Moving Parents and Children Out of Poverty: A Two-Generation Approach

The two-generation approach typically promotes uniting two types of programs to serve families. One type consists of early childhood development programs such as home visiting, Head Start/Early Head Start, and successful transition to elementary school. Simultaneously, two-generation programs attempt to link these efforts to services that focus on parents, including postsecondary education and workforce development. By promoting early education and supports for children along with tools to improve parents’ economic situation, the two-generation approach aims to improve outcomes for both. This brief from Child Trends provides an overview of the approach and calls for more research to explore the potential benefits for families.