Many factors can affect a family's ability to care for its 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. The following resources outline resources that offer help to parents and caregivers.
2-1-1.org
United Way (2021)
Offers a free, confidential hotline to connect people with local resources for food, employment, crisis support, health, and housing assistance.
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.
Protective Factors: Concrete Support in Good Times and in Bad
Exchange Family Center (2018)
Discusses the importance of concrete support as a protective factor and ways members of the community can offer help to parents who need more support.
Programs for Families and Children
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2020)
Lists Federal programs available to assist families and help prevent abuse. The information provided covers topics such as financial aid, child care/child support programs, and child abuse prevention.
Protective Factors: Concrete Support in Times of Need [Video]
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2018)
Provides a video on how concrete support for parents can serve as a protective factor to prevent child maltreatment in times of need.
Strengthening Families and the 5 Protective Factors: Concrete Support
Brown (2016)
National Fatherhood Initiative
Highlights the importance of concrete support for parents as a protective factor and explores ways the National Fatherhood Initiative can help caseworkers using the protective factors more effectively engage fathers.
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.