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• Join NCFR in Washington, D.C.
• NCFR Nexus: Winter Issue
• Family Life Education Month
• Vote in NCFR Elections Feb. 1
• FR Call for Papers: Ukrainian Families
• Apply for NCFR Student Honors
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• CFLE Conversation: Feb. 25
• March 15 Deadline for JFTR Call
• New NCFR Journal Research
• Grant Proposals Accepted March 1
• Black History Month
• >> Job Opportunities << |
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Social Science Advocacy Day
Join the NCFR Delegation in Washington D.C.
March 23-24, 2026
The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) invites you to join the NCFR delegation in Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased funding and visibility for Family Science and social science research focused on families! Social Science Advocacy Day, hosted by the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), brings together social and behavioral scientists and advocates to engage with policymakers on the importance of supporting, utilizing, and funding social sciences.
Our presence at Social Science Advocacy Day is a great opportunity to gather as members of NCFR to advocate for Family Science. NCFR plans to convene all members virtually for a brief planning session to discuss and align shared goals for this event. More information to come about a potential in-person meeting the morning of March 23!
NCFR members will receive the member rate for registration: $95/member; $50/students. Early-bird pricing has been extended to Feb. 13, 2026!
REGISTER NOW
Already registered or plan on attending? Complete this webform so we can plan to gather as a group: COSSA NCFR Delegation. |
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FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION |
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Family Life Education Month
Share a “Day in The Life” as an HDFS Student
February 2026
NCFR wants to recognize and celebrate students enrolled in Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) and CFLE-approved academic programs during Family Life Education month. By creating these “Day in The Life” (DITL) highlights, and using the hashtag #FamilyLifeEd, it offers a glimpse into the day of a student completing their practicum or internship in a family-serving setting.
This February, show practitioners, employers, other professionals, and families how students in HDFS programs are preparing for their career after graduation and what Family Life Education (FLE) is by meeting them where they are: on social media!
LEARN HOW TO CREATE A POST |
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CFLE Conversation
Supporting Basic Needs in Family Life Education
Feb. 25, 2026 / Noon - 1 p.m. CT / Free for CFLEs
Facilitator: Barbara Sweeney, MSW, MPH, CFLE, LCSW
Are you a CFLE supporting families' basic needs such as food, housing, health care, education, or transportation? Join this active conversation to engage in discussion with other CFLEs doing similar work!
Ms. Sweeney is the Coordinator of Food Security Outreach at the University of Rhode Island (URI). In her role, she manages the university’s basic needs pantries, serves as a case manager on the Student Support and Advocacy team in the Dean of Students office, and works to enhance food security policy throughout URI.
LEARN MORE & RESERVE YOUR SEAT
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NCFR MEMBER NEWS |
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NCFR Elections
Meet the Candidates: NCFR Board Member-at-Large
All NCFR members are encouraged to vote in the NCFR elections in February. (Ballots were emailed to members on Feb.1, 2026)
This week, you are invited to meet the nominees for NCFR Board Member-at-Large (pictured above). There are three open positions, and members may rank candidates in the order of preference.
MEET THE CANDIDATES
On this year's ballot members will also be able to vote on proposed amendments to the NCFR Bylaws. |
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NCFR Publications
Winter Issue: NCFR Nexus
Theme: Later Adulthood
NCFR Nexus is a quarterly digital publication to serving NCFR’s transdisciplinary community of researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers. Access to Nexus is a benefit for NCFR members and Certified Family Life Educators (CFLEs), designed to encourage professional and transdisciplinary connection and dialogue.
This issue explores later adulthood with an emphasis on enhancing well-being through caregiving, social connectedness, and advanced planning. The articles offer insights into topics that impact older adults and their families, including sibling relationships, housing, emergency preparedness, and grandparenting, highlighting key considerations for research, practice, teaching and policy as life expectancy continues to rise.
Join NCFR or renew your membership or become a CFLE to access articles
READ WINTER ISSUE
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Call for Articles: The deadline to submit applied research-focused articles for the spring 2026 issue has been extended to Feb. 9, 2026. The theme is Exploring Shifts in Work and Education for Family Professionals. Read more. |
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Graduating This Spring?
Students: Apply Now for NCFR Honors
If you are an NCFR member graduating this spring from an undergraduate, master's or Ph.D. program, you may be eligible to apply for NCFR Honors recognition!
Students awarded NCFR Honors will receive a graduation stole, a certificate, and recognition in our NCFR Report member magazine — and it's a great addition to your résumé or CV.
STUDENTS: APPLY BY MARCH 1
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Volunteer Opportunity: Reviewers are needed for this program. Must currently serve as faculty in university family programs. Sign up here. |
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NCFR Grants
Research Grant Proposals Accepted Beginning March 1
NCFR will open the submission period for its two grants on March 1, 2026. All proposals are due by April 1, 2026.
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NCFR Olson Grant: Bridging Research, Theory, and Practice: $10,000 annual grant available to NCFR members working to creatively contribute to the discipline of Family Science by bridging research, theory, and practice in their work. Learn more.
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NCFR Darling Family Life Education Research Initiative Grant: $5,000 biennial grant available to NCFR members and Certified Family Life Educators with the purpose of integrating Family Science research into the practice of Family Life Education. Learn more.
