Head Start Food Insecurity Fact Sheet Focuses on Pregnant Women and Children
With demand for food assistance on the rise and disruptions to the systems that provide it, Pennsylvania’s Head Start Collaboration Office has released a fact sheet regarding food insecurity.
The fact sheet highlights key considerations for serving pregnant women, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and individuals with special needs.
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The Head Start fact sheet notes that it is vital for community partners to connect to provide resources for pregnant women and children experiencing homelessness because their nutritional needs are unique and essential to their health and development.
Persistent hunger can affect immediate physical well-being, but it can also hinder learning and development and contribute to long-term trauma, potentially shaping an individual’s sense of safety and stability throughout life.
The fact sheet highlights considerations for serving pregnant women and children of various ages such as limited access to refrigeration and food storage. It is intended to serve as a practical tool to guide program actions, educate the community, and frame meaningful conversations about nutrition with staff and families.
Fact Sheet
The fact sheet notes that homelessness can result in:
Absence of ongoing access to child food items, snacks, and adaptations for special needs
Lack of kitchen facilities, such as sink, stove, refrigeration, storage, utensils
Barriers obtaining WIC/SNAP and medications, such as transportation, address changes, and technology
Homelessness during pregnancy, according to the fact sheet, increases the likelihood of prenatal and delivery complications and developmental delays due to inadequate nutrition.
For infants, homelessness during infancy negatively affects breastfeeding, access to formula, and understanding sensitivities, while for toddlers it can limit exposure to a variety of age-appropriate food items and opportunities for mastering body awareness, sensation, and preferences.
Homelessness during the preschool year is associated with persistent hunger, which affects growth, attention, engagement, and learning.
For more information, take a look at Head Start’s fact sheet.