Poverty, Homelessness, and Family Break-Up

Child Welfare. 2015;94(1):105-122.

Abstract

This study examines the extent and correlates of family separations in families experiencing homelessness. Of 2,307 parents recruited in family shelters across 12 sites, a tenth were separated from partners and a quarter from one or more children. Additional separations before and after shelter entry and reasons, from parents' perspectives, were documented in qualitative interviews with a subsample of 80 parents. Separations were associated with economic hardship, shelter conditions, and family characteristics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child Welfare
  • Child, Preschool
  • Family Characteristics*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ill-Housed Persons / psychology*
  • Ill-Housed Persons / statistics & numerical data*
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Poverty / psychology*
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data*
  • Public Housing / statistics & numerical data*
  • United States