The Young Child Homelessness Journal of North Carolina

"The Difficult Truth

No. That can’t be true. . .

Who is the mother with her two young daughters walking toward the tents in the trees? You say this young family lives there? Do they sleep there? Does the baby have a crib? Does the older girl go to school? Are they homeless?

Yes. It is true, more often than we want to believe.

Children experiencing homelessness are among the most invisible and vulnerable individuals in our nation. Despite their ever-growing number, children who are unhoused have no voice and no constituency. Without a bed to call their own, they have lost safety, privacy, and the comforts of home, as well as friends, pets, possessions, reassuring routines, and community. These losses combine to create a life-altering experience that can have a profound and lasting impact.

According to data from the National Center for Homeless Education, the number of children ages 0 – 18 experiencing homelessness during the 2021-2022 school year nationwide was greater than the total child populations of 28 states (over 1.4 million children). And the next year, HUD reported that people in families with children had the largest single year increase in homelessness. Between 2023 and 2024, 39 percent more people in families with children experienced homelessness.

Closer to home, the North Carolina Homeless Education Program reported that 37,197 Pre-K - 12th Grade students were experiencing homelessness in the 2023-2024 school year (2.2% of the student population).

18% staying in hotel/motel

7% staying in shelter

71% doubled up

4% were unsheltered (~1,488 children sleeping outside)

In 2022-2023, there were 11,620 children under age of 3 in North Carolina experiencing homelessness (only 4% were enrolled in Head Start)..."

Read Issue 1 of The Young Child Homelessness Journal of North Carolina here: https://mailchi.mp/d98a2891555f/young-child-homelessness-journal-of-nc-issue-1