The following resources provide information on the well-being of parents and caregivers and suggestions for how to improve it.
Building Core Capabilities for Life: The Science Behind the Skills Adults Need to Succeed in Parenting and in the Workplace
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2016)
Explains the life-long factors that hinder adults from thriving and provides implications for policy development and best practices.
Fatherhood: Ongoing Research and Program Evaluation Efforts in the Administration for Children and Families (PDF - 1,044 KB)
United States Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (2019)
Describes research and evaluation projects related to the Responsible Fatherhood grant program and noncustodial parents, as well as other research related to fathers and fatherhood to promote economic self-sufficiency and social well-being for them and their families.
Navigating the Unknowns: Living With Young Children
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (2020)
Focuses on families facing challenges with parenting young children through difficult times. The resource includes suggestions for Federal policy changes to create better support systems for children and families as well as practical tips.
Protective Factors Surveys
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (2021)
Helps child welfare agencies to assess families’ protective factors and changes over time. This resource is also available in Spanish (PDF - 315 KB).
A Seat at the Table: Piloting Continuous Learning to Engage Fathers and Parental Relatives in Child Welfare
Fung, Nickie, Bellamy, Abendroth, Mittone, Bess, & Stagner (2021)
Explore this report, which shares findings from a pilot study exploring the implementation of a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) for increasing father and paternal relative engagement in child welfare in order to improve placement stability and permanency outcomes for children.
Well-Being of Parents and Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey
Patrick et al. (2020)
Pediatrics, 146(4)
Assesses parent and family well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic, including changes in several factors related to maltreatment prevalence.
Working With Parents With Cognitive Disabilities: Programs
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
Provides program information to service providers working with parents with cognitive disabilities, including developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, selective neuropsychological difficulties, and/or traumatic brain injuries. This resource details programs that may improve parenting skills for parents with cognitive disabilities, thereby possibly reducing the risk of child maltreatment.