The report from First Focus provides a historical context and lessons learned on two-generation approaches to reducing poverty. The author discusses three policy areas to implement two-generation approaches, including Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training, and TANF.

Two Generations. One Future: An Anthology from the Ascend Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, edited by Dr. Christopher King, Dr. P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, and Dr. Mario Small, offers insights into 2-Gen 2.0 approaches spearheaded by 20 leaders from across sectors, including the fields of human services, mental health, justice-involved families, and early childhood. It is divided into four sections: 1) Underpinnings of two-generation strategies, 2) Addressing and empowering families, 3) Innovative policies and programs, and 4) Evaluating and fostering two-generation strategies. Led by the inaugural class of Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows, the Anthology offers the latest and most comprehensive picture of the two-generation field and its challenges, successes, and lessons.

The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance through the OFA Peer Technical Assistance (PeerTA) Network hosted a webinar on “Breaking the Poverty Cycle and Opening Doors to Opportunity for TANF Families: Developing a Two-Generation Approach,” on May 26, 2015 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EDT. This free webinar discussed the importance of policies and practices that equip parents and children with the income, tools, and skills needed to improve economic stability. It showcased experts from the field who currently run two-generational approach programs that serve Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) populations and highlighted promising practices for establishing and implementing approaches that break the cycles of intergenerational poverty. Speakers from the Office of Family Assistance, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Community Action Project-Tulsa, and Utah Department of Workforce Services described their experiences and lessons learned implementing and assessing two-generation programs.

Authored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this report presents an innovative approach to reducing poverty. It describes methods to help low-income families connect with early childhood education and job training; achieve financial stability; and break the cycle of poverty. In addition, the report recommends new ways to better equip parents and children with what they need to thrive.

The Working Poor Families Project released a policy brief that outlines ways that states can encourage two-generation strategies within programs to continue to help adults achieve economic success while maintaining strong, stable families. The brief includes an in-depth history of poverty and two-generation strategies in the United States, and offers specific recommendations to support and stimulate these efforts within states.

The Urban Institute's HOST Demonstration is developing and testing the effectiveness of using two-generation "whole family" approaches to address the challenges of deeply poor, vulnerable families living in public and assisted housing. HOST services are intended to improve children's health outcomes and reduce risky behavior, helping to overcome some of the disadvantages of growing up in chronic disadvantage. HOST's core case management component helps parents in low-income neighborhoods confront their key barriers to self-sufficiency: poor physical and mental health, additions, low literacy, educational attainment, and a weak connection to the labor force, while integrating services for children and youth. This report discusses the implementation and expansion process of the HOST program.

The Urban Institute released a commentary discussing a two-generation policy agenda that can help promote young children's development and low-wage workers' economic stability, which should start with a national focus on the first year of life.

From MDRC, this report discusses the implementation of an enhanced version of the Early Head Start (EHS) program. Authors provide an overview of challenges to implementation as well as short-term outcomes of the program on children and parents. Understanding that living in poverty can have profound effects on young children’s development and their prospects for the future, the enhanced EHS program was designed to provide formalized parental employment and educational services were implemented within EHS. This evaluation is part of the multi-site Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Labor.

As part of the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation published this report on the Enhanced Early Head Start (Enhanced EHS) program. The program is a two-generational, early childhood development program, which includes services to help address the employment and educational needs of low-income parents. The findings yielded mixed results as the focus on parental employment and education was increased, but implementation was weak.