Child Trends

@childtrends

Nonpartisan research to improve children’s lives.

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Child Trends@childtrends· 12d

Register for our upcoming webinar that will share findings from a three-year participatory action, mixed-methods research study to develop the Adapted Measure of Math Engagement (AM-ME). us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Child Trends@childtrends· 21d

Only 13 states and Washington, DC have mandatory paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies, and more than half of states have no PFML policies. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Image is a headline and a pie chart depicting the percentage of states (plus Washington, DC) that have mandatory PFML policies, voluntary PFML policies, or no PFML policy. The headline reads, "Only 13 states and Washington, DC have mandatory paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies." The pie chart shows that 27% (13 states plus Washington, DC) have mandatory PFML policies, 20% (10 states) have voluntary PFML policies, and 53% (27 states) have no PFML policy. Source for pie chart data: State paid family leave laws across the U.S. (2025). Bipartisan Policy Center. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/state-paid-family-leave-laws-across-the-u-s/

Child Trends@childtrends· 27d

Register for the 2026 Syphilis Solutions Summit! Focused on expanding screening and treatment across the pregnancy-to-neonatal care continuum, this free webinar will be hosted by one of our project teams, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

A person engaged with a webinar. Text reads, “2026 Syphilis Solutions Summit: Expanding Screening and Treatment Across the Pregnancy-to-Neonatal Care Continuum. Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET.” followed by the Child Trends and NISH logos.

Child Trends@childtrends· Jul 10

Child Trends is conducting the first independent, multi-year evaluation of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. Visit our website and watch our videos to learn more about our process evaluation and initial findings. www.childtrends.org/project/colo...

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 30

We are conducting the first independent, multi-year evaluation of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. Watch our video that describes our process evaluation and summarizes our initial findings of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. www.childtrends.org/project/colo...

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 22

Youth researchers created this zine (i.e., short magazine) to share their guidance, reflections, and resources with future youth researchers. We are so grateful for their leadership. www.childtrends.org/publications...

On the left of the graphic, text reads, "This Zine Has Advice and Resources Created for and by Youth Researchers." On the right is an image of the cover of the zine, titled "Youth in Research," with artwork of a young person in a yellow t-shirt, with brown skin and black shoulder-length curly hair, wearing a gold bracelet and gold hoop earrings, looking at a paper with a magnifying glass. On the left is an illustration of a large yellow light bulb lighting up, and toward the bottom illustrations representing research and investigation with notes and a magnifying glass with a question mark in the middle.

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 16

Read our new brief presenting key findings from a recent national survey—designed by Child Trends’ ECE Access Center—using a measure called the Misalignment Index to better understand how families’ child care needs and preferences factor into their access to care. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text: 64% of families (almost two thirds) who use any form of paid or unpaid nonparental child care reported moderate to high misalignment between their current arrangement and their families' needs and preferences. On the right of the text a woman plays with a toddler with blocks in a child care setting.

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 11

Almost half of U.S. children who exited foster care in FY 2024 were reunited with their families, according to new Child Trends analysis of federal data. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Top of image has the headline: Roughly half of children exiting foster care in fiscal year (FY) 2014 and FY 2024 exited to reunification with their families. The bottom half of the image shows two horizontal stacked bar chart showing the percentages of different exit reasons. For FY 2014: 51% exited to reunification; 21% to adoption; 16% to guardianship; and 9% to "other." In FY 2024, 47% exited to reunification; 28% to adoption; 18% to guardianship; and 8% to "other."

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 8

This Juneteenth, let’s celebrate Black families, tradition & America’s 250th anniversary. Register for Black Families Flourishing’s June 15 event for a conversation w/ thought leaders about the policies, systems & narratives needed for Black families to flourish. zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Left side of image provides webinar information. Webinar title: Exploring Research and Policy to Support Black Families and Strengthen America's Future. Below title reads, "Begin your Juneteenth celebrations with Black Families Flourishing and our guests!" Photos and names of the webinar guests, all Black, from left to right are: Clinton Boyd, Jr., Christina Cross, William (Sandy) A. Darity, Jr., Deadric Williams, and Chrishana Lloyd. The webinar is a virtual panel discussion that will be on June 15, 2026 at 1:00–2:15PM ET. Text below the webinar time reads, "When Black families flourish, we all flourish." On the right side of the image is a stock photo of a Black family from adolescents to seniors, sitting together on a porch laughing. Above the photo reads, "Come hear the perspectives of top thinkers in research, policy, and family science as we explore the intersections between Black families and systems in the past and present." Below the photo reads, "Join in the conversation as we think together and envision a future where Black families have what they need to flourish."

