This is a November 2003 Newsletter generated by the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network on how TANF and Child Support Enforcement can partner to better serve families.

This article, through the Center for Law and Social Policy, reviews the child support enforcement program and its contribution as an "unsung hero" in welfare reform to bringing additional income to low-income families.

This report details the September 2002 Conference on ACF's Positive Youth Development initiative and provides information on how to effectively incorporate the initiative into a cross section of ACF supported programs such as TANF, Child Support, Head Start, Child Care, Child Welfare, Independent Living, and Runaway and Homeless Youth.

This brief, from the Heritage Institute, outlines the objectives of the TANF program and progress towards meeting its goals. In the past ten years of welfare reform, authors argue that the legislation was a success in reducing welfare dependence and increasing employment; reducing child poverty; and reducing out-of-wedlock childbearing and strengthening marriage.

This guidance addresses challenges encountered by Welfare-to-Work (WtW), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agencies in the provision of services to WtW participants, and seeks to assist States and local communities to improve WtW program operations and enhance inter-agency collaboration.

Child abuse and domestic violence often co-occur in families, and such data has led child welfare programs to re-evaluate service delivery protocols for families. This article reviews Family to Family Grantee experiences and offers guidance on how to better serve families in the child welfare system facing domestic violence issues as well.

From the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, this paper provides an overview of methamphetamine, as social workers are seeing an increasing number of children and families affected by meth. Authors present the most current research on methamphetamine, its effects on families, and treatment options available.

A National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) publication entitled "Broke But Not Deadbeat: Reconnecting Low-Income Fathers and Children" addresses the circumstances faced by low-income fathers who are not able to meet their required child support payments, the implications and consequences for the children, and the opportunities available through the TANF, Welfare-to-Work, and Workforce Investment Act to assist this population.

Child abuse and domestic violence often co-occur in families, and such data has led child welfare programs to re-evaluate service delivery protocols for families. This article reviews Family to Family Grantee experiences and offers guidance on how to better serve families in the child welfare system facing domestic violence issues as well.

In 2002, 2.3 million children across the country resided with a relative -- 1.8 million of whom were not involved with the child welfare system. Using data from the National Survey of American's Families, this brief concludes that the standard of living for children in kinship placement has improved since 1997.