Structured interviews with homeless women (n=179) from a countywide probability study found that one-third of them had been raised apart from their parents. Among women with children under age 18, 61.5 percent had children who had lived in foster care or other out-of-home placements. Variables associated with homeless mothers' children living in foster care or other out-of-home placements were: (1) child was school-age, (2) mother was age 35 or older, (3) mother had a current alcohol or drug use disorder, (4) mother experienced childhood sexual abuse, and (5)mother ran away from home when under age 18. Parenting was difficult for homeless mothers who may have needed to place children with others to facilitate school attendance. Parent-child interaction may be problematic in family shelters where privacy is rare. Thus, the article recommends that programs promoting family preservation for homeless mothers should provide parenting support as well as permanent housing. Tables, references