Resources

We have compiled a variety of resources related to trauma and homelessness to help you learn more about particular topics. Whether you're interested in creating a trauma-informed environment in your shelter, or learning more about how trauma and homelessness intersect, our resource section is a useful guide.

Books

Annotated lists of children's books on trauma (pdf) and homelessness (pdf).

Trauma-Informed Checklist

This checklist, developed by the National Center on Family Homelessness, provides shelter staff with a starting point to assess whether or not their program is trauma-informed. The introduction to the checklist includes various operating principles as well as definitions.
Link to trauma-informed checklist pdf

Resource Guides

The Resource Guides below offer a brief overview of the topic and suggested articles, manuals, and other publications within that topic. Each list includes full references for the works cited. All are available at your local library or bookstore unless otherwise noted.

• Resource Guide 1: The Prevalence of Trauma in the Lives of Homeless Women and Their Children
• Resource Guide 2: The Impact of Trauma on Homeless Families
• Resource Guide 3: Responding to Trauma among Homeless Women and Children

Note: The National Center on Family Homelessness does not endorse any particular publication cited in the Resource Guides. The Resource Guides are not complete lists of all of the salient works within a particular field. They are simply lists of resources.

If you have suggestions for publications that may be useful to include in future resource guides on trauma and homeless families, please email Kristen Paquette at Kristen.Paquette@familyhomelessness.org. 

Case Studies Corner

Case Study #1: Barbara and her children
Barbara and her children have just arrived at a family shelter after fleeing domestic violence. What can the staff do to establish rapport with the family and gain their trust?

Case Study #2: Gloria and her children
The trauma that Gloria and her children have experienced manifests in various ways as they adjust to shelter life. What can the staff do to greet the family, ensure that their needs are met, and provide trauma-informed services?

Online Resources and Links

Click Here for a list of online links about housing, domestic violence, policy information and government resources.