Planning for Children Module

Helping Couples Get on the Same Page About If or When to Have More Children

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Unexpectedly bringing a new child into the family presents a serious challenge to low-income couples who are trying to attain family and economic stability.  Even so, few, if any, healthy relationship or marriage education programs include a focus on pregnancy planning and prevention.  Planning for Children: Helping Couples Get on the Same Page about If or When to Have More Children was created to fill that void.  The overall goals of the module are to 1) promote the importance of timing pregnancies in order to reach family goals and achieve family stability and 2) enable couples to create a shared vision about if or when to have another child and how to use contraception to achieve their vision.  The module consists of three 2-hour sessions, which includes an optional introductory session on sexuality.

Planning for Children was developed collaboratively in 2009 by the Center for Urban Families (CFUF), the Brookings Institution Center for Children and Families (CCF), The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (The National Campaign), and the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF). Pamela Wilson, an independent consultant, was selected to author the module because of her background and experience with the target audience, relationship education programs, and family planning.