early Childhood Education program. The resources are available for use by all professionals who are interested in enhancing their practice with children who experience homelessness and their families.
How can you participate in the Changing Places Program?
- The Changing Places program in the form of professional development and cross sector forums finished at the end of 2006 but the training can still be completed online and resources accessed see the links below.
- Review the outcomes of the one day key note speaker forum for the early years and homelessness sectors held on the 26 October, 2004 Click Here.
- Complete the online, self-paced learning module to find out more about the experiences of homelessness for children and families Click Here.
- Download research about children who experience homelessness and their families and take part in research that is being conducted as part of the Changing Places Project Click Here.
- Download resources for assessment and practice developed by the Changing Places team Click Here.