Population: Families

Two-Parent Families

MDRC develops and studies programs that serve low-income two-parent families, some focusing on addressing their workforce and income security needs and others on improving their relationship and parenting skills.

The Latest

Issue Focus

How Behavioral Science Can Help Future-Proof State and Local Government

In this commentary originally published in Route Fifty, experts from MDRC’s Center for Applied Behavioral Science and BIT North America describe how government agencies can use behavioral science to adapt policies, programs, and services during the continuing pandemic crisis.

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Methodology

Using Semistructured Interviews to Understand the Experiences of Families and Children Living in Poverty

Semistructured interviews involve an interviewer asking some prespecified, open-ended questions, with follow-up questions based on what the interviewee has to say. This Reflections on Methodology post describes a semistructured interview protocol recently used to explore how children who experience poverty perceive their situations, their economic status, and public benefit programs.

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Key Documents

Report

The Long-Term Effects of the Minnesota Family Investment Program on Marriage and Divorce Among Two-Parent Families

Building on findings that the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) resulted in higher rates of marital stability among two-parent recipient families who participated in this initiative that provided financial incentives to welfare recipients who worked, this report documents MFIP’s long-term effects on marriage and divorce among participants in the program’s sample of nearly 2,500 two-parent families who were married or cohabiting at study entry.

The Effects of Child Care Subsidies for Moderate-Income Families in Cook County, Illinois

This report seeks to answer two policy questions: whether providing subsidies to families whose incomes are just over the state’s eligibility limit affects their child care and employment outcomes, and whether extending the length of time before families must reapply for subsidies affects the receipt of subsidies and related outcomes.

The Effects of Marriage and Divorce on Families and Children

Presented Before the Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate

Head Start Connects Focus Area: Preschool Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Work Support and Asset Building Population: Children and Schools Families Populations with Barriers to Employment Low-Income Populations Intervention: Case Management	Get Ready Guilford Initiative Focus Area: Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Population: Families Children and Schools Low-Income Populations Intervention: School Readiness, Case Management, Coordinated Care/Care Management, Home Visiting Locations: North Carolina	Understanding Poverty: Childhood and Family Experiences Focus Area: Family Relationships Two-Generation Programs Welfare Reform Population: Low-Income Populations Families
Family Rewards 2.0 Focus Area: Financial Incentives Two-Generation Programs High School Elementary and Middle School Population: Low-Income Populations Children and Schools Families Intervention: Financial Incentives Locations: New York, Tennessee	Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency-Next Generation Focus Area: Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Welfare Reform Population: Populations with Barriers to Employment Families Low-Income Populations Children and Schools Intervention: Behavioral Interventions	Center for Applied Behavioral Science (CABS) Focus Area: Child Support Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Welfare Reform Work Support and Asset Building Population: Populations with Barriers to Employment Families Low-Income Populations Children and Schools
Opportunity NYC Demonstrations Focus Area: Financial Incentives Two-Generation Programs High School Elementary and Middle School Population: Low-Income Populations Children and Schools Families Intervention: Financial Incentives Locations: New York	Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency Project Focus Area: Child Support Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Welfare Reform Population: Populations with Barriers to Employment Families Low-Income Populations Children and Schools Intervention: Behavioral Interventions	Supporting Healthy Marriage Focus Area: Family Relationships Two-Generation Programs Population: Families Low-Income Populations Intervention: Relationship Education, Parenting Skills Programs, Counseling/Advising Locations: Florida, Kansas, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington

Minnesota Family Investment Program Focus Area: Financial Incentives Welfare Reform Population: Populations with Barriers to Employment Intervention: Case Management, Benefits Planning, Financial Incentives, Employment Services Locations: Minnesota	Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies Focus Area: Child Care and Early Education Population: Low-Income Populations Families Locations: Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington	Building Strong Families Focus Area: Family Relationships Population: Families Intervention: Counseling/Advising, Relationship Education, Parenting Skills Programs Locations: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, Texas
The UK Employment Retention and Advancement Project Focus Area: Job Retention and Advancement Financial Incentives Population: Low-Income Populations Families Intervention: Employment Services, Financial Incentives, Job Training, Reemployment Programs, Welfare-to-Work Locations: United Kingdom

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Two-Parent Families

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