2020

A briefing paper prepared for the Council on Contemporary Families by Kelley Fong, Georgia Institute of Technology. 

In a new study, sociologist Kelley Fong finds that professionals frequently refer families to Child Protective Services to get them help. But because CPS is a coercive institution, not a social service one, this often undermines families in marginalized communities.

Although children appear to be less vulnerable than adults to serious COVID-19 medical complications, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that they are disproportionately endangered by the pandemic’s economic toll. Households with children have seen significant increases in housing insecurity and food insufficiency.

Co-authored by CCF expert Dr. Karen Benjamin Guzzo, The Marriage Strengthening Research & Dissemination Center (MAST) released a research brief, “Trends in Relationship Formation and Stability in the United States: Dating, Cohabitation, Marriage, and Divorce”, the first in a series aiming to provide an overview of the current state of research on romantic relationships.

In a new briefing report, "The Challenges Facing Cohabiting Couples in this Crisis", Amanda Miller, University of Indianapolis, and Sharon Sassler, Cornell University, show how crucial it is to understand cohabiting families and respond to their—until now—neglected needs and concerns.