Research
The NAACFRC aims to lead community-engaged research that supports African American children and families. Using Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), it incorporates community perspectives in developing programs. The focus areas include Early Head Start, child care assistance, and economic mobility, such as TANF.
Community Engagement Approaches
This webinar will describe how community-based research can improve and build on research strategies and approaches when interacting with marginalized and/or community-specific groups. Specifically, the topics of the webinar will include fatherhood research, asset-based research, and racial equity. Information that attendees will learn includes: 1) Identifying the importance of asset-based community development and community engagement in research 2) Understanding the need to address structural and systemic inequities and the importance of involving community members in the scientific process. An example will be provided 3) Implementing racial equity to elevate the voices of underserved peoples and organizations in research and decision-making processes and practices.
Six Ways to Strengthen TANF
Families experiencing poverty need access to cash assistance to help them afford their basic needs and maintain stability. Families use assistance provided by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to pay for rent, utilities, diapers, food, transportation, and other necessities. Many families in need may not have access to the program, particularly in states where Black children are more likely to live. This infographic outlines six recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness of the TANF program.
Community Research Training – Research Justice & Equity Webinar
This webinar will focus on community research justice, specifically strategies for promoting equity, accountability, and active engagement for evaluation processes. Challenges of navigating federal research funding and ways to engage communities in research will also be discussed. By the end of this webinar attendees will be able to: Highlight strategies focusing on research justice and equity. Discuss challenges related to community engagement in research. Educate on resources and information that can benefit future research on justice and equity.
Research Ethics around Community Participation in Research
This webinar will focus on community involvement and research ethics, sharing insights on critical issues including trust, equity and autonomy and navigating sensitive data that will benefit research and impacted communities alike. Attendees will learn how to: – Foster trust, equity, and transparency in their community when engaging in research. – Handle sensitive and identifying information. – Boost the dual relationship that benefits both research and the community.
Measuring and Achieving Equity in Program Research
This webinar will explore types of equity and equity metrics that measure progress in equity action plans. It will identify equity metrics in federal agencies’ equity action plans that are in use or recommended.
Equity Impact Assessments
This webinar will explore methods and uses for collecting information to assess the extent to which entities are equitable. It will also provide an overview of racial equity impact assessments, why these examinations are important, and when to conduct these examinations. Additionally, it will provide sample questions to ask to help identify racial inequities.
Spatial Analyses for ACF Programs
This webinar focuses on the use of geographical information to assess Administration for Children and Families (ACF) programs and outcomes of African American families. This webinar discusses common uses, challenges, and tips for using spatial analysis. Learn more about how community-engaged research can inform programs and policies to serve African American children and families better.
Assessing Existing Datasets For African American Child & Family Research
This webinar focuses the importance of new research to address historical inequalities and systematic racism. There is focus on efforts of the National African American Children and Family Research Center (NAACFRC), as well as the challenges of utilizing secondary data. Furthermore, this webinar emphasized the need to leverage existing data sets to increase understanding of African American children and families’ experiences with programs overseen by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
An Overview of Fatherhood Research and TANF Connections
In this short webinar, Dr. Cassandra Bolar, introduces the field of fatherhood research beginning with how interest emerged in this topic post World War II in the United States. Major researchers in the field of fatherhood are discussed as well as how fathering has shifted over the decades. Dr. Bolar highlights the intergenerational transmission of fathering in Black families and positive child outcomes associated with father involvement as a whole.
Populations Living in Rural Areas
NAACFRC is deeply invested in improving the quality of life for rural Black populations participating in TANF, Head Start/Early Head Start, and the Child Care Development Fund. Our Co-Investigator, Rural Populations, is Dr. Nina Smith. With a background in Psychology Human Development & Family Studies, Dr. Smith brings an interdisciplinary approach to exploring rurality in Black families in the hopes of addressing their unmet needs. In this video, Dr. Smith introduces rurality as a cross-cutting theme among Black families.