a qualitative analysis of emergency shelter staffs ... · the university of minnesota sunni monson...

Evaluating the Self-Concepts and Social Experiences of Homeless Children in Hennepin County:

A Qualitative Analysis of Emergency Shelter Staffs’ Perceptions of Social Functioning in Children

Ages 8-12

MPP Professional Paper

In Partial Fulfillment of the Master of Public Policy Degree Requirements

The Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs

The University of Minnesota

Sunni Monson

Lauren Tjernlund

June 12, 2014

Signature below of Paper Supervisor certifies successful completion of oral presentation and completion

of final written version:

___________________________________________

__Maria Hanratty, Associate Professor__ ____May 6, 2014____ ____June 12, 2014____

Typed Name & Title, Paper Supervisor Date, oral presentation Date, paper completion

Signature of Second Committee Member, certifying successful completion of professional paper:

____________________________________________ Date: ________________

___Lisa Thornquist, Planning Analysis Supervisor, Hennepin County Office to End Homelessness___

Typed Name & Title, Second Committee Member

1 | E v a l u a t i n g t h e S e l f - C o n c e p t s a n d S o c i a l E x p e r i e n c e s o f

H o m e l e s s C h i l d r e n i n H e n n e p i n C o u n t y

Evaluating the Self-Concepts and Social Experiences

of Homeless Children in Hennepin County:

A Qualitative Analysis of Emergency Shelter Staffs’

Perceptions of Social Functioning in Children Ages 8-12

Prepared for Hennepin County Office to End Homelessness

by Sunni Monson and Lauren Tjernlund

Professor Maria Hanratty, Faculty Advisor

Humphrey School of Public Affairs - University of Minnesota

May 2014

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The findings presented in this report resulted from an ongoing collaboration among

various research partners and community participants that the researchers wish to

thank for making the project possible. In particular, researchers are profoundly

grateful for the support, participation, and guidance of the following individuals and

organizations for generously sharing their time and resources throughout the spring of

2014:

Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools Collaborators and

Resources

Hennepin County Office to End Homelessness – Lisa Thornquist

Minneapolis Public Schools – Elizabeth Heinz

Heading Home Hennepin – Research Providers and Resources

Humphrey School of Public Affairs Collaborators

Maria Hanratty, Faculty Advisor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs

Ed Morales, Master of Public Policy and Social Work Candidate, 2014

Jenny Geris, Master of Public Policy and Social Work Candidate, 2014

Research Participants

Interviewees, including 12 anonymous staff from the following Minneapolis shelters:

People Serving People

St. Anne’s Place

Mary’s Place



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………4

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..5

Program Description…………………………………………….………………………..6

People Serving People

St. Anne’s Place

Mary’s Pace

Literature Review ………………………………….…………………………………….….8

1. Defining Self-Concept and its Importance for Homeless Children

2. Homelessness and Children’s Social Behaviors

3. Homelessness and Children’s Behavioral Problems

4. What Works for Homeless Children

o Family Housing Supports and Services

o Children’s Educational Services

o One-on-One Relationships with Adults in Shelters

o Future-Focused Programming

Methodology………………………………………………………………………………...15

Target Population

Interview Design

Limitations

Analysis………………………………….……………………………………………………17

Theme 1: Shelter Life and Children’s Social Behaviors

Theme 2: Children’s Environmental Awareness and Self-Concepts

Theme 3: Shelter Educational Services

Theme 4: Children’s Experiences Outside of Shelters

Recommendations………………………….……………………………………………..25

References…………………………………….…………………………………………….27

Appendix………………………………………………………….………………………….33

Interview Guide



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report presents the findings of a qualitative research study of 12 staff employed at various

levels of three Minneapolis emergency homeless shelters – St. Anne’s Place, People Serving

People, and Mary’s Place – that spend at least one hour per shift interacting with children ages 8

to 12 living in the shelters. Developed in conjunction with an ongoing qualitative study on the

self-concepts and social functioning of homeless children ages 8 to 12 living in Minneapolis

shelters, the purpose of this study was to use staff interviews to complement that study’s

interviews with children and parents. Each study ultimately purports to gain insights on homeless

children’s subjective perceptions of themselves and their social support systems in order to

provide Hennepin County’s Office to End Homeless with information that may help it better

serve homeless children and strengthen school-community connections.

Areas for Further Study and Improvement Interview questions spanned three thematic areas, including (1) staff backgrounds and personal

roles working with children ages 8 to 12 in each shelter, (2) staff views of homeless children’s

perceptions of themselves and their social support systems, and (3) staff recommendations for

programming. Key findings were categorized into four overarching themes, including:

Theme 1: Shelter Life and Children’s Social Behaviors.

Results reveal that social hierarchies emerge in shelters for children ages 8 to 12. Additionally,

staff report that the longer a child has lived in shelter, the more likely he or she is to act out.

Lastly, when a child returns to shelter, he or she is more likely to act out right away because of

preexisting familiarity and comfort with the shelter and its rules.

Theme 2: Children’s Environmental Awareness and Self-Concepts

Results in this theme reveal that children begin to become aware that they are homeless around

ages 8 to 12. Additionally, with this newfound awareness, female children were more likely to

externalize their feelings.

Theme 3: Shelter Educational Services

For this section, it was discovered from staff interviews that many shelter children struggle with

issues involving grades and learning. However, staff in each shelter believe that their shelter’s

educational services are beneficial to the children that receive them. Theme 4: Children’s Experiences Outside of Shelters

Interviews revealed that staff know very little about shelter children’s outside experiences and

friendships prior, during, and after shelter stay. However, all shelters do encourage children to

participate in activities that promote future dreams and employment.

Recommendations Based on findings, researchers developed several recommendations for Hennepin County’s

Office to End Homeless to consider studying further and/or adopting to promote positive social

functioning and self-concepts in homeless children living in Minneapolis shelters. These

recommendations are included in the conclusion of the report.



A St. Anne’s Place guest shares two smiles at the

shelter’s fall carnival (Ascension Place, 2013.)

Mary’s Place thanks staff and volunteers

for leading “Secret Santa” so children

could pick out gifts for their parent(s)

(Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013.)

INTRODUCTION

For today’s children, self-esteem and

awareness are particularly important for

positive inner development that

promotes future success. While the most

broadly supported child development

research and policy interventions have

traditionally focused on the earliest

stages of childhood, the ages between 8

and 12 also represent a series of

formative years in which children’s

experiences continue to significantly

influence their adult outcomes. Existing

research on childhood homelessness

contains significant gaps regarding the

subjective experiences of self and social

support among homeless children. Such

gaps are especially problematic because

of potentially long-lasting impacts of

homelessness on children’s long-term self-esteem and social functioning.

To delve deeper into this topic, researchers interviewed staff in Hennepin County homeless

shelters to explore how entering a shelter may affect

children’s self esteem and perceptions of social

support. In Hennepin County, Minneapolis-based

emergency shelters provide meals, temporary

housing, and supportive services to families in crisis.

In addition to these emergency supports, many

Hennepin County shelters also provide counseling,

job assistance, spiritual support, and education

programs. Despite unique differences in shelters’

approaches, services, and daily operations, each

shelter shares a vital element in common: staff are

vital to ensuring the success of services and

supports.

