Homeless Mothers: Personal Stories and Perceptions of Transitional Housing

Homeless mothers and their dependent children make up the fastest growing segment of the homeless population within the United States. The primary societal response to the increase in homeless families with dependent children has been to establish transitional shelters. Yet, little research has been conducted to determine whether or not transitional shelters adequately meet the needs of the homeless mothers and children they serve. Ten in-person interviews were conducted with seven current and three former residents of a transitional shelter in Orange County, California to explore the untold stories of homeless mothers-their backgrounds, their experiences in a transitional shelter, and how they plan to go forward in their lives. Because women living at the shelter occupy a unique social location which is influenced by their backgrounds as well as their immediate experiences, it is important to explore how they view and respond to the shelter program. This study sheds light on the need for attention to the unique and individual experiences of homeless mothers and their dependent children within transitional shelters and demonstrates how shelter policies can be improved to better serve this population. KeyWords