This document contains a summary of a policy seminar, "Family Centered Social Policy: The Emerging Agenda," a background briefing report on the seminar, and a 50-item reference list. The first section summarizes presentations by K. M. Harris on a Baltimore study of teen mothers' welfare experience; Robert Lerman on young fathers; and…

Social welfare programs contribute to Black women's decisions to terminate their marriages by modifying existing beliefs and values, giving rise to a perception of welfare as a more viable alternative to marital relationships. But welfare is insufficient to enable the maintenance of Black women's preseparation standard of living. (RDN)

Critics who advocate encouraging pregnant teenagers to marry are mistaken. Teen marriages are distinctly less stable than marriages that occur after age twenty. Later marriers are less likely to be on welfare and are likely to have more education and fewer children. A hasty marriage makes a bad situation worse. (BJV)

New studies demonstrate that many teen marriages are more resilient than had previously been believed; current policies promote single parenthood for teen mothers in the face of very little systemic information about young fathers and their potential for being providers, husbands, or parents. Marriage is a feasible option for many pregnant…

Family policy makers must first understand changes taking place and factors influencing Australian society so that they can then ease the burden on the disadvantaged poor. Growing affluence, increasing de-institutionalization of women's roles, later marriage, delayed and smaller families and an elongated family life duration are among the trends…

Notes that many from across the ideological spectrum suggest that welfare reform address policies that promote marriage and two-parent families. Discusses marriage, family structure and economic well-being, the benefits of marriage for adults and children, and low-income unwed mothers and marriage. Suggests that marriage and two-parent families…