While the numbers vary widely depending on the definitions being used to count, over 1.2 million school-aged children were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2021-2022 school year. Hundreds of thousands more very young children also experience homelessness every year. These numbers are not improving; recent news headlines from around the U.S., in big cities, small towns, and everywhere in between, are reporting record numbers of children and families experiencing homelessness.
When we talk about family homelessness, we’re talking about something that often looks very different from what most of us imagine when we hear “homeless.” While language around homelessness is shifting, with terms like unhoused or houseless becoming more commonly used, for kids and families, 75% or more are housed yet still homeless, living “doubled up” with others or staying in motels. As the advocacy organization SchoolHouse Connection explains, “Phrases like ‘houseless’ and ‘unhoused’ contribute to the misconception that if people have roofs over their heads, they are not experiencing homelessness.” Because they are not easily visible or not perceived as “homeless,” families experiencing homelessness are often underserved. And because their housing is temporary and tenuous, they face challenges to accessing library services, including getting a library card, dealing with lost materials, or having the time and resources to visit the library.
Kids who are experiencing homelessness and their caregivers can benefit greatly from the services libraries offer, including computer and printing access, programs and classes, books and other materials, as well as a place to spend time when their housing situation may not be safe or comfortable. The experience of homelessness is traumatic and has long-term impacts on student learning and school success. Targeted programs and services around literacy, homework help, and enrichment can make a world of difference.
But how can libraries find families who are experiencing homelessness and discover what they need and how we can support them? Every school district in the U.S. is required by federal law to have a homeless student liaison, usually called a McKinney-Vento liaison, who makes sure that the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness are protected. McKinney-Vento liaisons will know what family homelessness looks like in each community, what services are available for families, and should be a starting point for every library’s work in reaching families experiencing homelessness.
The good news is that it’s usually pretty easy to find your McKinney-Vento liaison. Once you do, you can send a friendly email to introduce yourself and invite them to chat–libraries can support their work, too, by hanging posters about McKinney-Vento in the library or providing meeting room space. Connecting with your McKinney-Vento liaisons can give you the information you need to help you create programs, audit library policies, connect to other community partners, and reach out to families where they are.
This National Homelessness Awareness Month, we invite you to accept the challenge to connect with your district’s McKinney-Vento liaison as the first step to improving library services for families experiencing homelessness.