Envision a future where all children, youth, and their families are thriving within safe, stable, and affordable homes.
Unfortunately, this is not the reality for far too many families and young people, especially those identifying as Black, Indigenous and People of Color with experiences of housing instability and risk of or involvement with the child welfare system.
One Roof is an exciting national initiative launched in 2016 by CSH, in collaboration with national and local organizations, systems, and communities.
This collaborative effort centers on better connecting child welfare and housing sectors, with a significant focus on increasing equitable access to affordable housing aligned with services. One Roof seeks to shift the trajectory for families with children, reduce unnecessary family separation, and prevent young people from languishing in and aging out of the child welfare system without the family, community supports, and housing that they need to thrive.
One Roof is elevating the visibility of families and youth at risk for housing instability. CSH and One Roof partners work together to build improved and integrated systems responses that develop affordable housing aligned with a connected set of services for families and youth experiencing housing instability and child welfare risk/involvement. These systems should be integrated — from prevention to family reunification — using an equity-focused, multi-sector approach.
The success of One Roof is built on community collaboration, partnerships, and by leveraging common goals between housing, child welfare, and other partners to prevent and end unnecessary impacts of homelessness and child welfare involvement.