Many factors affect a family's ability to care for their children. Families who can meet their own basic needs for food, clothing, housing, and transportation--and who know how to access essential services, such as child care, health care, and mental health services to address family-specific needs--are better able to ensure the safety and well-being of their children.
Partnering with parents to identify and access resources in the community may help prevent the stress that sometimes precipitates child maltreatment. Providing concrete supports may also help prevent the unintended neglect that sometimes occurs when parents are unable to provide for their children.
Find Support
National Parent Helpline
Provides links to national resources for a wide range of supports, including basic needs, social support emergency numbers, parenting education, and more. The webpage also includes State-specific resources.
Making Connections
Annie E. Casey Foundation
This initiative operates on the premise that families do better when they live in communities that help them to succeed. Information on theory, sites, results, and reading materials are provided.
Supporting Parents Who Work and Go to School: A Portrait of Low-Income Students Who Are Employed (PDF - 429 KB)
Spaulding, Derrick-Mills, & Callan (2016)
Urban Institute
Describes characteristics of the 1 million low-income parents who attend school and also work. This resource analyzes the ways in which this population balances competing priorities, the supports available, and how existing Federal policy initiatives can better support working parents in their educational pursuits.