The earliest years of life lay the foundation for everything that follows. A baby’s brain develops more rapidly in the first three years than at any other point in life. During this critical period, stable housing, nurturing relationships, and access to supportive services help build the foundation for healthy development and lifelong well-being.
Yet across the country, more than half a million infants and toddlers are experiencing homelessness, according to a new report from SchoolHouse Connection, Infant & Toddler Homelessness Across 50 States: 2023-2024. At the same time, fewer than one in ten young children experiencing homelessness are enrolled in an early childhood development program.
Behind these numbers are babies and families navigating housing instability during one of the most important stages of child development. When homelessness occurs during pregnancy or the first years of life, it can affect children’s health, development, and ability to thrive, while creating significant stress for parents and caregivers.
The Opportunity We Can’t Afford to Miss
While homelessness poses serious risks for young children, we know what helps. Access to stable housing, quality early childhood programs, health care, and family supports can make a meaningful difference in children’s lives and reduce the harmful effects of housing instability.
Yet the latest SchoolHouse Connection findings show that fewer than one in ten infants and toddlers experiencing homelessness are connected to early childhood development programs.
Many families face barriers to accessing these supports, including transportation challenges, documentation requirements, frequent moves, limited housing options, and a lack of awareness about available services and eligibility.
Why This Matters Now
The latest report shows that infant and toddler homelessness continues to grow at a time when families are already struggling with rising housing costs and limited access to affordable housing. The report also highlights the urgent need to strengthen connections between housing and early childhood systems so that families can access support before a crisis becomes long-term instability.
For Thrive From the Start, these findings reinforce a core belief: infants, toddlers, expectant parents, and their families should not have to navigate disconnected systems to get the help they need. Housing stability, early childhood development, health, and family supports are deeply interconnected. Our solutions must be too.
By aligning housing, homelessness, health, and early childhood systems, we can create a more seamless experience for families and ensure more children receive the support they need during the earliest and most important years of life.
Call to Action
The findings in this report are a reminder that infant and toddler homelessness is both preventable and solvable.
We know what children need to thrive: stable housing, strong relationships, access to quality early childhood experiences, and systems that work together on behalf of families. We also know that no single organization or sector can do this work alone.
Together, we can build a future where every expectant parent, infant, toddler, and family has the stability, support, and opportunity they need to thrive from the start.
Read the full report: Infant & Toddler Homelessness Across 50 States: 2023-2024 and learn more about Thrive From the Start’s work to connect housing, homelessness, health, and early childhood systems for families with young children.