When children are surrounded with secure relationships and stimulating experiences, they draw from that environment to become confident, caring adults. Find related organizations and tips and resources for strengthening marriages.
Strengthening Marriage at a Policy Level
Child Welfare and Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education: A Research to Practice Brief
Schramm, Futris, & Bradley (2013)
Provides a summary of key research findings related to the child welfare field; describes how strengthening couple and co-parenting relationships encourages family stability, and consequently, child safety, permanence, and well-being; and explains how integrating healthy marriage and relationship education strategies into child welfare services can contribute to this.
Facilitating Forever: A Feasible Public Policy Agenda to Help Couples Form and Sustain Healthy Relationships and Enduring Marriages (PDF - 2,232 KB)
Hawkins & VanDenBerghe (2014)
Documents Federal and State policy experiments designed to help couples form and sustain healthy relationships and enduring marriages. It reviews the research to date on how effective these efforts have been, responds to legitimate concerns about them, and suggests how these policy efforts can be improved.
Five Years Later: Final Implementation Lessons from the Evaluation of Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Reentering Fathers and Their Partners
McKay, Lindquist, & Bir (2014)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, & RTI International
Shares findings from an evaluation of the Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Reentering Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP), a program that funded services to support families in which one parent was incarcerated or recently released. This brief recognizes and responds to the impact of incarceration on families and the crucial role of family support in reentry success.
Improving Child Outcomes by Strengthening Couple Relationships (PDF - 1,249 KB)
National Extension Relationship and Marriage Education Network (2013)
Offers information for child welfare professionals on healthy marriage and relationship education (HMRE), including recommendations on how to integrate HMRE into their work with families and highlighting when it may be appropriate.
An Integrated Approach to Relationship Education: Supporting Human Services Providers to Strengthen Individuals and Families
Arnold, Carlson, Grimsely, & Cenizal (2016)
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 97(1)
Analyzes predictive factors affecting the effectiveness of relationship education for strengthening marriage and family units. Relationship education workshops are most effective when integrated into existing services and when utilized by couples with personal and agency readiness, as assessed by participants reports of personal initiative to communicate and openness to new agency techniques.
Working With American Indian and Alaska Native Individuals, Couples, and Families: A Toolkit for Stakeholders (PDF – 1,556 KB)
National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families
Examines how governmental agencies can effectively work with individuals and tribes in order to promote strong marriages.
Strengthening Marriage at an Individual Level
A Guide to Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs for Hispanic Couples and Families (PDF - 1,137 KB)
Scott, Hickman, Brown, & Faccio (2015)
National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families & Child Trends
Reviews federally and nonfederally funded Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs serving Hispanic couples and fathers. The article includes a program guide accompanied by detailed profiles for each program and can be used to easily and quickly access information about them.
Marriage
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science
Includes information on communication for couples, marriage preparation, and resources for stepfamilies.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center
Helps individuals and couples who choose marriage gain the knowledge and skills necessary to build and sustain a healthy marriage.
The Supporting Healthy Marriage Evaluation: Early Impacts on Low-Income Families (PDF - 1,034 KB)
Hsueh, Alderson, Lundquist, Michalopoulos, Gubits, Fein, & Knox (2012)
Presents 12-month impact results from a demonstration designed to strengthen marriages among low-income married couples with children. Impact on family well-being is also examined.