The Negative Effects of Instability on Child Development: A Research Synthesis

The Urban Institute released a paper discussing the negative effects of instability on child development. This paper reviewed and synthesized research on five areas of instability: family income, parental employment, family structure, housing, and the out-of-home contexts of school and child care. It also discusses some of the key pathways through which instability may affect development and provides recommendations for policy and practice to alleviate instability's impact. In addition to the report, the Urban Institute released a fact sheet that highlights the key findings from the report.