• Describe a program for serving preschoolers and their families experiencing homelessness in WJCC
• Provide examples of district and program level strategies utilized to support families
Provide a brief overview of the intake and family assessment process used to identify students with risk factors likely to negatively impact Kindergarten success
Population: 15,167 16.1% living below the poverty level 11.3 % unemployment
Population: 68,971 7.1 % living below the poverty level 4.6 % unemployment
Avalon Shelter Transitional housing program Hands Together Historic Triangle Child Development Resources United Way Departments of Social Services Colonial Behavioral Health and other counseling
services Faith Based Community
› Supports the United Way Community Resource Center› GWOM – Friend in Need program› Shelter program – Community of Faith
Population: 11,265 (as of September 2013) 15 schools – 9 Elementary, 3 middle, 3 High 4 Preschool sites Homeless identification trends
› 2005/2006 – 86› 2006/2007 – 109› 2007/2008 – 223› 2008/2009 – 106› 2009/2010 – 217› 2010/2011 – 353› 2011/2012 – 428› 2012/2013 – 425
Project HOPE School Social Work staff Erase the Need Center School Based Resources Bright Beginnings Preschool program
› Central Point of Entry› Homeless Education Program
Awareness and Education program Training program for all school
staff/employees Strategies appropriate to the group, i.e.
teachers, administrators, registrars, bus drivers, custodians
Resource and Guidance manual – Connecting the Pieces: Access, Stability, Success
Outreach materials specific to school division Needs assessment completed in spring 2013
– will guide continued interventions
WJCC has provided preschool services to children at risk for the past 29 years
Bright Beginnings established for children at risk as a federal demonstration grant in1983
Currently 305 students enrolled 4 sites 21 Homeless students identified this
year Homeless trends
› 2009/2010 – 14› 2010/2011 – 28› 2011/2012 – 36› 2012/2013 – 41
Risk factors include:• Poverty
• Homelessness
• Child Protective Services or Foster Care
• Incarcerated Parent
• Parent did not complete high school
• Family Stressors – domestic violence, death, divorce, mental health
needs, military deployments
• Child is an English Language Learner
• Prenatal Substance Exposure or Substance Abuse in the home
• Sibling or Parent with Special Needs
• Atypical Behavior
Risk factors are conditions known to negatively impact school success
This presentation will give a brief overview of the intake and family assessment process used to identify students with risk factors likely to negatively impact Kindergarten success
Particular focus in this presentation will be given to students within the homeless population
“Ability gaps open at early ages.
Schooling after the second grade
plays only a minor role
in alleviating these gaps.”James J. Heckman
Director, Economics Research Center and the Center for Social Program Evaluation at the
Harris School for Public PolicyNobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences
Our community recognizes the value of high quality early childhood programs and the direct relationship to school readiness & lifelong success
Child referred to program Referral sources
› Self› School Social Workers› School Staff› DSS Social Workers› Part C Program› Other Community Agencies
Initial Intake› Demographics› Reason for Referral› Concerns
Developmental Family Dynamics
› Attempted Strategies
Ages and Stages Questionnaire Hearing and Vision (School Nurse) Developmental (Special Education
Teacher) Speech/Language (Speech/Language
Pathologist) Family Interview (CPE Staff)
Items › Comprehensive
Medical Prenatal/Postnatal Information Child’s current medical history
Family Medical History (including Mental Health Diagnoses)
Social History Current Family Situation Stressors Family/Child/Siblings’ educational history Home Language Survey (Teaching Strategies)
Structured face-to-face (preferred method) By phone (if needed)
CPE staff completes Homeless Section of Family Interview (adapted from the National Center for Homeless Education)
If Homeless, Complete This SectionWhere is child presently living? in a shelter with more than one family in a house or apartment in a motel, car or campsite with friends or family members (other than parent/guardian) CONTINUE: If you checked a box above, who does the child live with? 1 parent a relative, friend(s) or other adult(s) 2 parents alone with no adults1 parent & another adult an adult that is not the
parent or the legal guardian
• CPE staff contacts the school social worker of the zoned school
• School social worker contacts family to verify• School social worker contacts CPE staff,
Preschool Administrators and Administrative Assistant of status
• If child flagged as homeless, information is entered• In Preschool Database• In WJCC School Division Database• Student falls under McKinney-Vento if enrolled
› Case management/direct intervention services for high risk preschool students and families
› Parent programming – both at school and in home› Coordinates and facilitates a group compromised
of community service providers› Needs assessment of preschool staff - results
provided to staff and used to guide activities› Available for onsite consultation for staff and
administration› Provide continued training on M-V and strategies
for classrooms and interacting with families› Link with school age programs
Central Point of Entry Coordinator Administrative Assistant –
transportation School Social Work staff Homeless Liaison Special Education Department Program Administrators Bright Beginnings Nurse
All families that received services from the HEC in 2011/12 and 2012/13 increased their self-sufficiency scores
Requests for consultation and support from BB staff members increased 67% in 2012/13
Referrals to families increased by 38% in 2012/13
Referrals received by the HEC from school division staff increased by 37% in 2012/13
For Bright Beginnings students that were identified under M-V in the 2012/13 school year› PALS – Phonemic Awareness and Literacy
Screening› Teaching Standards Gold Kindergarten
Readiness› Teaching Standards Gold Widely Held
Expectations
No student identified as homeless in the 2011/12 school year required PALS intervention in kindergarten in the 2012/13 school year
Developing a lending library for both staff and parents
Fostering relationships with community partners
Stephanie Leek, MSWSchool Social WorkerHomeless Liaison
757-603-6436
Sabrina ClemonsHomeless Education Coordinator
757- 564-8721 x 47509