Notes
Integration timeline: arrived in Canada in the last 5 years
Key populations: newcomer mothers and children who have experienced homelessness in Canada
Community organizations: n/a
Future research / gaps identified:
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Analyze how immigration status and immigration class affect the pathway to homelessness for newcomer mothers and their children.
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Examine how the presence of a partner and/or children alongside the mother affects the pathway to homelessness.
Key findings:
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Systems failures related to the intersection between being a newcomer and being a mother exacerbated the pathway to homelessness.
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Jurisdictional issues with service eligibility and access affected the mothers’ ability to exit homelessness.
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Pre- and post-migration traumas were significant experiences of the mothers.
Key recommendations:
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Develop and expand wrap-around, holistic services and supports for trauma, violence, housing and settlement.
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Instill trauma-informed care in settlement agencies.
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Improve policies by using a intersectional rights-based approach instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.
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Increase federal and provincial funding for organizations to better support newcomers, and to continue supports past the first year of arrival.
