College of Public Health and Human Sciences

The Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996 reformed public assistance programs and reduced the safety net of supports for low-income families. Children living in low-income immigrant families face particular challenges in the current policy environment. In this article, the authors consider what these changes have meant for infants and toddlers, present recent data from a national study of early childhood, and discuss how this information might be used to better support optimal development among young children in newcomer families.