This report presents the results of a qualitative

survey of 12 staff at People Serving People, Mary’s

Place, and St. Anne’s Place who work with

homeless children ages 8-12. The purpose of this study is to better understand, through shelter

staffs’ perceptions, how homeless children in this age range perceive themselves and social

support. While findings cannot be generalized to account for all shelter staff’s perceptions, they

reveal insights on the self-perceptions of homeless children that may help Hennepin County to

strengthen its approaches to serving children in this age range.



Photos: Homeless

children of all ages also

benefit from the shelter’s

family advocacy services,

as fathers in the photos

express their appreciation

for. (People Serving

People, n.d.a.)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

To inform the study’s design, researchers first reviewed Hennepin County’s website, Heading

Home Hennepin publications, and the individual website, online publications, and social media

presence of each shelter studied – People Serving People, St. Anne’s Place, and Mary’s Place.

The purpose of the following program description is to briefly summarize key points about each

shelter’s size, structure, staff, and services and/or programming specifically for children ages 8 to

12.

People Serving People Funded by Hennepin County, People Serving

People is the region’s largest and most

comprehensive family shelter, according to

2013 statistics. It served 1,286 homeless

families in 2013, and 60% of its guests were

children. People Serving People’s childhood

programming goals are to provide quality

afterschool programming and a safe

environment for children and families to

reduce stress.

Specific programs for children ages 8 to 12

include a tutoring program, recreational

programs, field trips, a birthday celebration

program, and game nights. In 2013, 412 children received one-on-one tutoring from volunteers.

People Serving People also coordinates buses from over 30 schools across the Twin Cities each

day to ensure that each child can

remain in the same school he or she

attended prior to entering shelter.



St. Anne’s Place

(Ascension Place, Inc., n.d.a.)

St. Anne’s Place opened in 1990 and serves approximately 150 families each year. Their mission

is to provide women in crisis or transition with a stable environment and the opportunity to

explore options for their futures. As the smallest of the three shelters involved in this study, St.

Anne’s Place has only two staff that work primarily with children in the shelter. St. Anne’s Place

provides various services to children temporarily staying in the shelter, which include tutoring, a

family reading program, music appreciation activities, recreational and educational outings,

birthday and holiday celebrations, and summer programs.

Mary’s Place As a non-Hennepin County-funded shelter, Mary’s Place offers transitional apartments for

homeless families and supports its programming and services entirely through private donations.

In total, the shelter has 92 fully furnished rooms for families to live in. Altogether, Mary’s Place

shelters up to 500 people a night. Services for children include two large classrooms for tutoring

every afternoon, multiple computer rooms, a playroom, a large backyard with playground and

basketball courts, and field trips every weekend. Additionally, Mary’s Place has a strong network

of volunteers that come every night and ensure that children staying in the shelter are supported

by nearly a 1:1 ratio of volunteers per child in all activities.

Mary Jo Copeland, left, founded Sharing in Caring Hands in 1985 and built Mary’s Place as a

privately funded nonprofit organization in 1995. (Mary’s Place., n.d.a.)



Children at Mary’s Place enjoyed choosing and displaying unique

identities during a Halloween trick-or-treating party sponsored by

GE. (Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013.)

LITERATURE REVIEW

Prior to designing this study and developing interview questions, researchers conducted a

literature review for the purpose of exploring existing research on homeless children’s self-

concepts and social experiences. Overall, there is limited research on homeless children’s

perceptions of self and social support; even less research has been conducted on or with shelter

staff who work directly with homeless children. Therefore, this study focuses on these factors

within broader populations of low-income children.

1. Defining Self-Concept and its Importance for Homeless Children Multiple definitions of self-concept appear in the research. Taylor, Davis-Kean, and Malanchuk

(2007) define it as “the

cognitive representation

an individual has of

him- or herself,” while

Meggert (2004) defines

it as “the way children

think about themselves

in relation to their

attributes and abilities”

(Kenny, 2009).

According to Huitt

(2004), self-concept

consists of dimensions

such as physical

(appearance and

abilities), academic

(school performance),

and social (relations to

others), and children’s

beliefs in each area are

shaped by interactions

with environments and

individuals in their lives

(Kenny, 2009). Brewer

and Gardner (1996)

suggest that self-

concepts may be

“malleable” in response

to immediate social

cues, but little is known about how self-concepts change in different developmental stages or

following “marked shifts in a person’s social world” (Tanti et al., 1997). Trautwen et al. (2006)

note that children’s self-concepts are usually measured by self-reports and thus reflect their

personal views (Kenny, 2009).



Children at St. Anne’s Place may engage in

socially-interactive, arts-based programming such

as learning musical instruments. (Ascension

Place, 2013.)

A positive self-concept is important for various reasons. Bandura (1986) argues that self-

perceptions of one’s abilities influence self-efficacy and the achievement of personal and

academic goals (Kenny, 2009). There is a strong relationship between positive self-concept,

including self-esteem, and academic success (Monteiro, 2012; Kenny, 2009; Guay et al., 2003;

Hamachek, 1995; Marsh, 1992, 1993; Marsh & Köller, 2004). Hamachek reports that students

with positive self-concepts face academic tasks with confidence, while students with negative

self-concepts do not (Kenny, 2009). Strong self-esteem may also support upward mobility since

it enables self-promotion skills that may be rewarded in the job market (Rutherford, 2011). In

contrast, low self-esteem and negative self-concepts are linked to depression, eating disorders,

suicide, adjustment problems, and later alcohol use (Kenny, 2009). Self-esteem and behavior are

also linked, with children showing symptoms of social, emotional, and behavioral disorders

reporting more frequent and intense feelings of frustration, fear, anger, guilt, and blame than

students with other educational problems (Cooper and Jacobs, 2011).

Since children’s self-concepts are partly informed by environmental interactions, shelter life may

affect them in various ways. First,

subjective comfort with social

environments and behavioral norms

influences confidence. Self-perceptions

of high environmental familiarity – or

“legibility” of social contexts (Scott,

1998) – increases one’s comfort and

trust in the ability to “read” and respond

appropriately to social cues, which

increases self-esteem and confidence

(Barnett, 1997). Knowledge of specific

social environments and norms may

also strengthen social bonds since it

allows individuals “to understand and

share in the symbols, gestures, and

utterances” of peers (Barnett, 1997).

Research also suggests that adolescents’

self-concepts and behaviors may be

negatively impacted by shelter life due

to “little privacy, many rules, and little

opportunity to be with friends” (Masten

et al., 1993). However, there is limited research on how stigma may be felt and/or internalized

among children ages 8-12.

Overall, homeless children are less likely to report positive, healthy levels of self-esteem and

perceptions of strong social support than non-homeless peers (Masten et al., 1993). Homeless

children’s self-worth and perceived academic competence have been found to decline with age

and reach lowest points in late adolescence (Masten et al., 1997).



Homeless children may experience frequent social interactions

in emergency shelters, including shared meals with peers from

various age ranges. (Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013.)

