“The Tool We Have”: Why Child Protective Services Investigates So Many Families and How Even Good Intentions Backfire A briefing paper prepared by Kelley Fong (Georgia Institute of Technology) for the Council on Contemporary Families. August 11, 2020 In recent months, conversations around the role of the police have drawn mainstream attention to what contemporary […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Childcare (Providers & Systems) / Children / Domestic Violence & Child Abuse / Family Caregiving (for Adults, Children, and Disabilities)Child Welfare
Public Policy
Long-term Risks to Children from Economic Toll of COVID-19

Long-term Risks to Children from Economic Toll of COVID-19 A fact sheet prepared by Kristi Williams, Ohio State University for the Council on Contemporary Families Although children appear to be less vulnerable than adults to serious COVID-19 medical complications, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that they are disproportionately endangered by the pandemic’s […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Children / Economic InequalityWhen “Helicopters” Go to School: Who Gets Rescued and Who Gets Left Behind?

When “Helicopters” Go to School: Who Gets Rescued and Who Gets Left Behind? A briefing paper prepared by Jessica McCrory Calarco, Indiana University, for the Council on Contemporary Families. We’ve all read about – and maybe even known – the “helicopter” parents who sweep into K-12 schools, demanding special treatment for their children, second-guessing teachers’ […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Children / Economic Inequality / Parenthood: Motherhood/Fatherhood10 Scary Facts About Child Poverty

10 Scary Facts About Child Poverty A fact sheet prepared for the Council on Contemporary Families by Dr. Jennifer Glass, Executive Director, Council on Contemporary Families and Professor of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin. Believe it or not, Halloween has its origins in folk customs designed to lower inequality between the rich and the […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Economic Inequality / Public PolicyWho Goes to Jail for Child Support Debt?

A Research Brief Prepared for the University of Texas at Austin Population Research Center Research Brief Series Elizabeth Cozzolino Introduction Child support enforcement aims to increase child well-being by ensuring that noncustodial parents contribute to children’s material well-being. Yet owing child support debt puts nonresident parents at risk for going to jail, triggering potentially […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Childcare (Providers & Systems) / Children / Parenthood: Motherhood/FatherhoodWhat are the Effects of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Depression and Thoughts of Death on Their Children’s Level of Parental Connectedness?

A Research Brief Prepared for the University of Texas at Austin Population Research Center Research Brief Series Susan De Luca, Yan Yueqi, and Yolanda Padilla Introduction Mental health outcomes such as depression are often passed down in families. While links between the mental health symptoms of parents and their children have been established, there is […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Children / Health & IllnessIs Dropping out of High School More Likely after Stressful Life Events?

A Research Brief Prepared for the University of Texas at Austin Population Research Center Research Brief Series Veronique Dupéré, Eric Dion, Tama Leventhal, Isabelle Archambault, Robert Crosnoe, and Michel Janosz Introduction High school dropout is associated with negative individual and social consequences. For example, dropping out of high school can lead to long-term economic […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Children / Economic Inequality / Trauma and DisasterStephanie Coontz Weighs In On Ivanka Trump’s Defense of Paid Family Leave

In a letter to The Wall Street Journal, Ivanka Trump defended the Trump administration’s proposed family leave program, stating that it is not an “entitlement” program, but an “investment” in working families. In a new opinion piece for CNN, CCF Director of Research Stephanie Coontz takes a look at Ivanka Trump’s claims and concludes that, […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Family Caregiving (for Adults, Children, and Disabilities) / TANF & Public AssistanceGender Revolution and the Restabilization of Family Life

Gender Revolution and the Restabilization of Family Life A briefing paper prepared for the Council on Contemporary Families by Frances Goldscheider, College Park Professor of Family Science, University of Maryland August 26 is Women’s Equality Day. Established in 1971, the day commemorates passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Division of Labor in Families / Parenthood: Motherhood/Fatherhood / Work & Family“Daddy’s Home!” Increasing Men’s Use of Paternity Leave

“DADDY’S HOME!” INCREASING MEN’S USE OF PATERNITY LEAVE This briefing is based on a study by Dr. Ankita Patnaik. The original paper is available here and is forthcoming in the Journal of Labor Economics. This research was funded by Cornell University. A briefing paper prepared for the Council on Contemporary Families By Ankita Patnaik, Cornell University April […]
Topics of Expertise: Child Welfare / Childcare (Providers & Systems) / Parenthood: Motherhood/Fatherhood / Work & FamilyEXPERTS
Associate Research Scientist, University of Michigan Institute for Social Research
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University - Camden
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Communication, Professor of Psychology, and Professor of Human Development and Social Policy, Professor of Medical Social Sciences Director, Center on Media and Human Development School of Communication Chair, Department of Communication Studies