A McKinney-Vento eligible child is one who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime living situation. In general, children or youth living in motels, transitional housing, shelters, the streets, cars, abandoned buildings, and other inadequate accommodations are considered eligible for McKinney-Vento services. This includes the following groups:
- Children in Shelters
- Doubled-up Children (living with another family due to lack of a permanent residence)
- Children living in Motels due to lack of alternative adequate living situation
- Migratory Children (if accommodations are not fit for habitation)
- Runaways (children who have run away from home and live in a shelter or inadequate accommodations, even if parents are willing to provide a home)
- Lockouts (children whose parents or guardians will not permit them to live at home)
- These last two categories are UHY, child not in the physical custody of their guardian and lacking a fixed, regular and adequate place.
