Family Stability and Economic Mobility
Promise
Every young person will launch from a permanent, nurturing home
of birth, kin, foster, or adoptive family, and fulfill the dream of doing better than their parents.
Problem
Household stability and mobility have been declining for children
and families. Twenty-nine states have more children in foster care today than they did a decade ago. One in every forty-five (45) children enrolled in public schools is unhoused. Ninety percent of children born in 1940 grew up to earn more than their parents. Today, only half of all children grow up to earn more than their parents did.
Policy Path
In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to: (1) Child welfare, (2) Family-supporting wages, (3) Asset-building opportunities, and (4) expanding the income and housing supports for low-income families.
Moonshot Generational Commitment
Enact a permanent, universal family or child allowance to deliver on our historic commitment to “end child poverty.”
Learn MoreRelated Updates
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For Our Children: Shaping “Good Mornings” for our Children
Good mornings start with what we do today, so how you can take action to shape a brighter future for our children? Read the September issue of For Our Children to learn the latest on what’s at stake for children’s rights including threats to Head Start, upcoming events like our American Youth Policy Forum, and how you can vote for your children and with your children this November.…
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For Our Children: It’s Time to Go Back to School
(August 31, 2026) – Protect education and stand up for every child’s right to learn, grow, and thrive.…
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For Our Children: The Conditions Our Children Inherit
July 31, 2026 – As a new school year begins, children are returning to classrooms while facing growing challenges, from hunger and health care cuts to mental health needs and educational inequities. Explore why this moment calls for renewed commitment to every child’s well-being.…
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New Public Charge Rule Threatens Children’s Access to Care and Essential Resources
July 23, 2026 – Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, supported, and free from unnecessary barriers to care. A new public charge rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), threatens that vision by creating new uncertainty for immigrant families and discouraging eligible children from accessing the resources they need to thrive. …