creating a community centered approach to ending homelessness among families, collaboration with agencies like social services, health groups, and various support groups to foster a preventive approach; creation of caring family centers in the early years of life so families can link up to and gain the skills for using all the community resources needed for healthy family functioning. Case management strategies can engage families in developing long term goals and approaches for reaching desirable goals. The key is helping parents and children develop important socio-educational skills through strategies such as the Nurturing Centre and the Children’s Garden. Swick, K. J. (2008). The dynamics of violence and homelessness among young families. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 81-85. This US review of the literature explores the role and impact of violence in the Aims: lives of homeless families with young children with a view to exploring what can be done to empower them. Citing 40 highly regarded authors, this review is based primarily on US Method: literature that focuses on the impact of violence on homeless families. Homeless women with young children often have a history of violence; Findings: having experienced violence themselves as children resulting in an intergenerational cycle of violence. Mothers who are treated violently tend to have more aggressive relations with their children. Children who witness abuse in the family report more tension and anxiety. The nature of chronic violence changes the brain and the manner in which people function. Instead of pursuing healthy patterns of functioning, families beset by chronic violence become enmeshed in abusive and degrading patterns of relations. This situation is confounded by homelessness where isolation is further increased and the stress of living in very close housing increases family arguments. The negative and anti-social behaviors generated in this abusive pattern may cause child behavior problems that eventually shadow their entire development and learning. Recommendations: Establish working conditions that encourage family caring with support resources such as leave time, flex-time, and affordable child care. Keep young families connected to quality child care, social supports, medical and health care, and related emotional support.
creating a community centered approach to ending homelessness among families, collaboration with agencies like social services, health groups, and various support groups to foster a preventive approach; creation of caring family centers in the early years of life so families can link up to and gain the skills for using all the community resources needed for healthy family functioning. Case management strategies can engage families in developing long term goals and approaches for reaching desirable goals. The key is helping parents and children develop important socio-educational skills through strategies such as the Nurturing Centre and the Children’s Garden. Swick, K. J. (2008). The dynamics of violence and homelessness among young families. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 81-85. Aims: This US review of the literature explores the role and impact of violence in the lives of homeless families with young children with a view to exploring what can be done to empower them. Method: Citing 40 highly regarded authors, this review is based primarily on US literature that focuses on the impact of violence on homeless families. Findings: Homeless women with young children often have a history of violence; having experienced violence themselves as children resulting in an intergenerational cycle of violence. Mothers who are treated violently tend to have more aggressive relations with their children. Children who witness abuse in the family report more tension and anxiety. The nature of chronic violence changes the brain and the manner in which people function. Instead of pursuing healthy patterns of functioning, families beset by chronic violence become enmeshed in abusive and degrading patterns of relations. This situation is confounded by homelessness where isolation is further increased and the stress of living in very close housing increases family arguments. The negative and anti-social behaviors generated in this abusive pattern may cause child behavior problems that eventually shadow their entire development and learning. Recommendations: Establish working conditions that encourage family caring with support resources such as leave time, flex-time, and affordable child care. Keep young families connected to quality child care, social supports, medical and health care, and related emotional support.