In the last two years, Waterloo Region has identified a significant increase in families accessing emergency shelters. Accordingly, the Region of Waterloo is facilitating a community-based process to reshape the current system of shelter responses with a focus on enabling, to the greatest extent possible, prevention, diversion and rapid re-housing of families. The current report will contribute to a larger piece of research being undertaken by the Region.

The approach used is primarily a comprehensive international literature review, covering Australia, Canada, the US, and the UK. It is noted that context is important, and the types of initiatives implemented, as well as their successes, are influenced by the legislative and program contexts within which they are used. By comparison to the other counties reviewed, Canada lacks both legislated authority, and access to, and use of, administrative data to assist in the development of empirically based policy and programs.

The report first briefly reviews definitions of homelessness and presents some country-specific information to help readers appreciate the different contexts that have influenced both the growth of homelessness and the varied responses applied in different countries and jurisdictions. It summarizes some trends in family homelessness together with a review of causes and consequences for families - and especially children - in homeless families. The review then identifies a range of approaches focusing on prevention, and concludes with a brief presentation of promising approaches and practices aimed at preventing or reducing family homelessness.