2. Homelessness and Children’s Social Behaviors Homeless children may experience one or more periods of housing instability that interrupt both

school and “the formation of new peer groups,” making entering school a particularly vulnerable

time (Obradović et al., 2009). Homeless children are more likely to report having no close

friends and spending significantly less time with friends than other poor children (Masten et al.,

1997; Obradović, 2010). Twice as many homeless children (48%) report spending no time with

friends in the past week compared to housed peers (Masten et al., 1997). These findings may

have significant negative impacts on the well-being of children ages 8-12. Researchers

traditionally view pre-adolescent (ages 8 to 11) social worlds as a “stable and narrow” (Tanti et

al., 1997). However, homelessness interrupts this stability. According to Kegan (1994), Kroger

(1996, 2000), and Newman and Newman (1976), abrupt, considerable changes to social worlds

in early adolescence coincide with children becoming very concerned with the senses of

belongingness in relation to social groups (Tanti et. al, 1997).

It also appears that subjective experience has an extremely strong influence on children’s social

functioning. However,

one innovative study

found that homeless

children experiencing

social isolation

(rejection by peers) are

not always feeling

psychological loneliness

(Qualter and Munn,

2002). These findings

may have important

implications, as they

suggest that subjective

experiences of the

quality rather than

quantity of social

interactions may pose

more severe

consequences for

homeless children’s self-

concepts and social

functioning. Therefore,

despite the fact that

shelters facilitate

frequent social interactions and many children attend their original schools, children may still be

adversely impacted if they do not perceive these social relationships as positively supporting

their well-being.



3. Homelessness and Children’s Behavioral Problems While research typically shows that poverty increases children’s risks for developing behavioral

problems (Duncan et al., 2012), this risk is greatest for homeless children due to their

disproportionately high rates of exposure to various adversities (Masten et al., 1997). For

example, homeless children experience more dangerous living environments and higher rates of

past trauma and victimization compared to non-homeless peers, which often corresponds with

higher rates of social isolation (Hong and Piescher, 2012; Portwood et al., 2013; Anooshian,

2005). High rates of past exposure to violence also increase homeless children’s risks for

behavioral and/or emotional problems such as “aggressive and antisocial behaviors, fearfulness,

depression and anxiety” and seeing violence as an appropriate conflict resolution tool (Abraham

et. al, 2012; Gewirtzman and Fodor, 1987, Davey, 1998; Portwood et al., 2013). The range of

difficult life events experienced by homeless children also predicts greater severity of behavioral

problems compared to other poor children (Zima et al., 1994). In general, boys show more

externalizing behaviors following diverse stressors and girls self-report more internalizing

symptoms (Masten et al., 1997).

Past studies reveal few significant differences in demonstrated behavioral problems among

homeless children and low-income peers overall; however, studies suggest that homeless

children may show elevated levels of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, often

above clinical thresholds (Masten et al., 1997; Obradović, 2010; Masten et al., 1993). For

example, Masten et al.’s (1993) prominent comparative study of homeless children ages 8-17

living in a Minneapolis emergency shelter (n=159) and low-income children in the same age

range (n=62) in 1989 revealed a number of findings relevant to children in the age range studied.

Compared to national norms, homeless girls ages 8-11 showed statistically significant mean

scores on internalizing behaviors (i.e. withdrawing), and homeless boys and girls ages 8-11

showed significantly high rates of externalizing behaviors (i.e. aggressiveness and delinquent

behavior). Findings for housed peers were not significant. When all children ages 8-17 were

compared, homeless children displayed statistically significant – thus clinical – levels of both

externalizing and internalizing behaviors: 27.2% showed delinquent behaviors, 19% showed

aggressive behaviors, and 8,8% showed withdrawn behaviors. The findings for housed low-

income peers were not statistically significant, although delinquent and aggressive behaviors

were also high (20% and 13%, respectively). In this study, behavioral problems were best

predicted by parental distress, cumulative risk history, and recent life events rather than housing

status (Masten et al., 1993).

4. What Works for Homeless Children A. Family Housing Supports and Services Many studies suggest that housing assistance, family support services, and academic

interventions have significant positive impacts on homeless children’s self-concepts and social

functioning (Portwood et al., 2013). A three-year longitudinal study on the impact of supportive

housing services on educational and child protection outcomes showed significantly positive

effects on homeless children in school mobility, attendance, and math achievement (Hong and

Piescher, 2012). A 2013 study showed that children who were homeless or at-risk self-reported



A St. Anne’s Place guest enjoys tutoring services.

(Ascension Place, Inc., n.d.a.)

improvements in internalizing and externalizing behaviors after receiving family housing and

homelessness services (Portwood et. al, 2013).

B. Children’s Educational Services

Overall, “homeless children have

disproportionate negative academic

experiences, including absenteeism,

high rates of mobility, grade

repetition, and the need for special

education services” compared to non-

homeless peers (Hong and Piescher,

2012; Burt et al., 2006; Murphy and

Tobin, 2006). In addition to high

rates of developmental delays, most

homeless children show lower

literacy levels and math skills and

perform below grade level norms

(Obradović et al., 2009; Masten et al.,

1997; Rubin et al., 1996; Zima et al.,

1994). According to Rafferty et al.

(2004), homeless children are more

likely to change schools and repeat

grades than “housed” poor children

(Portwood et al., 2013). Foscarinis and McCarthy (2000) report that at least 50% of homeless

children have failed at least one grade, while the National Center for Homeless Education (2007)

reports that only 48% of homeless children in grades 3-12 are proficient in reading – and only

43% are proficient in math (Portwood et al., 2013).

Various studies conclude that tutorial programs promote a positive self-concepts and reduce

behavior problems (Monteiro, 2012; Miller, D., Topping, K., and Thurston, A., 2010). One study

of a mentoring program in a Midwestern public school in 2000 involving 28 fourth graders

showed that mentored students displayed significant improvements in self-esteem and

connections to school, peers, and family members and lower rates of depression, risk-taking,

and/or involvement in bullying or fighting (King et al., 2009). Ritter et al.’s meta-analysis of 21

studies strongly suggests that volunteer tutoring programs positively impact student achievement

overall (Ritter et al., 2009).

C. One-on-One Relationships with Adults in Shelters

Most tutoring research suggests that students benefit greatly from “one-on-one” support. Ebaum

et al.’s meta-analysis on 29 studies found that trained tutors often help students improve reading

skills (Ritter et al., 2009). They found that “students tutored (individually) by college students

made the largest gains, interventions focused on reading comprehension produced the largest

gains, and more intensive programs have more powerful effects” (Ritter et al., 2009).



A People Serving People volunteer tutor provides consistent and

meaningful one-on-one support to girls at the shelter. (People

Serving People, n.d.a..)

Other studies suggest that “mutually trusting” relationships with adults in which homeless

children are respected and made to feel “accepted, lovable, and worth listening to” can have

significant positive emotional benefits, particularly for homeless girls (Ferguson and Heidemann,

2009; Berckmans et al., 2012). Ferguson and Heidemann suggest that having shared social

identities may strengthen staff-child relationships and allow staff to show “by example how to

overcome life struggles such as poverty,” although this is not always necessary for “meaningful

relationships” (Berckmans et. al, 2012).

