Category: KidsCount

       How can the state help low-income parents succeed in the workforce? Two decades ago Massachusetts and the US adopted reforms aimed at shifting our welfare programs towards supporting work. The goal was to help more low income parents to get and keep jobs that pay enough to support a family. To accomplish this,… Read more »

       Economic Opportunity and Child Poverty in MA: What’s Working and How We Could Do Better The number of children living in poverty in Massachusetts would be twice as high if low income families did not receive help from effective anti-poverty programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program… Read more »

       From Poverty to Opportunity: The Challenge of Building a Great Society Fifty years ago economic growth in America was leading to rising wages across the income spectrum and progress towards broadly shared prosperity. In that context the nation launched a series of Great Society initiatives to expand opportunity to those who were still… Read more »

       PLACING KIDS WITH EXTENDED FAMILYHELPS THEM THRIVE When children need to be removed from their families due to concerns of abuse or neglect, they have a greater opportunity to succeed and thrive if they are placed with members of their extended family, rather than with people they don’t know. Children who are… Read more »

       Massachusetts kids lead nation in well-being,  but even here far too many live in poverty Children have a greater opportunity to thrive and succeed in Massachusetts than in any other state, according to the 50-state ranking announced today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT project (click HERE for full report). Because… Read more »