Resource Library

The Breaking Barriers program, based in San Diego, California, provided employment services to lower-income individuals with disabilities. 

MDRC carried out a random assignment impact evaluation of the program, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, in order to assess the effectiveness of the program at improving employment outcomes for program participants. Findings from that evaluation were released in September 2019...

Home visiting aims to support expectant parents and families with young children by offering them “resources and skills to raise children who are physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready to learn” (HRSA, 2019). Although the characteristics of the families served, and the service components delivered, vary by evidence-based home visiting model, problematic substance use is commonly one of the many outcome areas addressed by home visitors in the course of their engagement...

The American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2015 (AI/AN FACES 2015) is the first national descriptive study of children and families enrolled in Head Start programs operated by federally recognized tribes. These programs incorporate communities’ unique histories, traditions, and beliefs into their operations. AI/AN FACES 2015 reflects advice from the AI/AN FACES Workgroup, comprising Region XI Head Start directors, researchers, and federal officials.

This infographic distills key findings from a literature review conducted as part of the Understanding Poverty: TANF Office Culture study sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The full literature review identifies key factors associated with a positive organizational culture as well as accompanying strategies TANF offices may employ to promote positive organizational culture.

Several ACF programs interact with justice-involved parents and youth in an effort to promote economic self-sufficiency and social well-being for the individuals and their families. Across ACF, we are implementing rigorous research and evaluation projects to better understand how to serve this population.

Employment and wages have been rising over the last several years of the recovery from the Great Recession that ended in 2009. But the recent wage increases are not enough to offset decades of stagnating or even falling wages for many groups of low-wage U.S. workers. A central policy question is how to ensure that economic growth is shared more widely and that people who work are not poor. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one option...

Intimate partner violence (IPV), defined as physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and/or psychological aggression by a current or former intimate partner. IPV is prevalent and has lasting consequences for survivors and their children (CDC, 2017). It is important to understand the services that exist to help prevent IPV and address it effectively when it occurs.

IPV services reach a relatively small proportion of men, women, and families affected, and men in particular...

Making and sustaining improvements in practice in early care and education programs is challenging. Policymakers and practitioners are seeking new strategies to support improvement that can be tailored for and tested in the unique context of ECE settings. The Culture of Continuous Learning Project addresses this critical need in the field by testing the feasibility of using a structured method called the Breakthrough Series Collaborative for promoting continuous quality improvement focused on...

Children who are supported emotionally and financially by their fathers tend to fare better than those without such support. Despite wanting to be strong parents, providers, and partners, many fathers struggle to fulfill these roles. Recognizing both the importance of fathers and the challenges that they face, Congress has authorized and funded grants for fatherhood programs for more than a decade. The Office of Family Assistance (OFA), which is in the...

This brief highlights seven key principles that summarize a framework for understanding self-regulation development...