D. Future-Focused Activities

Poverty and family homelessness may pose negatively consequences on children’s self-concepts

as well as their concepts of their own futures, including long-term aspirations. For example, 30%

of homeless children reported that they expected to live in shelters as adults compared to 10% of

poor but “housed children” (Masten et al., 1997). While research on future-focused activities is

limited, various studies emphasize the importance of hope for homeless children (Berckmans et

al., 2012). According to Herth (1998) and Nalkur (2009a; 2009b), homeless children’s often



Mary’s Place guests are encouraged to “dream big” about their futures. Last summer several children took a

field trip to two Minnesota Twins players’ private suite (above) and met Twins player Josh Willingham when he

visited the shelter (below). (Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013.)

“unpromising and unpredictable” futures make hopefulness and future orientation are especially

important since they can help them “achieve goals and overcome obstacles, initiate life changes,

and improve well-being and willingness to learn” (Berckmans et al., 2012).



METHODOLOGY

The study was created to capture shelter staff’s opinions of how children between ages eight and

12 living in Minneapolis emergency shelters perceive themselves and the levels of social support

available to them in different environments. The purpose is to the help Hennepin County,

Minneapolis Public Schools, and the community better understand the social and emotional

effects of shelter life on children by exploring the perspectives of the shelter staff that work most

closely with this population.

Researchers conducted interviews during the spring of 2014 with 12 staff members in three

shelters – St. Anne’s Place, People Serving People, and Mary’s Place – to evaluate staffs’

perceptions of how homeless children perceive themselves and their social experiences. These

interviews intended to uncover staff members’ opinions of children’s self esteem and their

recommendations for improvement of shelter services that target homeless children in this age

range. Researchers used a qualitative semi-structured interview approach to capture staff

members’ personal experiences and insights on this specific population and topic.

Target Population

The target population for this study was employees of three Minneapolis shelters: People Serving

People, St. Anne’s Place, and Mary’s Place. A total of 12 interviews were conducted – four at

People Serving People, four at St Anne’s Place, and four at Mary’s Place. In order to obtain the

most relevant information, any shelter employee interviewed had to interact with shelter children

between ages eight and 12 for at least one hour every day.

Interview Design

Interview questions were structured around three central themes: (1) staff roles and specific

involvement with shelter children between ages eight and 12; (2) staff views of these children’s

social experiences and self perceptions; and (3) staff recommendations for programming and

support of shelter children between ages eight and 12. The research questions followed a semi-

structured interview format that allowed flexibility for follow-up questions and general related

conversations. Interviewers used open-ended questions to encourage staff to express their

opinions openly and honestly without any leads or prompts. For reference, the specific questions

used during the interview are located in the appendix of this paper.

While staff were informed about the purpose of releasing the results of the study to Hennepin

County’s Office to End Homelessness, they were also reassured of that the interviewers would

maintain the confidentiality of individual responses. In addition, in order to ensure that staff

participants felt comfortable speaking freely and truthfully, all interviews were completed

individually in a private space located in each shelter.

Limitations

As a result of the scope and timeframe of the study, the report may only reflect a restricted

amount of information in regards to the topic. For example, only 12 shelter staff employees were

interviewed for 55 minutes or less. However, since we did not contact all staff with knowledge of

shelter children, we may have not captured the full range of staff information on children’s



Photo: Mary’s Place’s guests on a swimming and park field trip. Field trips occur on Fridays in the

summer for kids who have spent a week in the reading program. (Sharing and Caring Hands,

2013.)

experiences in shelter. Also, because there was no requirement for how long an employee had

been in their role at the shelter, difference in tenure was not recorded or tracked. Therefore, it is

unknown how employees’ perceptions of the homeless children they serve may change over

time.

Lastly, previous research suggested that qualitative research within homeless shelter settings

might be especially sensitive to “interviewer effects,” including an interviewer’s presentation,

worldview, and research affiliation (Shpungin and Lynbansky, 2006). In this study, researchers

took care to minimize potential for interviewer bias by selecting one author to interview all

participants. While this may not eliminate the risk of interviewer bias, it does reduce the

variability in the results across interviews.



ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

Broadly, four key themes arising from the interviews including findings around (1) shelter life

and children’s social behaviors, (2) children’s environmental awareness and self-concepts, (3)

shelter-based educational services, and (4) children’s lives outside of shelter. Specific findings

within each theme are discussed below.

Theme 1: Shelter Life and Children’s Social Behaviors In one section of questioning, shelter staff were asked to reflect on any differences that appear to

occur between homeless children’s first arrivals to the shelter and after they have lived at the

shelter for a longer period of time. In particular, researchers wanted to explore whether

noticeable changes in social behaviors such as peer interactions or reported self awareness

changes that may illuminate how living in emergency shelters affects children’s social

functioning.

Finding 1: The longer a child had lived at the shelter, the more likely he or she was to

“act out.”

At all three shelters, there exist numerous rules and norms that are to be learned quickly and

demonstrated at all times. All three shelters had rules that stated youth had to be with a parent at

the shelter at all times unless they were signed into designated activities. Most of the rules

seemed logical and mirrored those close to ones at school. Staff saw themselves as the main

enforcers of these rules and relied on them to keep order and consistency for all the kids.

Especially at People Serving People and St. Anne’s Place where volunteers for youth activities

were in short supply, the rules were vital in keeping kids’ behavior in check.

Additionally, with so many rules to learn and obey at the shelter, the youth that had learned them

all knew which ones could easily broken without consequence from staff. A staff member at

Mary’s Place commented on how even she forgot some of the rules at times and wouldn’t realize

a youth was breaking one until that youth pointed it out in a teasing manner. Children that had

been at the shelter longer had done enough testing of limits to realize which rules could be

broken and receive only minor consequences.

Additionally, staff noted that consequences for breaking rules were limited because of lack of

volunteers to enforce them. When a child broke a rule during an activity, it was hard to discipline

that individual, while still monitoring the activity of the other children. Because of this,

disciplinary action was sometimes not carried out fully simply because there were not enough

staff to enforce it.

Finding 2: Youth returning to shelter were more likely to “act out” right away.

It some cases, it seemed that a youth that had been at the shelter in the last year and returned felt

comfortable immediately, just as if they had never left. All staff highlighted the observation that

when a youth who had previously lived at the shelter returned, they were more likely to act out

right away.



Mary’s Place guests enjoy getting to know one another. (Mary’s Place, n.d.a..)

For instance, one staff member from People Serving People explained,

“A child who has lived here and then returned already knows the rules and feels comfortable since the shelter is familiar. Since

the kid feels comfortable, it doesn’t take them any time to adjust

and they feel confident to sort of pick up where they left off.”

When asked, shelter staff made it clear that most of the acting out by youth was harmless and

typical adolescent behavior. Examples included- talking out of turn, walking around the shelter

without parent supervision, running around, not listening, and teasing kids.

Finding 3: A social hierarchy existed with shelter children.

At least four staff noted that the shelter-based peer interactions they routinely witness appear to

reveal the existence of a “social hierarchy” among children in this age group living in shelter.

One St. Anne’s Place staff member noted that this social hierarchy was unique specifically to

children between ages 8 and 12. Other younger and older children at the shelter tended not to

interact with peers in accordance with this sort of “social ladder.”

