The following resources provide information on the well-being of parents and caregivers and suggest ways 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.
Caregiver Stress Fact Sheet
Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2015)
Explains the symptoms of caregiver stress in women. This resource defines caregiver as an individual taking care of someone with an illness, injury, or disability and provides tips for managing caregiver stress.
Fatherhood: Ongoing Research and Program Evaluation Efforts (PDF - 1,044 KB)
United States Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (2015)
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, Part 1 and Part II
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.
Nine Facts About American Families and Work (PDF - 700 KB)
Council of Economic Advisers (2014)
Explains nine important facts about American family lives and work lives and how interactions between the two impact the U.S. economy. It illustrates the changes that are needed to ensure long-term economic growth, maintain economic competitiveness, improve the well-being of Americans, and make full use of all of America's talents.
Protective Factors Surveys
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP)
Offers surveys designed for use with parents and caregivers participating in family support and child maltreatment prevention services. The surveys assess multiple protective factors to prevent child abuse and neglect. Both surveys are intended to help agencies and programs better assess changes in family protective factors, a major focus of prevention work.
Taking Care of You: Support for Caregivers
KidsHealth (2015)
Provides tips for caregivers of children with a serious illness, including the importance of taking breaks, eating right, and exercising.
Work-Family Supports for Low-Income Families: Key Research Findings and Policy Trends (PDF - 1,249 KB)
Winston (2014)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (2014)
Addresses four areas of work-family policy with particular relevance for the well-being of low-income working parents and their families, including the relative lack of access to supports among lower wage workers; outlines current public and private approaches; describes major potential policy approaches; and proposes useful next steps for research on work-family policies and their implications for low-income families.
Working With Parents With Cognitive Disabilities: Programs
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (2015)
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.