This guide contains suggestions for those seeking to establish library services for homeless children, help for computerizing a homeless shelter, and a discussion of the problems and rewards of establishing library services in a shelter. Steps to establishing services include: (1) clarifying the purpose of the effort; (2) doing the homework to…

The right of homeless children and youth to enjoy a free, appropriate public education is ensured in Oregon by ORS 339.115 (3). This law establishes that homeless children and youth cannot be denied enrollment simply because they lack a fixed place of residence or because they are not under a parent's or guardian's supervision. State Board of…

The purpose of this document is to give guidance to local educational agencies and supply them with resources to meet the educational needs of homeless children in Massachusetts in accordance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (PL 100-77). Contents are as follows: "Part I, Introduction" discusses the history and purpose…

This guide suggests strategies to help states, districts, and schools overcome barriers that keep homeless children and youth from getting the education to which they are entitled, presenting approaches for helping them achieve the same high standards expected of all children. The promising practices all come from states and districts that have…

This paper reviews research on processes linking low incomes, deprived neighborhoods, and adverse outcomes for British children, identifying gaps and limitations in existing datasets and research strategies. Four domains are examined: education, health and psychological outcomes, crime and related behavior, and items linked to transitioning to…

This study explored the academic and physical barriers that homeless children in Utah encountered on a daily basis in a structured educational setting. The project was conducted in a shelter and resource center in Salt Lake City. Data were collected from 1 male and 14 female adults and 15 children, representing 15 families. A perceived barriers…

This book is devoted to interventions that help to make a difference in the lives of children. Children have many challenges, some of which cannot be addressed effectively during the school day. The role of community psychologists has become increasingly important in helping to meet the social and emotional needs of children. This book presents…

Investigates educational risks among 73 homeless children, 6 to 11 years old. Results indicate that access to school was not a problem, but significant school success problems (i.e., achievement and classroom behavior) were seen among the study's 59 African American children. Findings support the feasibility of studying at-risk children in highly…

Summarizes the small body of research to date that focuses on the effects of homelessness on children. In matters related to health, development, and education, homeless children are at a grave disadvantage, many from birth. Policy implications are outlined, concluding that children need permanent housing if they are to thrive. (DM)

Includes annotations for 23 local government publications that reflect the main issues confronting local communities, including AIDS, children at risk, homelessness, human rights, and environmental decline. The shift of local problem solving from the federal and state government levels to the local level is briefly discussed. (LRW)

Examined psychological adjustment in 159 homeless and 62 low-income, at-home children. Homeless children had greater recent stress exposure, more disrupted schooling/friendships. Behavior problems were above norms for homeless children, particularly for antisocial behavior. Behavior problems in both samples were more related to parental distress,…

Describes the Book Club of Reading Connection, a nonprofit organization in Virginia, that gives books to children in homeless shelters and for up to one year after they leave the shelter. The key to the book club's effectiveness and its longevity is communication between the Reading Connection and the families. (SLD)

This review examines the social literature on Brazilian street children to determine causal factors. Stressing the socioeconomic aspects of poverty and social exclusion, the analyses identify three basic themes: the family, high failure rates in school, and child/adolescent labor. The role of Brazil's economic crisis of the late 1970s and…

Describes how a comparative study of street children in Montevideo (Uruguay), Rio de Janeiro, and Mexico City contributes to a synergism between theory and method. Notes how theoretical approaches of symbolic interactionism, genetic structuralism, and habitus theory complement interview, participant observation, and content analysis methods;…

Interviewed Bucharest street children, most between 11 and 15 years of age. Found that most left families, not institutions. Half were from intact families characterized by many children, an incarcerated parent, physical violence, sexual abuse, or alcoholism. Most worked either begging or in casual labor, and engaged in substance abuse.…