Homeless Children: Impact of School Attendance on Self-esteem and Loneliness

Abstract

This non-shelter-based study of 400 homeless six- to 11-year-olds and their mothers yielded statistically significant differences between children attending school half-time or more and those not attending school. Those attending school were younger when they first experienced homelessness and had been homeless less frequently and for a shorter duration than those not attending school. Children who attended school felt less lonely and had higher self-esteem than those who did not attend. The results strengthen discussion of social policy issues of equal access by documenting that school attendance is a critical variable in improving homeless children's low self-esteem and sense of loneliness.