Please note: Application for IRB approval must be submitted prior to submitting the grant application and match the project name. |
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NCFR JOURNALS |
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NCFR Journals
New NCFR Journal Research Out Now
See Articles Published Jan. 25-31
Catch up on the latest research from NCFR's scholarly journals — Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF), Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR), and Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) — including these articles focused on Asian families and relationships:
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JMF: Depressive symptoms mediate the associations of family economic pressure with social functioning: A three-wave longitudinal study of Chinese families (open access)
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FR: Through good and bad times: Perceived responsiveness in Malaysian relationship quality and satisfaction
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FR: Dimensions of harsh parenting and Chinese adolescents' internalizing problems: Roles of emotion regulation and neuroticism
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FR: The impact of digital reverse mentoring on the digital integration of older adults in Macao
SEE ALL NEW NCFR RESEARCH
If you are an NCFR member subscribed to one of our journals, you can access articles by logging into your NCFR account. You can also sign up for email alerts.
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NCFR Journals
JFTR Call for Papers: Theorizing Families & the State
Deadline Extended: March 15
The manuscript submission deadline has been extended to March 15, 2026, for a special issue of NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) themed "Theorizing Families and the State."
Manuscripts are sought that further delineate the ways in which family privilege and oppression are socially structured and reproduced by the state via laws, policies, rules, and regulations in the modern era and how marriage fundamentalism, in particular, operates alongside structural racism, nationalism, sexism, and heterosexism as an axis of power and control.
SEE CALL FOR PAPERS |
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NCFR Journals
FR Call for Papers: Ukrainian Forced Migrants' Transnational Families
Letters of Intent Due April 30
NCFR's Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR) has released a call for papers for a special section with the theme "Ukrainian Forced Migrants’ Transnational Families: New Relationality and Shared Agency."
Letters of intent from interested authors are due April 30, 2026. For authors invited to submit, manuscripts will be due Sept. 30, 2026.
Ukrainian forced migrants’ transnational families are among the most rapidly studied displaced populations, and their circumstances have continued to evolve. This special section will provide a framework for understanding Ukrainian forced migrants’ transnational families; enable practitioners to learn about the specificities that matter in applied work; inform policy; and support intervention.
SEE FULL CALL FOR PAPERS |
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NCFR RESOURCES |
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NCFR Policy Advocacy Toolkit
Whether you want to advocate for families, disseminate research to policymakers and the public, support Family Science and its professions, or get involved with policy in other ways that matter to you, NCFR's Policy Advocacy Toolkit can help you get you started on policy advocacy or lobbying in your U.S. state or at the federal level.
GET STARTED HERE
Have a question about family policy? We'd love to hear from you! Share your comments with NCFR at policy@ncfr.org. |
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Family Separation Resources
NCFR Resource Collections
Research published and cited by NCFR finds that families experiencing separation are at risk of lasting harm to their well-being. Research suggests that removing barriers to pursuing permanent status and removing policies that negatively impact immigrant families supports immigrant mental health and the quality of parent-child relationships. View our resources on family separation.
NCFR has also gathered resources to help families, educators, and family practitioners talk to children about tragedy and violence.
SEE ALL RESOURCE COLLECTIONS
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NCFR PUBLICATIONS |
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NCFR Publications
Second Editions of 2 NCFR Books Available for Purchase
Edited by Wm. Michael Fleming, Ph.D., CFLE; and Michael J. Walcheski, Ph.D., CFLE
$79.99 retail. $69.99 for NCFR members and CFLEs
Useful and informative for seasoned and emerging professionals, as well as for students, this textbook provides a comprehensive examination of the profession from the perspectives of many leading family scholars and educators.
The second edition includes four sections that consider the knowledge and skills needed for the effective practice of Family Life Education (FLE) and chapters on FLE with various populations and relevant issues.
Learn more & purchase >
Wisdom for Parents. Key Ideas from Parent Educators
Edited by Elizabeth A. Ramsey, Ph.D., CFLE
$29.95 retail. $25.95 for CFLEs
Family Science professionals from across the discipline share stories, reflection, and poems in this extensive collection of parenting knowledge that can benefit anyone— teachers, researchers, students, and parents!
A variety of relevant topics on the joys and challenges of parenting are woven together to create a valuable resource both in and out of the classroom setting. This second edition includes updated entries, new contributions, and discussion questions.
Learn more & purchase > |
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
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Black History Video
Laila Edwards: USA Hockey Team
This week for Black History Month, we will focus on history being made this week!
Laila Edwards is making her Olympic debut at the 2026 winter games in Milan, Italy. She is the first Black woman to ever play for the U.S. Women's Olympic hockey team. She is a standout forward noted for her size and "hockey IQ". Edwards is no rookie to playing in big games. She has already helped Team USA win two world championship medals and has won two national championships with the University of Wisconsin.
Learn more about Laila Edwards in this week's video.
WATCH VIDEO |
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NCFR JOBS CENTER |
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Employment Opportunities
Employers: Get your job opening included in Zippy News by posting it in
NCFR's online Jobs Center! Get started here.
No new job postings this week. |
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