Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federal program that provides funding for states to implement and administer cash assistance to families who meet eligibility and work requirements, as well as provides funds for a wide range of other activities like education and training activities (US DHHS, 2023). TANF is funded by a block…

The Buffering Toxic Stress (BTS) consortium included six sites in locations that varied widely in racial/ethnic composition and population density. Each site tested a promising parent-child intervention designed to supplement Early Head Start (EHS) services and prevent "toxic stress." To better understand family risk in a large and…

Tennessee has long recognized the importance of early childhood care and education (ECCE) that children receive prior to school entry. Access to high-quality early teaching and learning contributes to the Tennessee Department of Education's (TDOE) goal that all children become successful readers by third grade, and moreover, better prepares…

Since 1965, the Head Start program has served low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Programs provide services focused on the "whole child," including early education addressing cognitive, developmental, and socio-emotional needs; medical and dental screenings and…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves as the foundation of America's national nutrition safety net. It is the nation's first line of defense against food insecurity and offers a powerful tool to improve nutrition among low-income individuals. SNAP is the largest of the 15 domestic food and nutrition assistance programs…

In 1994, the federal Early Head Start (EHS) program was created to address the comprehensive needs of low-income pregnant women and children under age 3. EHS was created almost 30 years after Head Start was established in 1965 to serve low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services.…

Changes that have recently taken place in the composition of the American family and the circumstances in which children and youth are now growing up are highlighted in this Congressional report. While this compilation of approximately 64 tables of data is not intended to be comprehensive, nor does it use every statistical series available, it…

This quarterly newsletter issue discusses the upcoming United Nations-sponsored International Year of the Family (IYF), with a specific focus on activities, trends, and research dealing with Canada. Four feature articles examine: (1) the work of the Canada Committee for the IYF, including activities and publications sponsored by the committee and…

This volume, third in a series evaluating the Child and Family Resource Program (CFRP), provides an overview of the evaluation, documents the first 6 months of the study, and examines initial program impact on families. Chapter 1 briefly summarizes the design of the CFRP evaluation and addresses the issues of sample selection and attrition, data…

Early Head Start is a comprehensive, two-generation federal initiative begun in 1995 aimed at enhancing the development of infants and toddlers while strengthening low-income families. This report contains information from the Survey of Early Head Start Programs. Beyond the need for an updated picture of the Early Head Start program, the Survey of…

This compilation of extensive facts and figures on topics pertaining to America's children and families is a ready reference for journalists, advocates, and others who need easy access to data on conditions and trends. The book's first nine chapters are: (1) "The Changing American Family"; (2) "Children's Growth and…

This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the National Commission on Children. The report is prefaced by a statement by the commission chairman, Senator John D. Rockefeller, and an executive summary. The first part of the report discusses issues relating to the development of a national policy on children and families.…

Reported here is the external summative evaluation of the Mountain-Plains program, a residential, family-based education program developed to improve the economic potential and lifestyle of selected student families in a six-state region. (For the internal summative evaluation see CE 014 682-684.) To determine the program's success in…

This paper presents a review of commonly used family models which illustrate the wide range of differences in definition of the American family. Its purpose is to help assure that national family policy is based on a definition of family made in the broadest possible context. The major part of the paper discusses five commonly used models. The…