From the National Governor's Association, Center for Best Practices, this article reviews marriage education programs across States, which seek to ultimately improve outcomes for families and children. Research shows that children raised in, two-…

This policy brief explores the question of creating policies to encourage marriage in terms of TANF. The general agreement is made that federal and state policies should not penalize marriage. It explores the effect of TANF program rules on…

This research brief outlines the "Building Strong Families" project, which aims at helping new, unmarried parents gain the skills necessary to build healthy marriages. The project was created with expected outcomes to enhance the wellbeing of…

Authored by Marcia Carlson of Columbia University, Sara McLanahan of Princeton University, Paula England of Stanford University, and Barbara Devaney of Mathematica Policy Research. This brief, the third in a series from the Building Strong…

Mentoring programs can often provide positive youth development similar to the support a youth receives from caregivers. This issue brief, from the National Human Service Assembly, offers information on how greater family engagement in youth…

Authored by Kristin A. Moore. This recent brief from Child Trends examines the concept of healthy marriage and the elements that, taken together, help define it. Drawing from available research studies and data, theoretical writings, and short…

From Child Trends, this Research Brief defines healthy marriage by examining the concepts related to this term such as commitment, marital satisfaction, and communication, as well as two opposing elements of violence and infidelity. The…

Authored by Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill. This article is found in the Brookings Institution Policy Brief entitled Welfare Reform and Beyond #28. In this brief, the authors contrast making cash and related forms of public assistance more…

BSF works with state/local partners to develop or refine interventions to promote healthy marriage among interested unwed parents at or near the birth of their child.

This brief looks at child welfare agencies' reliance on kin, that is, relatives, to care for children who may otherwise need to be in state custody. In most states, these agencies use voluntary kinship arrangements on a fairly limited basis when…