The well-being of children and youth is a central Urban Institute research topic. Our work spans child development at the youngest ages to the needs of teenagers aging out of foster care. We study child care, child welfare, juvenile justice, and children's health and education.
Meeting children's needs when parents cannot is a public role. Vulnerable families face domestic violence, child maltreatment, substance abuse, depression, childhood disabilities, and a host of other possible risks. The child welfare system protects children's safety by supporting families, investigating abuse and neglect reports, removing children from their parents’ home if necessary, and managing foster care and adoption. Urban Institute experts study child welfare challenges and reform.
Our researchers were the first to estimate how infants and toddlers fared in the competition over federal dollars. The nation's 12.5 million children under age 3 received 2.1 percent ($44.1 billion) of federal domestic spending in 2007 but represent 4.2 percent of the population. Another $13 billion in tax expenditures was spent on infants and toddlers.
Despite extensive research showing the benefits of quality early care and education programs for the youngest kids, especially those in poor families, in 2007 only 7 percent of all spending on children between birth and age 2 went to programs aimed at the very young.
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