Every young parent deserves a safe home, support to care for their children, and the chance to build a stable future. Young parent families bring love, joy, and strong bonds to their communities, and with the right resources, they can flourish.
Each young parent’s story is different. Some leave unsafe homes, age out of foster care, or face eviction; others confront stigma and systemic barriers, especially Black, Indigenous, and youth of color. Young parent families often fall between youth- and family-focused systems, leaving them with few safe options.
Supporting young parent families facing homelessness needs a two-generation approach that provides safe housing alongside tailored supports for both parents and children—including maternal, infant, and early childhood mental health services—to strengthen family well-being and long-term stability.
Understanding Opportunities and Solutions to Young Parent Family Homelessness
Young parent families experiencing homelessness face unique, intersecting challenges as they balance their own development with the needs of their children. Systems aren’t always designed to support them both.
With these supports, young parent families can overcome the many challenges they face, and both the parents and children can thrive as vital parts of their communities.
National Network for Youth’s Role
NN4Y works to uplift and strengthen young parent families through our national network and policy solutions.
- Center youth with lived experience of homelessness as a young parent, including in our National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC), informing NN4Y’s policy agenda.
- Include in our membership network service providers and organizations that provide two-generational support to young parent families.
- Publish resources and policy recommendations about young parent family homelessness.
- Explore strategies to make young parent families more visible in federal policies and programs so solutions are tailored to their unique needs.
By connecting young parents and their children to community, services, and opportunity, NN4Y helps break cycles of homelessness and build strong, resilient families and communities full of love and possibility.
Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness: Supporting Young Parents and Their Children
This policy brief and supporting webinar calls attention to the urgency of supporting young parent families experiencing homelessness. It summarizes the latest research, highlights the unique risks facing young parents and their child(ren), and offers concrete recommendations for adopting a “two-generation” approach—one that provides safe housing, tailored services, and opportunities for both parents and children to thrive.
A huge shoutout to the four incredible providers featured in our spotlights + webinar!
To Mountain Home Montana, Family Promise of the Midlands, Saint Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families, and Young Parents United, your dedication and hard work make a real difference for young people experiencing homelessness. We’re grateful for your contributions and proud to highlight the amazing impact you’re making in our community.
