Leveraging Research to Address Diaper Need

March 21, 2023
| Shirley Adelstein and Lisa Zingman
Leveraging Research to Address Diaper Need

For many families, especially those with young children, diapers are an essential resource. Unfortunately, diaper need is widespread. National survey data suggest that one in three U.S. families with young children struggle to provide sufficient diapers. To help address diaper need and increase economic security, the Office of Community Services (OCS), in partnership with OPRE, launched the Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot (DDDRP) in September 2022.

The DDDRP provides funding to alleviate diaper need alongside wraparound anti-poverty services. Grant recipients are partnering with community action agencies, local social service agencies, and/or other non-profit community organizations to operate and expand diaper distribution programs for families with low incomes. OPRE is excited to be working with OCS to develop a research portfolio for this important new program.

To provide foundational information for the DDDRP, OPRE’s Evidence Capacity Support Project released a brief on Diaper Distribution Programs: Overview of Programs and Available Research in January of 2023. As described in this brief, diaper need has potential implications for a wide range of outcomes related to child, caregiver, family, and community well-being. For example, adequate diaper supply may prevent infection, reduce caregiver stress, and enable children to maintain enrollment in early childhood programs that require caregivers to provide diapers.

The brief summarizes numerous potential impacts of diaper distribution programs, which are supported largely by theoretical and correlational research:

Leveraging Research to Address Diaper Need

 

To expand the evidence base and address the need for rigorous research on diaper distribution, OPRE is pleased to announce the launch of the Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot (DDDRP) Evaluation project. This project will document implementation of the new program and lay the groundwork for a rigorous impact evaluation — the first of its kind. The contract was awarded to Weststat with a sub-contract to Public Profit.

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