The Families Forward Demonstration (FFD) examined new strategies to increase the earnings of parents who owe child support but are unable to fully meet their obligations due to low earnings. Operated by child support agencies in five jurisdictions across the country from 2018 to 2020, FFD sought to integrate employment and training services into existing public child support programs. The FFD program included free occupational skill-building activities, to help parents qualify for higher-paying jobs, as well as employment services and wraparound supports. It also focused on “responsive” child support services that helped parents understand their support obligations, and even suspended certain enforcement actions while parents participated in the program.

This report presents the findings from the implementation and outcome studies of FFD.

Read the full article about occupational training for parents by Kyla Wasserman, Lily Freedman, Zaina Rodney, and Caroline Schultz at MDRC.