Giving Compass' Take:

• Urban Institute describes ways to build and measure effective two-generation policies — linking the outcomes of parents to children — in economic development.

• Many of these elements — such as multidisciplinary knowledge and the smarter use of data — could be applied to many different programs, but they are especially crucial in fighting the root causes of poverty.

• Here's more on reinventing the way we measure family outcomes.

Policies intended to improve families’ economic security and children’s well-being often don’t consider the needs of parents and their children together. Federal, state, and local systems often push work for parents in ways that are out of balance with other important goals, like securing high-quality child care and job benefits that allow parents to spend time and resources on their children’s learning, health, and well-being. Policies like the child tax credit are a step in the right direction, but we need more systems-level solutions, especially for children and families in persistent poverty.

Below are some evaluation principles crucial to making successful 2Gen policies.

  1. Measure and account for outcomes for both children and parents. Policymakers, drawing on insights from families, should articulate and track outcomes across system silos that often serve children and adults separately.
  2. Embed learning and evaluation in policy design and systems development. 2Gen policies need a strong learning and evaluation foundation. Systems reform and policymaking can be a complex undertaking.
  3. Use multiple approaches. Effective 2Gen strategies draw on a growing multidisciplinary knowledge and evidence base, as well as data-driven field experience, to design and adapt effective policy approaches to advance outcomes for children and parents.

As more and more Americans find it hard to move up the social and economic ladder, 2Gen approaches offer a promising pathway to a more equitable and happy future for all families.

Read the full article about the link of outcomes between parents and children for economic security policies by Mary Bogle at Urban Institute.