In each shelter, staff agreed that the social “rank” or value of individual children seems to

increase with his or her “seniority” of stay in the emergency shelter – i.e. children who had been

living in a particular shelter the longest period of time appeared to rank “highest on the (social)

pecking order,” according to one staff, while “new kids” seemed to possess the lowest social

“ranks.”

In many cases, kids that had been living there for a while disproportionately teased children who

were newest to shelter. However, staff noted that as new waves of youth enter the shelters, they

are immediately (and, again, implicitly) categorized as occupying the “bottom rung” position on



Below: St. Anne’s Place thanks spoken word artist,

Zeph, for sharing her poetry and helping children write

and perform their own. (Ascension Place, Inc. 2014.)

the social ladder, according to one staff member. Oftentimes, these children appeared to become

the new targets of jokes and teasing by “higher status” children who had lived there longer.

Theme 2: Homeless Children’s Environmental Awareness and Self-Concepts

Within this theme, researchers developed and asked interview questions related to shelter staff’s

perceptions of how children’s “environmental awareness” appears to influence the ways they

self-identify and view themselves during this stage of childhood development. By

“environmental awareness,” researchers primarily sought to explore the ways in which homeless

children appear to understand their living environments while staying in the shelters studied in

order to begin better understanding how homeless children’s subjective interpretations of their

highly mobile living situations may or may not influence how they conceptualize themselves as

individuals or feel about themselves.

In this section of questioning, staff reflected on their perceptions of how children felt about their

surroundings. The goal for this set of questioning was aimed at finding out how youth perceived

their highly mobile situation and whether it appears to effect how they begin to form and solidify

concepts of their social identities in this stage of development.

Finding 1: Children first begin to identify as “homeless” between ages 8 and 12. For children between ages eight and 12, staff reported that they saw signs indicating that the

children were beginning to realize the implications of their surroundings and circumstance of

homelessness. For example,

children in this age range started to

openly state that they didn’t have a

home, implying that they

understood the shelter wasn’t their

permanent home. All staff stated,

however, that no child ever

specifically used the phrase

“homeless.”

Additionally, staff at Mary’s Place

noted that younger children were

very unaware that they lived in a

homeless shelter but that around age

nine, children begin to notice that

they do not have a home and to

experience feelings of shame and

embarrassment. People Serving

People staff talked about how some

of their children would sometimes

lie to other kids and staff by saying

that they were moving out and their parents had a found a home to live in. In another



Left: St. Anne’s Place thanks

Abby Sunshine for volunteering

and encourages Face book fans

to get involved (Ascension Place,

2013.)

Right: A People Serving People

volunteer tutor quizzes the children

during an educational program.

(People Serving People, n.d.a.).

circumstance, when a child was moving out of People Serving People, the child hanged signs

around the building to let the other children know that they were moving to a home.

Finding 2: Female youth were more likely to externalize their feelings about their

situation.

It was commented on in two of three shelters (St. Anne’s Place and Mary’s Place) that female

youth compared to male youth were more likely to vocalize opinions and feelings about shelter

life. A staff member at Mary’s Place reflected on this idea when stating that, “I believe the

reason the girls are more likely to talk about their feelings about living in a shelter to us is

because we are all female so I think they feel more comfortable with us.”

Though as always, it depends on the specific child, interviews with staff revealed that girls were

more likely to converse directly with staff members more regularly and tell them more personal

details about their lives.

Theme 3: Shelter Education Services In this portion of the interview, staff interviewees were asked about specific learning services

they provided for youth at the shelter. After-school tutoring programs were mentioned by 100%

of interviewees as a popular service with the

families that they work with at the shelter.

Many staff commented on youth’s educational

abilities when they reached shelter and the

different challenges/opportunities this

presented.

Finding 1: The majority of homeless children in shelters face academic and learning

challenges at school.

Staff members found that when youth came to the

shelter, many appeared below average in reading and

math skills. Moreover, staff at People Serving People

and St. Anne’s Place, where staff and volunteers are

limited,

reported

seeing

firsthand

rates of

learning



“We are in need of volunteers to help with

(tutoring),” states Mary’s Place on Facebook. “Last

spring, we were able to serve over 300 children...”

(Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013.)

Left: People Serving People promote

International Children’s Book Day. (People

Serving People, 2014.)

challenges among the children they work with.

Many staff reported that they have trouble keeping up with every individual’s specific learning

challenged areas. One employee at PSP stated,

“With all the turnaround of families at PSP, it is hard to find the time to diagnose a youth’s particular educational needs, form a

plan, and then carry out the plan before they move out. Add on

the effects of dealing with the uncertainties of homelessness and

this creates a huge issue.”

Additionally, staff at Mary’s Place

commented that a portion of youth at

their shelter suffer from undiagnosed

special needs. Though the shelter tries

their best to diagnose the child and

refer them to treatment, staff admitted

that they know there are children that

slip through the cracks. Especially,

among immigrant populations at the

shelter, explaining and diagnosing

learning disabilities can be difficult

because of cultural barriers, adding

another complicated layer to the

issue.

Finding 2: Staff believe that children who receive tutoring benefit greatly at school

overall, although resource shortages in

County shelters constrain tutoring

programs.

Across the shelters, staff expressed feelings of

pride in the educational tutoring programs

offered at their shelter. Many interviewees told

stories of individual children’s achievements

in reading or math that occurred over their stay

in shelter. Staff at Mary’s Place said they kept

dozens of letters from teachers throughout the



Left: St. Anne’s Place thanks Officer

Mike and the “Bike Cops for Kids”

who visited children at the shelter.

“The kids had a lot of fun asking

TONS of questions and learning

about police work,” notes St. Anne’s

Place. (Ascension Place, 2013.)

year praising Mary’s Place tutoring programs, and each staff felt very proud of this and

appreciated the positive feedback from schools.

Moreover, Mary’s Place staff interviewees all also expressed pride in the shelter tutoring

program’s strong volunteer base, which boasts not only the unique ability to offer each homeless

child in the shelter the opportunity to participate in tutoring any day he or she wishes to do so but

also to receive one-on-one support. Compared to the County shelters studied, Mary’s Place’s

surplus of volunteers as well as the high levels of retention that tutoring volunteers tend to

display stands out as one area worth further investigation; all staff responded that they saw no

shortages or unmet desires in terms of resources it would wish to see for its educational

programs, and as one Mary’s Place staff member put it, they often have “more volunteers than

we know what to do with sometimes.”

One staff member summed up the recommendation they most wished to express to the County

perfectly (increasing volunteers if possible):

“Volunteers make our youth programs run. Without their support,

I fear we would not be able to connect or influence youth at the

shelter. The kids and staff love all of our volunteers.”

Although the overwhelming majority of People Serving People and St. Anne’s Place staff also

reported strong beliefs in the positive effects of their shelter’s tutoring programs on children in

this age range, staff also acknowledged that only a portion of the children interested in attending

tutoring are able to participate each day due to limited space and volunteers at either shelter.

Specifically, at People Serving People, students have to sign up ahead of time for tutoring help.

From that sign-up only a fraction of children desiring academic tutoring are chosen to participate

each night through a “lottery” process that selects children randomly. Similarly, at St. Anne’s

Place, there just isn’t enough space or staff to supervise and help every individual child who

wishes to participate in the shelter’s educational programming on a daily basis.