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 4

Rates of post-secondary enrollment have remained low but steady since 2015 among 21-year-olds with foster care experience, according to a recent Child Trends analysis of the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Outcomes file. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text on left side of image reads, "Rates of post-secondary enrollment have remained low but stable since 2015 among 21-year-olds with foster care experience." On the right is a line graph with the header "Percentage of 21-year-olds with foster care experience enrolled in post-secondary education." The line shows percentages with a slight downward trend but overall steady: 27% in 2015, 25% in 2018, 24% in 2021, and 23% in 2024.

Child Trends@childtrends· Jun 2

In federal fiscal year (FY) 2023, 81% of foster youth ages 18 to 21 emancipated from foster care—the lowest rate in the past decade—according to a new Child Trends analysis of federal foster care data. www.childtrends.org/publications...

On the left is an image of a teen or young adult woman, blonde, in a denim jacket and backpack with her back facing the camera, walking down a city street. Text on the right reads: Fewer foster youth ages 18 to 21 are emancipating from foster care than at any point in the last decade, according to federal data.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 29

The number of 13- to 17-year-old foster youth in congregate care decreased between 2023 and 2024, according to a our analysis of federal foster care data. This decline is consistent with a downward trend since 2009, with the exception of a spike in 2023. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Graphic showing two horizontal bar charts. Header text reads, "The number of youth ages 13 to 17 in foster care who reside in congregate care settings decreased from 2023 to 2024. The first chart is for congregate care, showing 27,500 youth in 2023 and 26,100 in 2024. The second chart is for other settings, showing 64,100 youth in 2023 and 61,000 in 2024.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 26

Child welfare agencies reported spending $1.1 billion from a variety of small federal funding streams in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, representing a 45% increase from SFY 2020 to SFY 2022 and a 170% increase over the past decade. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text graphic: In SFY 2022, child welfare agencies spent $1.1 billion from a variety of small federal funding streams, representing a 45% increase since SFY 2020.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 20

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $17.3 billion in state and local funds—representing a 1% increase over the past decade. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text graphic that reads: In state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $17.3 billion in state and local funds.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 18

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies spent $2.9 billion in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, a 13% decrease over the past decade and a 6% decline since SFY 2020. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text graphic with vector art of stacks of coins. Text reads: In state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies spent $2.9 billion in TANF funds, a 13% decrease over the past decade.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 12

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $1.5 billion in Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funds, a 24% decrease over the past decade. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Image is a text graphic. Text: In state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $1.5 billion in Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funds, a decrease of 24% since SFY 2012.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 6

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country reported spending a collective $1.2 billion in federal Medicaid funds for child welfare activities. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Text graphic that reads: "In state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country reported spending a collective $1.2 billion in federal Medicaid funds for child welfare activities." To the right of the text are icons of a bank, currency, and a shield with a cross symbol representing health and healthcare.

Child Trends@childtrends· May 5

Nearly half of U.S. child welfare agencies’ spending is on out-of-home placements, according to new Child Trends analysis. www.childtrends.org/publications...

On left side of image, text reads "Nearly half of child welfare agencies' spending in the United States is on out-of-home placements." On the right side is a horizontal bar chart showing the percentage of spending on six categories, in descending order from top to bottom. Out-of-home placements: 44%. Adoption and guardianship: 19%. Child protective services: 17%. Preventive services: 15%. Services and assistance for older youth: 2%. Other: 2%.

Child Trends@childtrends· Apr 29

Parental drug use is a factor in roughly 1 in 3 children’s entry into foster care, according to a new Child Trends analysis of federal foster care data. This proportion varies widely by state. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Image shows a header and a combined line graph and bar chart with two different y-axes to depict two different measures in the same figure. Header: Since 2017, parental drug use has remained a top reason for foster care entries, although the rate of entry for this reason has dropped. Figure: Year is shown along the x-axis, with one data point per year from 2007 to 2023. The lefthand y-axis goes from 0 up to 140 and represents the rate of children entering care due to parental drug abuse, per 100,000 children in the general population. The vertical bars representing the rate increase from close to 90 in 2007 to around 130 in 2017, then drop to about 80 by 2023. The righthand y-axis goes from 0% to 40% and depicts the proportion of children entering care who entered due to parental drug use. From 2007 to about 2019, the proportion line roughly follows the same trend as the rates, and increases from 22% in 2007 to a peak of 36% in 2017, after which the proportion stays at about 1 in 3 through 2023. The line and the vertical bars diverge more clearly after 2019. A box right above the 2017-2023 data points notes that "Rates have declined, but proportions have remained steady," with a horizontal bracket marking the 2017-2023 segment.

