Low-income mothers and fathers often share a desire to support their children, but current government policies may pit parents against each other, often to the detriment of their children. This report sets out a shared public policy agenda for newly elected leaders at all levels of U.S. government as part of the Common Ground Project, designed to advance public policy recommendations, to promote effective coparenting relationships, and to ensure emotional and financial support for children. The report is based on the recommendations generated at a meeting of public policy advocates, practitioners, researchers, and staff of the National Women's Law Center and the Center of Fathers, Families and Public Policy. Part 1 of the report presents the goals of the Common Ground Project, with the initial focus on paternity establishment as a gateway to other child support and related family law issues. Part 2 discusses the changing law of paternity establishment related to welfare reform legislation. Part 3 examines paternity establishment from the perspective of low-income mothers and fathers, focusing on economic, relationship, procedural, and collateral issues. Part 4 presents recommendations for improving paternity establishment practices and procedures, including the following: (1) Congress and the states should better educate parents about paternity establishment, make the process fairer and more accessible, and eliminate coercive policies; (2) policies should make paternity establishment more beneficial for poor families, including public assistance recipients; (3) child support should go to children, not for welfare cost reimbursement; and (4) additional safeguards should be instituted to protect victims of domestic violence. (Contains 117 reference notes.) (KB)