Finding 3: Shelter staff engaged in activities that promoted dreams about future

employment.

From interviews researchers found that

each shelter incorporated activities that

promoted youth’s dreams and thoughts

about their future jobs. At Mary’s Place,

there is a weekly meeting lead by Mary,

the founder, during which residents



Above: Mary Jo Copeland visiting with children at Mary’s

Place. (Sharing and Caring Hands, 2013).

receive updates on rules and events. At the end of the meeting, Mary has all children under age

18 line up to receive a hug and $2.00; during this time, Mary asks each child each week what

they want to be when they grow up. Staff members at Mary’s Place talked about how important

this weekly ritual was because it lets each child know that he or she is highly regarded by a

much-respected authority figure and that his or her future dreams are important.

At both St. Anne’s Place and

People Serving People, staff

mentioned various activities

they conduct that encourage

children to think about what

they want to do professionally

in the future. At People Serving

People, colored pictures of

children’s different future career

choices were taped up all around

the classroom and contained

aspirations from doctors and

dentists to teachers. When asked

by interviewers what

occupations youth typically

choose, staff often replied that

the choices were usually

comparable to what “all” young

kids dream of being, which suggests that the emphasis on activities promoting children’s long-

term planning and goal-setting helps them believe that their future professions are just that – as

open and available to them as they are for “all children,” regardless of whether they are

homeless.

Theme 4: Children’s Experiences Outside of Shelter In another section of questioning, staff was asked to reflect upon their perceptions and

knowledge regarding children’s experiences outside the shelter. Interviewers were curious how

much staff knew about a child’s past, current, and post-shelter futures outside of the shelter and

how those events appear to impact the social behaviors and subjective social experiences of

children during their stays at the emergency shelters.

Finding 1: Shelter staff knew very little about a child’s experiences before shelter.

Interviews also led to talks about what staff knew about children’s experiences prior to shelter

and how they thought those experiences affected the child’s self-perceptions and social

relationships with peers and others in the shelters. However, all staff interviewed reported

knowing very little about a child’s specific life experiences before he or she entered the shelter.

When asked, most interviewees indicated that children’s previous life experiences were just not

talked about for any particular reason.



A Mary’s Place staff explained,

“Here we like to focus on the present and future. It really doesn’t matter what has happened in a family’s past. We are more

concerned about what do you need now to one day obtain

consistent housing.” This attitude seems similar in the other shelters.

Additionally, as research on the importance of individuality in children predicted would be the

case, staff members frequently reflected on the subject by stating, “It depends” or “It’s hard to

generalize,” noting that sometimes the more talkative kids will share everything, whereas

oftentimes more quiet or private children will not. However, staff members also reported that

they never directly ask personal questions such as this to kids and tended to stay on more neutral,

present topics to make sure every child felt comfortable and happy.

Finding 2: Shelter staff knew very little about youth’s friendships outside of the shelter.

Another initial reason for this study was to have staff reflect on how a child’s friendships outside

the shelter had been affected, if at all, when he or she began staying at shelter. Interestingly, staff

across the three shelters reported very little knowledge, if any, on non-shelter-based friendships.

Furthermore, it was discovered that at all shelters, visitors of residents were not allowed, making

it impossible for a child to have a non-shelter friend over to play.

However, shelter staff did have a lot of knowledge about friendships within the shelter and

discussed many cases of children making new friends at the shelter. When asked if those

friendships that were made during the shelter stay continued after one or both children had

moved out, the answer was again predominately reported to be unknown by staff across all

shelters. It seems that with so many families moving in and out of shelter over the months, it is

extremely difficult to impossible to keep track of youth once they leave shelters. Also, legally

they have no right to.



RECOMMENDATIONS Ultimately, the study was limited by its short time frame, small sample size, high variability

among research participants (in both depths of their working relationships with, and insights into,

homeless children in this age range in the shelters), and general non-comparability of the three

shelters studied. Therefore, researchers consider many of the key themes identified to be

“starting points” for continued research and dialogue between Hennepin County, emergency

shelter staff, and school- and community-based staff who work with children in the target

demographic studied. Recommendations were developed strictly with regard to People Serving

People and St. Anne’s Place based on what staff identified as their greatest challenges and

strongest suggestions for program improvements for children in the shelters; ideally, they will

continue to be developed as further research is conducted

1) Develop programs to specifically cater to new youth at the shelter.

This research found that social hierarchies, for youth ages 8-12, often exist within shelters.

Therefore, youth that are new to the shelter often find themselves on the bottom of the hierarchy

and as a result more likely to be picked on. Though this sort of teasing is mostly harmless, this

paper recommends that shelters offer more programs that cater to new youth ages 8-12. Staff

members all agreed that any program that’s goal is to help new youth adjust and learn the rules

faster would only benefit all youth at the shelter. One recommendation is to make sure in the first

week that each youth has their own volunteer/staff member that they are assigned to during

activities that can help them to adjust and answer any questions about rules. Additionally, any

sort of activity that helps veteran shelter youth get to know new shelter youth would be helpful

and promote new friendships.

2) Develop programs that contain leadership opportunities. When children first come to shelters, they must quickly adjust to their surroundings. With many

of the children experiencing past and ongoing turmoil in their lives compared to non-homeless

peers, creating leadership opportunities will potentially help promote children’s development of

stronger senses of having an internal locus of control while also helping them learn life skills that

are critical for success in today’s job market (Rutherford, 2011). Leadership-focused activities

can also serve as forums for self-expression that are feasible within current shelter programs. For

instance, opportunities could include giving children chances to lead activities, lead “clean-up”

chores, or help plan offsite field trips. Leading in any such capacity can help to increase

children’s commitment to serving as role models in the program. Being a role model will

encourage increased compliance with rules because feeling ownership over projects tends to

contribute to children’s increased engagement.

3) Increase the amount of volunteers in Hennepin County emergency shelters.

While the researchers acknowledge that implementing this recommendation is far easier in

theory than in practice, every single interviewee stressed the importance of having enough

volunteers in all children’s programs and often praised the volunteers for even making their

children’s services and programs possible. Though enlisting volunteers is an entirely different



issue in itself, this study recommends and supports the continuation of all shelter efforts in

partnering with community members and organizations. It is the hope that through community

partnerships, more people will become involved with these shelters and recruiting more

volunteers will become easier and less demanding.

4) Staff should be more intentional about measuring a student’s learning achievements

related to shelter tutoring.

Staff at all three shelters spoke very highly of their tutoring and educational programming. Many

commented on how helpful it has been for students, yet there was no hard data to prove this. This

paper suggests that shelters and staff should be more intentional about recording academic

improvements in school due to shelter support. Hopefully, with more concrete data to show the

positive effects of these programs, additional funding and support might possibly be rewarded to

these shelters.

5) Continue activities that promote dreams and thoughts about kid’s future careers and

goals.

Staff at the shelter commented on the fact that speaking positively about future careers and

dreams helped to inspire the children. Additionally, staff noticed activities that centered on future

goals increased self-esteem in the children. Lastly, to break the poverty cycle, education and a

steady career are key ingredients. Therefore, any sort of activity that inspires kids to reflect on

future possibilities is a worthy exercise.



