Family Stability and Economic Mobility

Promise 

Every young person will launch from a permanent, nurturing home
of birth, kin, foster, or adoptive family, and fulfill the dream of doing better than their parents.

Problem 

Household stability and mobility have been declining for children
and families. Twenty-nine states have more children in foster care today than they did a decade ago. One in every forty-five (45) children enrolled in public schools is unhoused. Ninety percent of children born in 1940 grew up to earn more than their parents. Today, only half of all children grow up to earn more than their parents did.

Policy Path

In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to: (1) Child welfare, (2) Family-supporting wages, (3) Asset-building opportunities, and (4) expanding the income and housing supports for low-income families.

Moonshot Generational Commitment

Enact a permanent, universal family or child allowance to deliver on our historic commitment to “end child poverty.”

Learn More

Related Updates

  • For Our Children: Every Summer is #FreedomSummer for CDF

    June 18, 2026 – In June, we honor the spirit of Freedom Summer and the generations of organizers, educators, and advocates who have worked to expand justice and opportunity for children and families. This moment calls us to remember that lasting change is built through community, courage, and an unwavering commitment to child well-being.…

  • For Our Children: Building the Country Our Children Deserve

    May 5, 2026 – In May, we pause to observe National Foster Care Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and National Teacher Appreciation Week. Together, these bring into focus the systems, conditions, and communities that shape family stability and children’s well-being in the nation.…

  • For Our Children: Take Action for Our Children

    A call for protecting progress in education and child well-being amid rising costs and policy shifts. Learn how partners are urging action to strengthen supports for children and families and ways to help ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.…

  • Early Childhood

    The Truth About Youth Crime, Raise the Age

    I was 13 years old when New York decided my childhood was over. It wasn’t a weapon or a felony—it was a dollar. I bullied a classmate into giving it to me, and the state responded by sending me to jail.…