Funded from 2002-2013 and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Building Strong Families was an US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families project designed to address four key questions regarding the impact of a relationship skills education program on unmarried parents. These questions include:

• Foundation: What underlying conditions, preparation, resources and context make it possible to implement programs that focus on promoting healthy marriage for a target population of low-income unwed couples with children? On what theories of behavior and family well-being do the programs rest? What types of organizations are well suited to operating such programs?
• Operation: What are the important issues and challenges in designing, implementing and operating programs and what lessons can be drawn from the program experience? What services are included and how do they complement existing programs for low-income families?
• Participation: Who participates and for how long? What services do they receive? How does participation differ for subgroups?
• Impacts: How do Building Strong Families programs affect couples’ attitudes and expectations about marriage, the quality and stability of their relationships and whether they marry? What effects are found on parents and their relationships with their children and the well-being and development of children? Which program designs work best?

This 11-year project developed, implemented and tested voluntary programs that offer relationship skills education and other support services to unwed couples who are expecting or who have just had a baby. Eight organizations volunteered to be part of a rigorous evaluation designed to test a new strategy to help new, unmarried parents strengthen their relationships. Program impacts on mother-father relationships, family structure, fathers’ involvement in child rearing, parent-child relationships and home environments, family functioning, child well-being and development and parental well-being were measured.

Numerous reports, issue briefs and journal articles on the Building Strong Families project are featured at the link below.