Interventions to promote the health and well-being of children under 5s experiencing homelessness in high-income countries

Author/s

Yanxin Tu, Kaushik Sarkar, Nadia Svirydzenka, Zoe Palfreyman, Yvonne Karen Parry, Matthew Ankers, Priti Parikh, Raghu Raghavan, Monica Lakhanpaul

Abstract

Homelessness among families with children under 5 residing in temporary accommodation is a growing global concern, especially in high-income countries (HICs). Despite significant impacts on health and development, these ‘invisible’ children often fall through the gaps in policy and services. The study’s primary objective is to map the content and delivery methods of culturally sensitive interventions for children under 5 experiencing homelessness in HICs.

The database search yielded 951 results. After deduplication, abstract screening and full review, 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. Two predominant categories of intervention delivery methods were identified in this research: group-based interventions (educational sessions) and individual-based interventions (home visits).

This review highlights effective interventions for promoting the health and well-being of children under 5 experiencing homelessness, including educational sessions and home visits. Research has supported the importance of home visiting to be instrumental in breaking down language, cultural and health literacy barriers.

Read Article