Local results of the Work Incentive (WIN) Program, the first nationwide employment program with the clear objective of serving female heads of families, are reported on. Two WIN projects operating in labor markets of different characteristics--one relatively stable and prosperous, the other subject to seasonal fluctuation but showing some sign of…

This report reviews the literature on the prevalence, treatment, and consequences of depression in low-income women with an emphasis on the relationship between depression and employment. Recent changes in welfare policy, such as the five-year lifetime limit on assistance and requiring recipients to obtain jobs after two years of continuous…

Using data from a longitudinal sample of former and current welfare recipients in Michigan spanning 1997 through 1999, the Womens Employment Study, this analysis examined how transitions from welfare to work affect parenting behavior and child behavior problems. Researchers used a fixed-effects regression design to control for all time-invariant…

Presents results of a study using national survey data that indicates that maternal employment in families that had previously received welfare does not hurt children's social or cognitive development and may improve their situations. Outcomes were better for those whose mothers earned higher wages. (SLD)

This interview study assessed the perspectives of low-income single mothers on selecting child care and their parent involvement experiences in Head Start. Findings indicated that collaboration between mothers and Head Start teachers enhanced mothers' self-development and learning with resulting positive effects for children, adult development as…

Investigated household arrangements of adolescent mothers. Data from 1980 U.S. Census showed that arrangements varied by marital status, race/ethnicity, age, number of children, and central city residence. Found differences by race/ethnicity in how other variables related to household arrangements. Household arrangements were related to school…

This ethnographic study examines the educational experiences of 10 women who are both social service recipients and higher education students. Study participants view higher education in a variety of ways that include both instrumental and transformational purposes. By situating participants' experiences in the larger economic and social context…

This evaluation of Massachusett's Employment and Training Choices (ET) program indicates that instead of saving taxpayers money, the program has been costly and has contributed little or nothing to reduce the state's welfare caseload. ET offers welfare recipients a wide variety of employment services, including career planning and job search,…

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…

Single mothers on welfare were recruited for a program at Trinity College of Vermont using a variety of methods: newspaper advertisements, admission office applicants, and welfare office solicitation. Eligible for the program were single mothers on welfare meeting all Trinity College entrance requirements and having an interest in and commitment…

Using data from personal interviews, participant observation in a rural poverty area, and intensive case studies, this study compared 1,325 women according to welfare, marital, and employment status. Working mothers in general were found to have a more effective home life and self-concept, but with some marital problems and concerns about their…

Possible programs for helping low-income families rise out of poverty include training women to obtain jobs. This Volume III of the study takes a close look at one small poverty-ridden community in an attempt to provide a better understanding of the problems confronting such families. Several years of close anthropological observation went into…

This report examines data on differences between 1997 and 1999 recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Data came from two rounds of the National Survey of America's Families. The number of single parents on welfare who reported living with a partner doubled between 1997 and 1999. There was no change in the proportion of…

Debates the issue of voluntary artificial insemination among single women who depend on public assistance. Ooms argues that eligibility for welfare should be based on court defined criteria rather than on moral judgments, while Steinfels suggests that the welfare of the child is most important in any consideration. (Author/AOS)

The resourcefulness of poor Black female heads of households is shown in the methods they use to stretch and supplement their incomes, their ability to obtain help from their extended families, and their sharing of resources. Their responsibilities, however, lead to great emotional stress. (Author/MC)