Combining cash support and parenting help to boost early child development
Official title: Combining financial and parenting support to support early relational health and promote child development
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11297896 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests whether giving families extra money together with parenting guidance improves young children’s development and family life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2019 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,646 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HD096909-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11297896 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families with young children (0-11 years, including newborns) in Flint, Michigan, who may benefit from additional financial support and parenting resources.
✕Less likely to help
Families not experiencing financial hardship or not engaging with parenting interventions may see limited additional benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how financial support for families with newborns and toddlers, combined with coaching on responsive parenting, affects children’s thinking, language, and social skills. The team will enroll families in Flint, Michigan, and randomize them to receive cash support with or without parenting help, tracking progress over time. The aim is to see if the money and parenting guidance work better together than either approach alone to reduce disparities tied to poverty. Researchers will monitor child outcomes, parent behaviors, and engagement with services to understand how best to support families facing adversity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families could benefit from more resources and parenting strategies that support healthy child development and reduce inequities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show single approaches (cash transfers or parenting programs) can help, but combined strategies in this context are less studied.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Canfield, Caitlin Ford — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Canfield, Caitlin Ford
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.