Alison Edie and her interdisciplinary team recently received a seed grant from ABC Thrive for a project entitled "Collaboration to Promote Early Childhood Wellbeing in Families Experiencing Homelessness." Her team includes: Debra Best and Karen Appleyard Carmody from the School of Medicine and Katie Rosanbalm from the Sanford School of Public Policy. Community partners include: Families Moving Forward, Exchange Family Center and Center for Child and Family Health.

Children represent 59 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness in families, and of these, 49 percent are between birth and age five. Young children experiencing homelessness are at great risk for mental health problems, developmental delays, and traumatic stress, all correlated with later physical and emotional/behavioral problems. Parents play a critical role in supporting young children during stressful events, but homeless parents confront particular challenges in furnishing such support because of their own stress. Empirical research on effective parent and health behavior programs in shelters is limited.

Working with Families Moving Forward, this study will test a new model by integrating three targeted programs (Healthy Home, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up, HealthySteps) as a cohesive whole, rather than as disconnected pieces. Healthy Home furnishes an evidence-based health literacy curriculum; Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up teaches parents how to engage emotionally with children; and HealthySteps connects pediatricians and parents to help the latter understand and manage parenting challenges with kids under three. Results will inform best practices in shelter settings and begin to inform our understanding of young child well-being in families experiencing homelessness.

ABC Thrive takes a holistic approach to helping babies and young children get the best possible start in life, focusing on their physical, mental and emotional well-being, as well as their environment and community. Leveraging the innovative research, education, clinical care and outreach capabilities of Duke University and Duke Health, the initiative promotes optimal development in children from prenatal to age five.

Read more here.