Photo: St. Anne's Place mothers express their gratitude. (St. Anne’s Place, n.d.a.).

REFERENCES Abraham, H., Maida, C., Miller, K., & Pardy, M. (2012) Mothering While Homeless: A

Qualitative Analysis of Access to Child Services by Young Mothers in Hennepin County,

MN. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota.

Anooshian, L.J. (2005). Violence and aggression in the lives of homeless children: A review.

Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10, 129-152.

Ascension Place, Inc. (n.d.a.). St. Anne’s Place. Information and photos in “Program

Description” section retrieved from http://www.ascensionplace.org/stannesplace.html.

Ascension Place, Inc. (n.d.a.). Give. [Untitled Photo]. Retrieved from

http://www.ascensionplace.org/give.html.

Ascension Place, Inc. (n.d.a.). Get Involved. [Tutor]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from

http://www.ascensionplace.org/getinvolved.html.

Ascension Place, Inc. (2009, April 15). "Abby Sunshine." Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/48265238315/photos/pb.48265238315.-

2207520000.1402557307./71433938315/?type=3&theater.

Ascension Place, Inc. (2013, August 19). [Check out my smile!] [Infographic]. Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/48265238315/photos/a.10151615163793316.1073741826.48

265238315/10151615163963316/?type=3&theater.

Ascension Place, Inc. (2013, August 13). [Thanks to Officer Mike and all the Bike Cops for Kids

who visited with us at St. Anne's Place yesterday. The kids had a lot of fun asking TONS

of questions and learning about police work. Thanks for visiting us!!! We look forward to

seeing you next summer!]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


38315/10151604368813316/?type=3&theater.

Ascension Place, Inc. (2014, April 15). [Tonight local spoken word artist, Zeph, shared with us

her poetry and then helped us write and perform our own work. Thank you for spending

your evening with us at St. Anne's Place!]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


38315/10152070182948316/?type=3&theater.

Barnett, M. (1997). The UN Security Council, Indifference, and Genocide in Rwanda. Cultural

Anthropology, 12(4), 551-578.

Berckmans, I., Velasco, M. L., Tapia, B. P., & Loots, G. (2012). A systematic review: A quest

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bike-Cops-for-Kids/112010872164984



for effective interventions for children and adolescents in street situation. Children and

Youth Services Review, 34(7), 1259-1272.

Burt, M.R., Pearson, C., & Montgomery, A.E. (2006, February). Strategies for preventing

homelessness. Urban Strategies.

Cooper, P. & Jacobs, B. (2011). Evidence of Best Practice Models and Outcomes in the

Education of Children with Emotional Disturbance/Behavioural Difficulties: An

International Review. National Council for Special Education Research Report, 7.

Davey, T. (1998) Homeless children and stress: an empirical study. Journal of Social Distress

and the Homeless, 7(1), 29–40.

Duncan, G., Magnuson, K., Kalil, A., & Ziol-Guest, K. (2012). The Importance of Early

Childhood Poverty. Social Indicators Research, 108(1), 87-98.

Gewirtzman, R. & Fodor, I. (1987) The homeless child at school: from welfare hotel to

classroom. Child Welfare, 66(3), 384–392.

Guay, F., Marsh, H.W., & Boivin, M. (2003). Academic self-concept and academic achievement:

Developmental perspectives on their causal ordering. Journal of Educational Psychology,

95, 124-136.

Hamachek, D. (1995). Self-concept and school achievement: Interaction dynamics and a tool for

assessing the self-concept component. Journal of Counseling and Development, 73, 419-

425.

Hong, S. & Piescher, K. (2012) The role of supportive housing in homeless children’s well-

being: An investigation of child welfare and educational outcomes. Children and Youth

Services Review, 34(8), 1440-1447.

Kenny, M. C., & McEachern, A. (2009). Children's Self-Concept: A Multicultural Comparison.

Professional School Counseling, 12(3), 207-212.

King, K. A., Vidourek, R. A., Davis, B. & McClellan, W. (2002). Increasing Self-Esteem and

School Connectedness Through a Multidimensional Mentoring Program. Journal of

School Health, 72, 294–299.

Marsh, H.W. (1992). Content specificity of relations between academic achievement and

academic self-concept. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 35-42.

Marsh, H. W. (1993). Academic self-concept: Theory measurement and research. In J. Suls

(Ed.), Psychological perspectives on the self (Vol. 4, pp. 59-98). Hillsdale, N J: Erlbaum.



Marsh, H. W., & Köller, O. (2004). Unification of theoretical models of academic self-

concept/achievement relations: Reunification of East and West German school systems

after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29, 264-282.

Mary’s Place (n.d.a). Children’s Center. Retrieved from

http://sharingandcaringhands.org/?page_id=125.

Mary’s Place (n.d.a). Mary’s Place. Retrieved from


Mary’s Place (n.d.a.). Mary’s Place Statistics. Retrieved from


Masten, A.S., Miliotis, D., Graham-Bermann, S.A., Ramirez, M., & Neemann, J. (1993).

Children in homeless families: Risks to mental health and development. Journal of

Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(2), 335-343.

Masten, A.S., Sesma, A., Si-Asar, R., Lawrence, C., Miliotis, D., & Dionne, A. (1997).

Educational risks for children experiencing homelessness. Journal of School Psychology,

35, 27-46.

Miller, D., Topping, K., & Thurston, A. (2010). Peer tutoring in reading: The effects of role and

organization on two dimensions of self-esteem. British Journal of Educational

Psychology, 80(3), 417-433.

Murphy, J. F., & Tobin, K. J. (2011). Homelessness comes to school. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(3),

32-37.

Monteiro, V. (2012). “Promoting Self-Concept and Self Esteem through a Peer Reading

Program.” Psicologia-reflexao E Critica, 25(1), 147-155.

Obradović, J. (2010) Effortful control and adaptive functioning of homeless children: Variable-

focused and person-focused analyses. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,

31(2), 109-117.

Obradović, J, Long, J.D., Cutuli, J., Chan, A., Hinz, E., Heistad, D. et al. (2009). Academic

achievement of homeless and highly mobile children in an urban school district:

Longitudinal evidence on risk, growth, and resilience. Development and Psychology , 21,

493-518.

People Serving People (n.d.a.). Children’s Services. Retrieved from

http://peopleservingpeople.org/programs/childrens-services.php.

People Serving People (n.d.b.). PSP Statistics. Retrieved from



http://peopleservingpeople.org/about/statistics.php.

People Serving People. (2014, April 2). [It's International Children's Book Day! Here at People

Serving People we give away pallets of donated books each year to our young guests and

focus on literacy through volunteer opportunities like our Roving Readers. So in honor of

#ICBD2014 what was your favorite children's book growing up?]. [Infographic].

Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/PeopleServingPeopleMPLS/photos/pb.254485055360.-

2207520000.1402557758./10153935888445361/?type=3&theater.

People Serving People. (2014, March 11). [Amazing how different the view from our front door

is after just a few short months.] [Infographic]. Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/PeopleServingPeopleMPLS/photos/pb.254485055360.-

2207520000.1402557758./10153862694455361/?type=3&theater.

