Research suggests that children experiencing homelessness often display signs of delayed development (Sawtell 2002), particularly with speech and language (Vostanis et al 1997). These findings are borne out by my work in a hostel for homeless families.
Often the delays are borderline and referral to speech therapy is not always appropriate. Advice and leaflets offering ideas can sometimes be of limited value, particularly with a client group whose housing difficulties make finding time to assimilate this style of information difficult.
Leicester City Council Lifelong Learning and Community Development initiative has devised REMIT, a a project that can help these children to reach their full potential. It takes informal learning into hostels and centres for homeless people in the form of Social Education Activity Development (SEAD) boxes.
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