Concrete Supports Help Strengthen Families

Originally published in The Boston Globe. 
By Jennifer Valenzeula

Say no to the naysayers — children and families do benefit.    

Naomi Schaefer Riley is wrong — universal income does help children, and initial research from the Children’s Trust bears this out. Economic insecurity and mental health challenges are two of the root causes of child abuse and neglect. When families receive support before they reach crisis, children stay safe and families thrive.

In fact, a closer look at the study she cites in her op-ed shows that parents who received cash assistance strengthened their parenting and invested in their children. Our own work confirms this. In 2023, we partnered with Square One in Springfield to pilot a financial assistance program for families in the Healthy Families Massachusetts home visiting program. The pilot concluded in June, and preliminary results are promising. Participants stayed engaged in home visiting longer than their peers and reported lower stress and improved mood.

Participation in Healthy Families Massachusetts is linked to lower maternal depression, higher housing stability, reduced child welfare involvement, and improved child development. Our preliminary findings indicate that the cash assistance program enhanced these benefits.

Preventing child abuse and neglect is complex, but the evidence is clear: When we support families and address root causes of child abuse and neglect, children benefit. Cash assistance, paired with support, makes a difference.

Jennifer Valenzuela
Executive director
The Children’s Trust
Boston