Research indicates that children in families with limited economic resources are at higher risk for maltreatment. Child welfare agencies and organizations are encouraged to respond to immediate economic-related safety risks, along with addressing possible long-term needs for family financial stability. This section provides resources and information to help parents understand and manage their finances, including State and local examples.
Helping Your Child Become a Good Money Manager
Nelson (2012)
Families Matter
Presents strategies for parents on how to teach their children about money management and how to be in control of their finances. It includes tips on modeling smart money decisions and how to guide children to make their own smart money decisions. This factsheet also offers different options for how to teach children to manage their money well.
Strategies for Helping Couples Build and Manage Assets (PDF - 296 KB)
Clayton & Hopps (2013)
National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families
Highlights some of the mechanisms that low- and moderate-income couples can use to build assets and begin the journey to becoming debt free.
Strong Families: Tips for Healthy Financial Management (PDF - 456 KB)
National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families (2014)
Provides parents with specific tips to improve financial management skills.
Telling Your Money What to Do: The Young Adult's Guide (PDF - 503 KB)
Northeast Massachusetts Community of Practice (2013)
Explores how young adults assess their spending and provides tips for budgeting, cutting down on spending, and managing money resources. This fact sheet provides tools and worksheets for tracking income and expenses.
Within Reach: Strategies for Improving Family Economic Stability Toolkit
Healthy Marriage & Responsible Fatherhood (2014)
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, & Office of Family Assistance
Shares practical resources to help Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) programs implement economic stability and workforce development (ESWD) initiatives; inform programs about evidence-informed ESWD practices and tools; and provide programs with a conceptual framework from which they can build a full system of care to move participants along a path to self-sufficiency. Resources, tools, and sample documents are included.
Women and Money: Unique Issues - Finances in a Divorce
Spence, Gillen, & Douglas (2013)
University of Florida, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
Offers tips for women on managing money during and after a divorce, which include communicating with children, creating a spending plan, creating goals, and other financial management tips.
State and Local Examples
Managing Your Money! Make It. Save It. Protect It (PDF 1,625 KB)
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (2013)
A pamphlet for New York State adolescents, addressing the importance of money management with tips on spending money, building credit, making a monthly budget, saving money, and paying bills on time. Information on identity protection, fraud, and additional resources are also included.
Economic Self Sufficiency
Cincinnati Works
Highlights the Cincinnati Works program based on the aha! Process book and workshop A Framework for Understanding Poverty. The program offers help to individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty and become economically self-sufficient.