No Place to Grow: Rethinking Homelessness Through a Whole-Child, Whole-Family Lens

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Imagine trying to raise your joyful, curious two-year-old in a walk-in closet. There’s no room for toys, no space to play, and every sound echoes too loudly. You’re constantly on edge – not because you’re hiding your child, but because you’re worried that the typical noise of a developing toddler might be too much for the homeowner. The fear of losing even this small, temporary space looms during everyday moments, from enjoying your child’s laughter to dealing with their tantrums. This is what homelessness can look like for families across the country—living in cramped, unstable conditions that threaten not just housing security, but a child’s developmental foundation.

In the first of a two-part series, School House Connection and BUILD invite you to the June session of the Whole Child, Whole Family, Whole Systems Webinar Series, No Place to Grow: Rethinking Homelessness for Children and Families. We’ll consider how homelessness in all forms – shelter, unsheltered, hotels/motels, and sharing the housing of others (“doubled-up”) – leads to a lack of a safe, nurturing space that affects both children and their caregivers. This webinar will explore the critical role of cross-sector collaboration in addressing family homelessness from early childhood systems to housing, health care, and education. We will also explore the powerful levers that early childhood advocates, policymakers, and service delivery partners can activate to address homelessness in families with young children.

And don’t miss Part 2 on July 10, Under the Surface: Confronting Homelessness in Early Childhood.  Building on our June conversation, our July webinar will take a closer look at the barriers families with young children face when trying to access housing. We’ll explore how frequent moves, unaffordable rent, and unsafe housing conditions quietly undermine child development—and what we can do to respond earlier and more effectively.

Join us in June to rethink homelessness—and return in July to deepen the conversation on housing access, equity, and early childhood development. Let’s imagine new, system-wide approaches that put children and families at the center of housing solutions. It’s not just about shelter—it’s about dignity, stability, and the chance for children to grow up healthy and supported

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