Expert Research and Solutions on U.S. Family Policy Reform

Children & Families In America: A Research-Driven Perspective

Policies that affect children and families show up in everyday life—from access to child care and early education to paid leave and the Child Tax Credit. As families navigate rising costs and shifting care responsibilities, many policymakers are looking for effective ways to provide support to children and families.

The Scholars Strategy Network includes researchers who study today’s most pressing challenges for children and families. Explore briefs and No Jargon podcast episodes, where SSN members discuss current policies and share research-based solutions.

Featured Policy Briefs on Children & Families

Mom working on laptop on kitchen table while taking care of two children

What Happens to Poor Families When They Hit Welfare Time Limits and Cash Benefits Disappear?

By Sandra Butler

Welfare time limits leave many vulnerable families with little or no income, underscoring the need for better support and fair access to hardship extensions.

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Teenager talking to therapist on a couch

How to Prepare Social Workers to Serve Families and Communities In an Era of Uncertainty and Injustice

By Mary Lehman Held, Eliza Silvia Galvez

To support immigrant communities amid shifting policies, social work education must better prepare students and practitioners with trauma-informed, culturally responsive training rooted in advocacy and justice.

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Should the Federal Government Permanently Expand the Child Tax Credit?

By Harry Holzer

A permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit, like in 2021, would ease hardship for low-income families but comes with high costs and possible small job losses.

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Mother in graduation gown, carrying child, toddler

Helping Parents Get a College Education Helps Children Succeed

By Luisa S. Deprez, Lisa Dodson

Helping parents earn college degrees boosts family income, breaks cycles of poverty, and significantly improves children’s educational and life outcomes.

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Featured Podcast Episodes on Children & Families

Father and son, toddler, playing on floor with truck

The Evolving Role of Fatherhood

Alvin Thomas

Thomas details why involved fathers are so vital for children, how traditional views of masculinity are being redefined currently, and what changes are needed to better support fathers.

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Mother holding baby while working on laptop

Making Motherhood Work

Caitlyn Collins

Collins explains why many U.S. moms are overwhelmed year-round, highlighting gaps in family support and calling for policy changes to better support working mothers.

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America’s Childcare Crisis

Mary C. King

King unpacks the deepening childcare crisis in the U.S., highlighting the strain on parents and providers—and makes the case for universal preschool as a path forward.

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