Administration for Children and Families

The Administration for Children and Families runs the federal programs that support low-income families, children, and vulnerable people through the states and local communities. Rather than delivering services directly, it channels federal money and rules to state and local agencies and nonprofits that run child welfare systems, early education programs, child care assistance, cash aid, and home energy help. Because so much of the work happens at the state level, the exact rules and application processes a reader encounters often depend on where they live.

Child welfare and family stability cover what happens when children can’t safely stay with their parents, including foster care, adoption, and kinship care arrangements, as well as the systems meant to prevent abuse and neglect before they happen. Readers can find guidance on Introduction to Foster Care: Supporting Children in Need and on Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect: A Guide for Action.

Early childhood and child care support help families afford care and give young children a head start on school readiness. This includes subsidized child care assistance and Head Start, a long-running early education program for children from low-income households, explained in What is Head Start? Comprehensive Services for Young Children.

Income and energy assistance reach families facing financial hardship, most notably through cash aid for families with children and help with home heating and cooling costs. Readers can start with What is TANF? Temporary Financial Aid Explained and Understanding LIHEAP: Your Guide to Home Energy Assistance, both of which lay out how these programs work and who they’re meant to help.