From welcoming a new child to the separation or divorce of parents, all families adjust to transitions throughout life. During these big changes, parenting stress is common and can lead to strained parent-child relationships and adjustment difficulties in children. Extension’s Family Engagement and Relationships program provides in-person and virtual educational support to Wisconsin’s parents and […]

Nearly 4 million Wisconsinites are over the age of 50, representing 67% of the population. Wisconsin’s older adult population is growing more rapidly than other age groups, and a disproportionate share of aging population growth is in rural areas. Rural populations are more likely to be older, poorer, less healthy, and have fewer local services […]

One in three Wisconsinites is struggling to afford necessities such as housing, food, clothing, and transportation. Across our state close to 600,000 people live below the federal poverty level, and an additional 1.3 million Wisconsinites live in a household that struggles to cover basic household expenses. Many individuals and families turn to social service agencies […]

Parents with knowledge of child development can better protect children from the negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences. If caregivers know how to build supportive relationships, they can help reduce stress for themselves and children. This can minimize situations like child abuse and neglect. In general, a responsive relationship with a caregiver sets the foundation […]

As people in our communities age, their family, friends, and neighbors take on caregiver roles with little to no compensation or support. Nationwide, over 48 million people provided unpaid care to a person over the age of 50 in the last year; 578,000 of those family caregivers are in Wisconsin. One in six caregivers maintains […]

Parental incarceration is an adverse childhood experience that affects many Wisconsin households, with more than 100,500 individuals under correctional supervision and people of color being disproportionately affected. About 88,000 children in Wisconsin have or have had a parent in jail or prison during their childhood. This is harmful to children’s development and can create near-term […]

Social isolation and loneliness are critical concerns for both physical and mental health. The experience of isolation and loneliness results in a cascade of stress hormones and inflammation in the body and has been associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, suicide, physical conditions such as heart disease, and even increased risk of premature mortality. […]

To afford the average two-bedroom apartment in Wisconsin, a renter needs to earn a minimum of $17.27 per hour. The average Wisconsin renter earns only $14.32 per hour. Close to 90% of extremely low-income Wisconsin residents (with incomes of 0 to 30% of the area median income) are housing cost-burdened—meaning they pay more than 30% […]