Profiles of Risk: Family Structure

"Profiles of Risk: Family Structure" is the third research brief in this ICPH series, which draws on data from the nationwide Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to highlight characteristics of those families at greatest risk of experiencing homelessness. The brief explores differences in family structure between homeless mothers and those who maintain stable housing, finding that stably housed families are characterized by higher rates of marriage and greater relationship stability when compared to housing-unstable households. Families at risk of homelessness experience higher family instability and rates of cohabitation, while homeless families tend to be headed by a single mother.

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