There is no question that times are stressful when families need to stay in an emergency shelter. ZERO TO THREE and Save the Children have developed tip sheets to help professionals and volunteers working in emergency shelters better support families with young children.
It starts with self-care; emergency shelter staff will find some great ideas on this in Self-Care for the Shelter Professional. Shelter staff will also find the tips in Caring for Families with Very Young Children helpful in offering support to families with babies and toddlers. Emergency shelter staff may also give families in their care the parent tip sheets, developed to help caregivers think about and support their young children as they navigate all the changes that come with staying in a shelter.