Family Assistance Office

The Office of Family Assistance administers the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) programs. The TANF Bureau provides assistance and work opportunities to needy families by granting States, Territories and Tribes the federal funds and wide flexibility to develop and implement their own welfare programs. The Child Care Bureau (CCB) provides funds to States, Territories and Tribes to support low-income working families' access to affordable, quality early care and afterschool programs. In February 2006, former President George W. Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which reauthorized the TANF program. The DRA reauthorization also included $150 million for discretionary grants to support programs designed to help couples form and sustain healthy marriages. Up to $50 million of this amount may be used for programs designed to encourage responsible fatherhood.