What about the babies? A critical review of infants’ and toddlers’ absence in homelessness scholarship

•Increasing numbers of infants and toddlers experience homelessness each year.•Homelessness relates to numerous negative outcomes for young children.•Differences in outcomes between homeless and low-income housed children are mixed.•Studies investigating homeless infants’ and toddlers’ experiences are needed. Rates of family homelessness continue to reach unprecedented levels. As many as two million young children experience family homelessness each year, with an estimated one in 10 younger than one year old. Yet, despite their high prevalence, a dearth of studies have specifically investigated infants’ and toddlers’ experiences of homelessness. Overall, the available literature suggests homeless infants and toddlers experience increased risk to physical health, development, and well-being at an individual- and family-level. This presents a severely limited understanding of homeless infants’ and toddlers’ experiences, with substantial gaps remaining. This review documents the scant existing literature on infant and toddler development within the context of homelessness at both the individual and family-system levels, and proposes next steps for research, practice, and policy.