From the Housing Assistance Council, this article reviews strategies for improving conditions for low-income families in rural areas through Individual Development Account Programs. IDAs have been proven to help low-income families save money to…

From the Center for Social Development, this policy brief offers ideas on how IDAs and WIA can collaborate in increase access to education and training. Adults with a high school education earn on average $26,332, compared to $32,154 for…

This research project, an intensive study in Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio, assesses the well-being of low-income children and families in the post-welfare reform era. The project examines strategies families have…

This article, from the Urban Institute, evaluates trends in child poverty across the country in the past ten years. Child poverty rates experienced a sharp decline from 1993 to 2000, but increased from 2000 to 2004. The trends show that the State…

From the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, this paper provides an overview of methamphetamine, as social workers are seeing an increasing number of children and families affected by meth. Authors present the most current…

As place is an important factor for positive family outcomes, this Urban Institute article reviews types of neighborhoods and how surroundings can play a role in the well-being of families and children. By research a variety of indicators, it…

The Urban Institute, with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, conducted the Study of Fathers' Involvement in Permanency Planning and Child Welfare Casework. This study reviewed the extent to which child…

Because many welfare recipients reaching time limits face barriers to employment, Minnesota implemented the Minnesota Integrated Service Project (ISP). This project aims at improving service delivery to clients who would benefit from multiple…

This research brief from the Rural Families Speak Project provides data on how low-income mothers in rural areas meet childcare needs while trying to maintain stable employment. Currently, the mothers of 2.7 million children are facing such…

This report, utilizing the Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data book, provides an overview of negative child outcomes that are a result of poverty. From 2000 data, it was found that negative child outcomes are highly correlated with lower income levels…