Description:
This guide is intended to assist states in utilizing their CCDF state plan ("CCDF Plan") as a vehicle for improving access to high-quality early care and education for children who experience homelessness. The guide provides background information on child and family homelessness, including common barriers and challenges and best practices for serving homeless families; a summary of requirements of the CCDBG Act related to homelessness; and a summary of some of the opportunities available through the state CCDF Plan to improve access. The guide is organized according to the CCDF draft preprint that was released on September 14, 2015, and summarizes key policy and practice opportunities that can be addressed in each section to advance access and quality for homeless families. For convenience, the most pertinent points are featured at the beginning of each section, where appropriate. The guide also includes general information and strategies that are not specific to any one section of the CCDF Plan but are critical for states to consider in their planning. As a companion to the guide, a self-assessment tool is available that can assist states in assessing their current policies and practices and identifying options to better support vulnerable children is included. We recommend reviewing the self-assessment tool prior to reading the guide. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Executive Summary