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Research on Children and Families

RAND Labor and Population researchers are at the forefront of efforts to understand how early childhood experiences influence outcomes later in life and how public policy can help families raise healthy children who are ready for the challenges of school and adolescence.

Informed by economics, sociology, and health sciences, our researchers understand that children are deeply influences by the choices their parents make before birth and during the first years of life, and that these choices reflect constraints that can be influenced by public policy.

Research Projects and CentersMore »

Exploring the Benefits of Early Childhood Education in California

The California Preschool Study sought to understand achievement gaps among the state's children, whether existing preschool education programs is adequate, and what efficiencies could be achieved through public funding of early childhood education.

Center Evaluated California's CalWORKs Program

RAND conducted an evaluation of California's implementation of welfare reform under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. The project was conducted under contract from the California Department of Social Services.

Surveys and Data SetsMore »

Survey Provides Longitudinal Data on Los Angeles Residents

The Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A.FANS) studies adults, teens, children, and neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. Survey data were collected in 2000-2001 and 2006-2008 and are available to researchers for public use.

RAND Partners with BPS-Statistics Indonesia to Offer Translated Survey Data

The RAND Indonesia Data Core is an online digital library of Indonesian data surveys and documentation with Indonesian originals and English translations. Surveys cover socieconomic status, the labor force, small and large businesses, households, and urban and rural prices.

Recent PublicationsMore »

Monetary Costs of Dementia in the United States — April 1, 2013

Dementia represents a substantial financial burden on society, one that is similar to the financial burden of heart disease and cancer.

Abstract

How Long After a Miscarriage Should Women Wait Before Becoming Pregnant Again? Multivariate Analysis of Cohort Data from Matlab, Bangladesh — August 20, 2012

The shorter the IPI following a miscarriage, the more likely the subsequent pregnancy is to result in a live birth.

Abstract

Budget Constraints and Son Preference in Educational Investment in Taiwan — August 1, 2012

Examines the educational effects of sibship sex composition using data from the 2002 and 2007 Taiwan Social Change Survey.

Full Document

Targeting Cash Transfer Programs for an Older Population — June 29, 2012

Explores the use of different household and individual characteristics for targeting needy households.

Full Document

How Would Programs Rate Under California’s Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System? Evidence from Statewide and County Data on Early Care and Education Program Quality — May 1, 2012

This briefing uses existing statewide and county data to provide California early care and education quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) planners and other stakeholders with important information about some fundamentals of the proposed QRIS rating scheme that could inform California's QRIS design in advance of field-based pilot efforts.