Supported Families
Child Trends’ Early Childhood team understands that the well-being of children and their families are intertwined. We support the development of conditions and opportunities through which both parents/caregivers and children can thrive across a range of domains, including economic well-being; physical, behavioral, and relational health; parenting and family engagement; and resilience in the face of adversity. Our researchers focus on policies, programs, and practices that support families, such as home visiting, trauma-informed parenting support programs, Medicaid, WIC, and TANF. Our team has extensive expertise in researching the mechanisms through which adversity and family economic hardship impacts children’s immediate and long-term development, identifying and addressing barriers that prevent families from accessing needed supports, and evaluating programming and policies that aim to strengthen family supports and/or mitigate the impacts of poverty and adversity on child outcomes.
Throughout our work, we engage and build on the perspectives, strengths, and life experiences of families who have been marginalized by systemic inequities. Our researchers recognize that effective solutions must dismantle structural determinants of racial/ethnic and economic disparities and promote equitable access to services and outcomes; we aim to create opportunities to reduce or eliminate barriers that impede intergenerational well-being. Our work supports federal, state, and local program administrators, policy leaders, communities, and practitioners in their use of research and data to support early childhood development and resilience and reduce inequities in child, parent/caregiver, and family outcomes.
