About Us

Center for the Study of Social Policy

Using data, extensive community experience and a focus on results, CSSP:

• Promotes public policies that strengthen families and protect and lift children from poverty
• Mobilizes a national network to promote optimal development of young children and to prevent child abuse
• Helps child welfare and other public human services systems improve their work and achieve race equity for children and families in their care
• Provides tools and resources so community leaders, schools and other health and human service agencies can help parents secure jobs and achieve economic stability and ensure that young children are healthy and succeed in school Empowers  community residents to be effective consumers of public and private services, securing better goods and services for themselves and their neighborhoods
• Joins with international organizations to share innovations and knowledge

At its core, CSSP is committed to several things:
It works in partnership with federal, state and local public agencies and with private sector organizations, foundations and community members. As resources dwindle and inequities grow – among income groups, across racial and ethnic lines – efforts to create opportunities for those in greatest need require many minds and hands working together. 

CSSP also engages community residents so that their views and voices shape the work. It believes that public agencies, foundations and others trying to improve results for children and families must “co-invest” with the parents and community members -the true customers of this work.

With multiple partners, it’s important that all the work is results-focused.  Commonly defined results help keep complex strategies on track, whether for community change or systems reform.  A shared commitment to results keeps everyone more accountable and focused on making a difference. 

Within all of its work, CSSP is committed to being an anti-racist organization - understanding, confronting and addressing inequities based on race, ethnicity, language capacity and more. CSSP is focused on better futures for all children and families.

The Strengthening Families approach to working with children and families originated at CSSP and is closely related to the work of the QIC-EC.  The approach focuses on building five evidence-based Protective Factors with families to reduce the likelihood of child maltreatment and promote optimal development for all children.

Visit the Center for the Study of Social Policy to find out more.