Image shows a header and a tile map of the United States, including Puerto Rico (a map in which each state is represented by a square tile of the same size to avoid the visual bias created by states' geographic size). Header: The percentage of foster care entries due to parental drug use varies considerably by state (Federal Fiscal Year 2023). Map: Righthand legend shows percentage ranges of 0-20%, 21-30%, 31-40%, 41-50%, and 51% or more. Six states, plus Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, are in the lowest category, and five states are in the highest category. The lowest states are SC (1%) and LA (3%). The highest states are TX (57%) and UT (60%). Most states are in the 31-40% group, followed by the 21-30% group and the 41-50% group.

Child Trends@childtrends· Apr 27

Child Trends’ new resource categorizes types of youth engagement and addresses the challenge of authentic program collaboration with youth by providing frontline facilitators and other youth-supporting professionals with a practical framework and case studies. www.childtrends.org/publications...

On the left side of the image is a header, "Potential Roles for Young People in Authentic Program Engagement." On the right is a pyramid divided into three horizontal sections. The first (bottom) section is labeled "Speaking." The next (middle) is labeled "Co-designing." The third (top) section is labeled "Designing."

Child Trends@childtrends· Apr 9

A Child Trends analysis of federal foster care data shows that, nationally, 30% of U.S. children in foster care were in kinship care and states vary widely in using formal kinship care placements—largely due to differences in state-level practices and policies. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Image is a tile map (where all states are represented by squares of the same size) showing the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 percentages of U.S. children in foster care who were placed with relatives, by state. Nationally, 30% of children in foster care were placed with relatives. The states with the highest percentages placed with relatives were Vermont (56%) and West Virginia (53%). The states with the lowest were Massachusetts (2%), Tennessee (4%), and Montana (7%). Most states were between 20% and 39%.

Child Trends@childtrends· Apr 3

The @annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social's Generation Work Initiative partnered with local partnerships to integrate positive youth development (PYD) approaches in workforce training settings for youth. We produced case studies about five of these local partnerships. www.childtrends.org/project/gene...

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 30

Why focus on development at age 3? Because it provides a critical window into how children are developing and how early investments are paying off. Our dashboard shows national and state-level snapshots of 3-year-olds’ development. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 25

Nearly 10% of all infants were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2023. A new Child Trends blog post explores a Colorado law taking effect this year that will provide up to 12 weeks of additional paid leave for parents with an infant in the NICU. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Image shows a bar chart under the headline, "Nearly 10 percent of all infants were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2023." The title of the figure is "Percentage of infants admitted to the NICU in 2023, by birthing parent race and Hispanic origin." The percentage for all children was 9.8%. For Black non-Hispanic children, 13.2%. For Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic children, 10.9%. For American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic children, 10.7%. For White non-Hispanic children, 9.4%. For Hispanic children, 8.9%. For Asian non-Hispanic children, 8.6%. Data source: NCHS Data Brief, Number 525, March 2025; originally from National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, natality data file.

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 19

The percentage of children who have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) declined slightly from 2018 to 2023 across the United States, but the prevalence of ACEs varies considerably by state, according to a new Child Trends analysis. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 17

Our new resource examines what current federal data can and cannot measure to show progress toward the new federal initiative, A Home for Every Child. We need to prioritize a set of high-value indicators, refine existing measures, and strengthen data quality. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 16

Parents and caregivers can help boys build the confidence and skills they need to act as upstanders online—before something serious happens. Encourage boys to practice these skills even when harmful behaviors aren’t aimed at them. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Parents can help boys be upstanders against harmful online behavior. Upstanders notice when someone is being hurt online and choose to step in, offer support, or get help. When witnessing cruel behavior, many boys want to help, but hesitate because they're not sure what to say, or they're afraid of what might happen.

Parents should remind boys to always put safety first. If the person causing harm is older, threatening, or acting as part of a group, direct intervention may not be safe. In these situations, the right move is likely to step back and report the behavior to a trusted adult or higher authority (including reporting the incident on the social media app).

Boys—and everyone—can refer to the 5 D's to address harm they see online: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, Direct. Source for the 5 D's: Right To Be - https://righttobe.org/guides/bystander-intervention-training/

Encourage boys to practice these skills even when the behavior isn't aimed at them. Practicing can build confidence before something serious happens. If a boy ever joins in on a hurtful joke or shares something they regret, remind them that they can repair by apologizing, removing the post, and doing better next time.

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 13

Activate Center's recent practice guide highlights what youth-supporting professionals need to know about consent, offering insights to support clearer, more compassionate conversations about consent. activatecenter.org/resource/a-p...

Child Trends@childtrends· Mar 10

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $9.5 billion in Title IV-E funds. This represents a 15% increase over the past decade, despite a more recent decline since SFY 2020. www.childtrends.org/publications...

Child Trends@childtrends· Feb 25

According to recent Child Trends analysis, in state fiscal year (SFY) 2022, child welfare agencies across the country spent $632 million in Title IV-B funds, a decrease of 16% over the past decade. www.childtrends.org/publications...