Workforce strategies to strengthen families
Workforce strategies can improve access to childcare, boost family income, and increase the amount of time parents are able to spend with their children.
Children raised in stable, predictable household environments and whose parents earn adequate income see better outcomes at every life stage.
How does employment impact family well-being?
- Steady, high-quality employment increases the likelihood of material well-being. 1
Lack of income stemming from unstable employment can make it more difficult for families to afford food, utilities, health care, and developmental opportunities.
- Parents with steady employment are more likely to maintain stable households. 2
Parents who experience a substantial loss of income are more likely to move residences and experience divorce or separation, leading to further instability at home.
- Steady, high-quality employment is associated with better health outcomes. 3
Unemployment is closely linked with poor health outcomes, particularly in the realm of mental health.
- Parent job loss and unemployment affects children’s academic performance and development. 4
Children whose parents experience a job loss are at increased risk of grade retention, lower educational attainment, and more likely to be suspended or expelled from school.
- Longer bouts of unemployment are more damaging to individuals and families. 5
Individuals and families facing long-term unemployment of six months or more are three times more likely to fall into poverty.
- Children who never experience poverty see better outcomes 6
Poverty negatively affects children’s social-emotional, cognitive, and academic outcomes, regardless of parental characteristics. Children’s cognitive development is most sensitive to the experience of poverty during early childhood.
Categories of successful interventions
- Childcare subsidies: Programs that provide financial support to parents to cover the costs of childcare
- Living wage laws: Policies that ensure that workers earn enough to support themselves and their families
- Predictable scheduling policies: Policies that ensure workers have predictable work schedules
Evidence-based interventions
Intervention | Type | Category | Evidence Level |
---|---|---|---|
Adult vocational training | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
Child care subsidies | Policy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
Flexible scheduling policies | Policy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
Living wage laws | Policy |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |