Homelessness can damage children's development. Families tend to stay longer in the shelter system Because families tend to stay longer in shelters, homelessness takes an even greater toll on children. Chart 7 shows that in 1998, families with children stayed an average of 1.5 months - up from two weeks in 1989. This reflects the fact that families face increasing challenges to find appropriate, affordable housing. It is also more critical for families to find appropriate housing to ensure stability for their children.
Single people tend to stay in shelters for short periods.
The median stay for men is two to three days. For women it is slightly longer - about seven days in 1998. This may be because there are more support programs at women's shelters. Chronic homelessness remains high, particularly among single men Chronic homelessness refers to people who have stayed in the shelter system for one year or more. Most were single men.