Young adults' individual needs often differ from those of their peers in both minor and significant ways, and no single workforce training program model will meet the needs of all participants. While the workforce training system can best meet young people's various employment training needs through a vibrant network of partners and services, many…

The majority of youth and young adults in the United States who are out of work are youth of color. To better reach and support all participants, many workforce development programs are increasingly embedding a racial and ethnic equity and inclusion (REEI) approach into job skills training initiatives. Launched by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in…

Out-of-school-time (OST) programs and their funders rely on sound data to make decisions about everything from professional development and student recruitment to the selection of activities to offer students. Programs operate at a range of times (before and after school, weekends, summer) and in a variety of locations (e.g., schools,…

Parents weigh many factors when searching for and choosing a child care option for their child. While research typically examines factors such as the cost and availability of care within a specific location, families may have additional priorities and preferences for their family's child care arrangement. This brief examines families' access to…

Young children, especially those from historically marginalized backgrounds, benefit from high-quality early care and education (ECE) to thrive later in life. This brief explores how Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) can help early childhood programs and professionals advance racial equity in ECE and therefore address…

Employment training organizations and agencies often work independently of each other, for reasons that may include interorganizational competition, limited knowledge of each other's strengths, separate funding streams, and lack of resources (both time and financial). To more effectively serve youth and young adults, many organizations could…

One in five college students, or 22 percent, are parents. They are highly motivated students and earn grades on par with or better than their childless peers. However, child care challenges often lead student parents to leave school or workforce training without completing; shift from full-time to part-time schooling or programming; and miss,…

In March 2022, Child Trends contracted with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to conduct an independent evaluation of Parent Aware, Minnesota's quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for early care and education (ECE) programs. The evaluation was passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2021 and includes several…

In response to executive order mandates from states and governors, many early care and education (ECE) settings closed or transitioned to providing virtual services to children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. For ECE coaches, these closures resulted in the need for rapid adjustments in the way they provided coaching services. These…

In 2019, Child Trends partnered with the Institute for Health Research and Policy of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC-IHRP), EMT Associates, Inc., and the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) to publish the first comprehensive policy analysis (see ED613844) to explore codified state statutes and regulations covering…

In March 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic deeply affected professional and personal lives and resulted in major disruptions in services for children and families. These disruptions impact children of all ages but are particularly problematic for children from birth to age 5 given that this is a critical time period for children's learning…