This Institute for Family Studies resource examines how consistent, quality employment for men is connected to stronger family stability and engagement. The report highlights employment not only as an economic factor, but as something closely tied to relationship stability and family formation. Within Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, it can be used to better align workforce development efforts with family well-being goals, particularly in supporting fathers’ economic participation and long-term family contributions.

WorkforceGPS will host a webinar on May 7, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET to provide straightforward strategies to help job seekers present themselves more effectively, from resumes to interviews. This webinar will give Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) staff tools they can quickly translate into coaching sessions or workshops. It fills a practical need—helping participants compete in a crowded job market—and can be directly applied in day-to-day case management.

This AIR resource explores how adopting practices that focus on skills rather than other predictors of success like degrees and past job titles can open more employment opportunities. That approach aligns closely with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families’ (TANF’s) goal of helping individuals enter and advance in the workforce. For TANF practitioners, it offers a practical shift in how to assess participants’ work history and skills and connect them to jobs. It also helps address hiring barriers many TANF clients face and provides ideas for working with employers who are open to skills-based hiring.

This Annie E. Casey Foundation podcast highlights CareerReady ATL, a youth apprenticeship program, and shows how targeted workforce strategies can connect young people to education and employment pathways. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, it highlights approaches that can be adapted for youth and young adults in TANF households. It addresses a key gap: how to move beyond short-term job placement toward longer-term career development. Practitioners can draw on these ideas to design programs that engage younger participants early, helping them build employment skills and avoid long-term reliance on government assistance.

This webpage offers a comprehensive approach to empowering parents and serves as an example of how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can think more intentionally about family formation as part of their services. It shows how strengthening relationships, supporting responsible fatherhood, and building parenting skills can contribute to greater financial stability and better outcomes for children. For TANF practitioners, this helps fill a gap where programming may focus on employment alone without addressing the family dynamics that influence long-term success.

The model provides ideas TANF programs can adapt, such as incorporating relationship education, co-parenting support, and father engagement into existing services. These approaches can improve participant engagement by meeting families where they are and recognizing the role both parents can play in stability and self-sufficiency.

For practitioners in the St. Louis area, this program also serves as a direct referral option. Eligible participants can access services at no cost, giving TANF staff a concrete way to connect clients to additional support that strengthens their family structure while they work toward employment and economic goals.

Research from SmartAsset explores what it takes financially for one parent to stay home and the other to support the household. It adds context to the tradeoffs families face when making caregiving and work decisions. Within Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services, it can support more realistic financial planning discussions and help families think through how income choices affect stability, caregiving roles, and long-term goals.

The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates the income families need to cover basic expenses based on where they live and family size. It helps clarify a common disconnect in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work—employment alone does not always equal economic stability. Practitioners can use it to ground conversations about self-sufficiency in local reality, making it easier to connect job planning and financial goals to actual household needs and improve family stability.

This National Apprenticeship Week webpage identifies live sessions, webinars, and local activities focused on apprenticeships across different industries and workforce systems. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), this is a practical entry point for understanding how apprenticeships can strengthen program outcomes. TANF practitioners can use this calendar to select sessions that align with their local labor market or participant needs—such as healthcare, construction, or emerging tech—and learn how other programs are building apprenticeship pathways.

The National Youth Employment Coalition will host a webinar on April 30, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET to provide an overview of the current apprenticeship landscape and where opportunities are expanding across industries. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this is a practical way to understand where to focus efforts when connecting participants to work. It can help staff identify high-demand sectors, partnership opportunities, and strategies that can lead to quicker employment outcomes. By offering a clearer picture of how apprenticeships are evolving, this resource can support TANF programs in building stronger pathways to employment—helping participants gain skills, earn income, and move toward greater financial independence.

TAG-Ed will host a webinar on April 29, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET to explore how apprenticeships are being used to prepare workers for jobs that involve artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, this will highlight how “earn while you learn” models can extend beyond traditional industries into growing, higher-wage fields. Practitioners can use this resource to identify new apprenticeship opportunities that incorporate digital skills, helping participants stay competitive in a changing job market.