The project will pursue six activities: (1) catalog and assess the state of existing child-, parent-, and family-related measurement in OPRE’s Welfare and Family Self-Sufficiency Research Portfolio, (2) review existing literature on whether and how self-sufficiency programs or employment characteristics influence child, parent, and family well-being, (3) review models of how self-sufficiency programs intend to influence child, parent, and family well-being, (4) conduct focus groups with parents and caregivers to understand how they define well-being, (5) develop a conceptual framework for understanding the well-being of children, parents, and families in the context of self-sufficiency research, and (6) develop a compendium of relevant measures of child, parent, and family well-being in the context of family self-sufficiency research.  

As we execute all project components, we will get expert input to inform our work—including from families and program staff to understand their lived experiences and ensure relevance to self-sufficiency programs. The project will actively engage these individuals and groups to inform all project tasks. Later stages of the project may include: (1) prioritizing potential research questions to increase understanding of child and family well-being in the context of family self-sufficiency research and (2) developing and testing new measures to address gaps in measurement.