Center for the Study of Social Policy

Child and family well-being and public system reform: cssp provides technical assistance to state and local public human service agencies, helping them to assess how well they function and to implement effective policies and practices to improve results for children and families. Primary areas of focus in this work are: implementing systems of results-based accountability; using research on "protective and promotive factors" for youth and families to promote healthy development of children and youth; reforming child welfare systems in the context of class action litigation; identifying and using strategies to reduce racial disparities in public child welfare, juvenile justice and other human services systems; promoting policies and programs to serve target populations of extremely vulnerable children and youth including lbgtq youth in child welfare, juvenile justice and homeless systems, pregnant and parenting youth in foster care and infants in foster care, and assisting public agencies to create partnerships with local communities. This work also includes a strong focus on child abuse and neglect prevention, working locally with providers of early care and education services and other stakeholders.

Promoting public Policy to improve outcomes for children, youth and families: cssp develops and disseminates Policy research and provides technical assistance to local, state and federal policymakers and advocacy organizations to enhance their capacity to identify and implement policies affecting vulnerable children and families that can produce results most effectively. Cssp's focus is to promote evidence-informed policies related to economic security, employment and workforce development, early care and education, school success, child welfare, health and other domains affecting family and child well-being. Cssp's Policy efforts are focused on reducing historic and current racial inequities and inequities caused by gender, immigrant status and disability.

the young children and their families program: the young children and their families program includes cssp's activities related to early childhood systems development and the supports for families that help young children to thrive. the goal of this work is to influence the fields of early childhood, family development and pediatric health care by helping communities, cities, counties, and states to develop and implement effective practices, programs, policies, and systems that can improve well-being for young children and their families. This work includes supporting the work of early childhood-linc (learning and innovation network for communities), which brings together cities and counties to tackle challenges and test solutions related to improving outcomes for young children; developing community strategies related to preventing and mitigating toxic stress and promoting child well-being and early relational health; continued assistance to organizations, communities, and states in implementing protective factors; and development and dissemination of effective Policy and funding strategies, at the federal state and local levels, to support and sustain effective early childhood systems. A strong focus of this work is supporting and elevating the voice of parent leaders through a national parent leader network.