This data report from Child Trends provides updated information and recent data related to TANF and its outcomes for children. A summary of trends is provided as well as a series of graphs offering both longitudinal data and point in time data from fiscal year 2010. Various studies are cited which offer both mixed results when examining TANF’s effect on child poverty.

Child Trends released a report that states more than one in five children in the United States lived in households that were food insecure in 2013. The report outlined the effects of food insecurity on children, as well as provided information about the prevalence of this issue among different demographics in the United States.

The Center for Law and Social Policy released a report that analyzed 2013 Census data and determined that the national poverty rate fell by half of a percentage point. Authors of the report noted that poverty for children was down by almost two percentage points, but still noted that children and young adults still face the greatest risks. The report includes a series of next steps to further address poverty among children, young adults, and families, including strengthening the safety net, ensuring parents can work and raise children, and improving pathways to education and careers.

The Administration for Children and Families released a resource guide for healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood grantees that allows users to search curricula by a variety of facets including: implementation characteristics, targeted audience, and topics covered. Users are able to compare curricula in a table to determine which information will best suit their needs.

From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this report provides an overview of benefits to the proposed expansion of the Child Tax Credit- such an expansion could benefit 13 million children across the country. The families that would benefit from the expansion would include children in families where a parent works throughout the year and children in families that include individuals with disabilities.

The Institute for Research on Poverty released a policy brief that explores additional ways to encourage self-sufficiency and well-being among vulnerable families beyond employment. Authors of the brief highlight training and education systems, information and incentives for community colleges, and on-the-job training at the secondary school level as potential cost-effective ways to build skills and earnings among this demographic.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) released a report that outlines findings from a behavioral intervention that was designed to increase the number of incarcerated noncustodial parents in Texas who apply for child support order modifications. Researchers from the intervention redesigned the mailing materials to better entice the parents, and authors of the report indicated that the redesigned materials resulted in increased application outcomes. According to the authors, these results indicate the promise of incorporating behavioral economic principles to improve programs.

The Institute for Research on Poverty released a fact sheet that outlines the challenges faced by young dads in the United States. The fact sheet explores educational background, marriage rates, and overall rates related to access to resources.

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics released a special issue report that focuses on youth in transition to adulthood in the United States. The report states that youth in transition often face challenges while trying to achieve financial and social independence, and aims to capture the needs of youth in transition to inform future policy approaches that serve this population.

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) created a database that pulls information related to efforts to end homelessness from federal, state, and local partners around the country. The database includes resources on exemplar programs and promising practices.