Portwood, S.G., Shears, J.K., Nelson, E.B., & Thomas, M.L. (2013). Examining the impact of

family services on homeless children. Child & Family Social Work. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12097.

Qualter, P. & Munn, P. (2002). The separateness of social and emotional loneliness in

childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 43, 233–244.

Ritter, G. W., Barnett, J. H., Denny, G. S., & Albin, G. R. (2009). The effectiveness of volunteer

tutoring programs for elementary and middle school students: A meta-analysis. Review of

Educational Research, 79(3), 3–38.

Rubin, D.H., Erickson, C.J., Augustin, M.S., Cleary, S.D., Allen, J.K., & Cohen, P. (1996).

Cognitive and academic functioning of homeless children compared with housed

children. Pediatrics, 97, 289-294.

Rutherford, M. (2011). The Social Value of Self-Esteem. Society, 48(5), 407-412.

Scott, J. C. (1998). Cities, People, and Language. Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to

Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 53-

83.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, December 23). [Secret Santa 2013 went great on Thursday!

Mary's Place kids were able to pick a small gift out for their parents. Thanks to all the

volunteers and donors that made this possible.]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/SharingandCaringHands/photos/pb.184448398292361.-

2207520000.1402558361./569309623139568/?type=3&theater.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, October 25). [GE put on the best Halloween party in town last

night at Mary's Place. Costumes for all the kids, pizza, games, DJ Damian Moran,

ballons, and of course-candy. Fun had by all and much appreciation to the volunteers that

https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/icbd2014



really brightened many lives! Thanks GE]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./542152735855257/?type=3&theater

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, September 14). [Josh and Ginger Willingham were at Mary's

Place today. They brought new shoes and Minnesota Twins t-shirts for all the children!

What am amazing act of generosity. Thank You]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./522221351181729/?type=3&theater.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, September 5). [We are in need of volunteers to help with the

Mary's Place Tutoring Program. Last spring, we were able to serve over 300 children in

this program and we are hoping to do the same this fall. Details: Starts the week of

September 9th, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday-4:00-6:00PM,Thursday-3:00-4:00PM. We

ask for a weekly commitment of one day a week. If interested please email Kathy at

[email protected]]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./518387584898439/?type=3&theater.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, July 19). [We take kids on field trips on Fridays during the

summer when they have spent the week in our reading program. Today was swimming

and playing at the park. Great time!]. [Inforgraphic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./498176510252880/?type=3&theater.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, June 13). [Thanks so very much to Joe Mauer and Justin

Morneau for donating their suite to Mary's Place last night. The kids had an amazing

experience!]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./482551028482095/?type=3&theater.

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2013, June 5). [Volunteer opportunity. We are in need of tutors for

our summer reading program. Monday or Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30pm. We ask that

you are able to make a weekly commitment. If interested please email Kathy at

[email protected]. Thanks!]. [Infographic]. Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./479198698817328/?type=3&theater

Sharing and Caring Hands. (2014, January 20). "Timeline Photos." Retrieved from


2207520000.1402558361./582663178470879/?type=3&theater.

Shpungin, E. & Lyubansky, M. (2006). Navigating Social Class Roles in Community Research.

American Journal of Community Psychology, 37(3/4).

http://ands.org/

http://ands.org/



Tanti, C., Stukas, A. A., Halloran, M. J., & Foddy, M. (2008). Tripartite Self-concept Change:

Shifts in the Individual, Relational, and Collective Self in Adolescence. Self & Identity,

7(4), 360-379.

Zima, B.T., Wells, K.B., & Freeman, H.E. (1994). Emotional and behavioral problems and

severe academic delays among sheltered homeless children in Los Angeles County.

American Journal of Public Health, 84, 260-264.



APPENDIX Interview Guide Draft: Shelter Employee Questions

45-Minute Semi-Structured Interviews - March-April 2014

Introductions/Informed Consent

▪ Briefly describe the study (background, purpose, question overview, our connection to the

study, etc.) and thank the interviewee for taking the time to participate.

▪ Describe what participation includes (30 minute interview).

▪ Make sure to tell interviewees that:

◦ (1) Responses will be 100% confidential (note that names will be removed from

research project and any recordings will be available only to researchers, Lauren

Tjernlund and Sunni Monson, for the duration of the capstone and then

destroyed); and

◦ (2) They have the right to stop the interview at any time without affecting their

relationship with the University of MN (and they may ask to keep specific

comments “off the record”).

▪ Ask for permission to record the interview and have participants sign informed consent

request forms.

▪ Ask interviewees if they have any questions for interviewees.

Interview Questions

Note: Prior to beginning, interviewers will preface the following content by situating the

questions in the context of the research project. For example, it may be useful to clarify that for

the duration of this interview:

· “Homeless children/students/peers” means homeless children ages 8-12 who

currently live in an emergency shelter.

· May wish to ask interviewee to explicitly state if and when they are referring to

children who fall outside of this scope

Personal/Professional Background – Role and Involvement with Homeless Children

(1) Tell me about yourself/your professional background.

(2) How long have you worked in your current role?

(3) Tell me about your daily routine at work?



Shelter Children’s Social Experiences/Perceptions –

(1) How often do you interact with youth at the shelter?

(2) Do you feel like the youth at the shelter have access to people they can talk to about

important things to them? Do you feel like you’re seen as a person by the youth as someone they

can talk to?

(3) In what areas do you feel the shelter provides great service to youth ages? In what areas do

you feel the shelter could improve its service to youth?

(4) Can you reflect on how the shelter experience may vary, depending on how long the children

linger in shelter?

(5) In your experience, tell me about your observations of youth’s self-esteem and self-

perceptions at the shelter?

(6) In your experience, how do youth at the shelter interact with each other?

(7Are many youth at the shelter already friends before coming to the shelter or do they ever

make friends at the shelter? Explain.

(8) Where do you think youth think social support is strongest here at the shelter?

(9) Where do you think youth think social support is the weakest at the shelter?

(10) What do you perceive the biggest challenges for shelter youth in areas related to friendships

and social functioning?

(11) In your experience, what seems to have the most positive influences on shelter children’s

social functioning overall?

Shelter Related Questions

1) What is the biggest problem homeless youth ages face today at the shelter? How do you feel

the shelter can address this problem?

2) Is it realistic to expect these outcomes for youth at the shelter:

A) Feeling comfortable with their environment at the shelter?

B) Making friends is as easy as children who are not living at a shelter?

C) Keeping friendships while living at the shelter?

3) Overall, how do you feel staying in a shelter effects youth in the short term? In the long term?



4) Do you think 8-12 year olds are served better or worse than other age groups in the shelter?

5) In what areas do you feel the shelter provides great service to youth ages? In what areas do

you feel the shelter could improve its service to youth?

6) What tools could be given to you as a staff member to better serve youth at the shelter?

Future Questions

1) Where would you hope to see services for youth in the future?

2) Do you feel like many youth will return to the shelter? If yes, how many times do you think

they will?

3) What kind of jobs do you think the majority of kids at the shelter will have when they get

older?

4) Do you think any of the children will return to the shelter when they are older as adults?

a qualitative analysis of emergency shelter staffs ... · the university of minnesota sunni monson...

Documents