| Summary: | This article highlights the unique developmental needs of young children experiencing homelessness and the challenges faced by this population in accessing equitable early developmental services. The authors outline suggestions for occupational therapy practitioners to advocate for this population at the individual, community, and population levels. Young children experiencing homelessness are at considerable risk for developing physical and cognitive impairments, yet federal and state programs often overlook their needs. Although early intervention programs should serve as family-centered, health-promoting resources for families experiencing homelessness, many do not locate and comprehensively screen eligible children ages ≤3 yr in their communities. Occupational therapy practitioners have a role in advocating for improved access to high-quality, federally mandated programming for this population. They should be aware of the barriers faced by homeless families in accessing equitable early developmental services and of strategies to support individual families and communities experiencing homelessness.
|
|---|