Ac. Huston et al., Work-based antipoverty programs for parents can enhance the school performance and social behavior of children, CHILD DEV, 72(1), 2001, pp. 318-336
We assess the impact of the New Hope Project, an antipoverty program tested
in a random assignment experimental design, on family functioning and deve
lopmental outcomes for preschool- and school-aged children (N = 913). New H
ope offered wage supplements sufficient to raise family income above the po
verty threshold and subsidies for child care and health insurance to adults
who worked full-time. New Hope had strong positive effects on boys' academ
ic achievement, classroom behavior skills, positive social behavior, and pr
oblem behaviors, as reported by teachers, and on boys' own expectations for
advanced education and occupational aspirations. There were not correspond
ing program effects for girls. The child outcomes may have resulted from a
combination of the following: Children in New Hope families spent more time
in formal child care programs and other structured activities away from ho
me than did children in control families. New Hope parents were employed mo
re, had more material resources, reported more social support, and expresse
d less stress and more optimism about achieving their goals than did parent
s in the control sample. The results suggest that an anti-poverty program t
hat provides support for combining work and family responsibilities can hav
e beneficial effects on the development of school-age children.