The welfare reform was a revolution, for academe as well as social policy. In the 1990s, work requirements in the main family aid program were sharply stiffened, and largely as a result, more than two-thirds of welfare mothers left the rolls, with most of those departing entering jobs. It was the most radical change in American domestic policy…

Decries the contradictions of a corporate state that benefits from poverty and promotes "family values" while devaluing the life-affirming child-rearing work done in private. Argues that life-affirming perspectives should guide adult educators to unlearn "bottom-line" thinking in their educational efforts. (SK)

Discusses relation of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) to problems of unwed motherhood. Shows that extension of AFDC to unwed mothers was unintended development and has been demise of residential homes for unwed mothers. Urges renewed attention be given to public support of maternity homes as means of socializing young mothers and…

Suggests that poor U.S. women and children are marked by signs of discipline and punishment that cannot be erased. These are systematically produced through current forces of socialization and discipline and 18th-century exhibitions of public mutilation. Poor single welfare mothers and their children are physically inscribed, punished, and…

The working poor are employable people who have found low-paying jobs and barely scrape out a living. By removing many forms of federal aid, the Reagan administration has locked the working poor into poverty. In saving a few dollars today, we are penalizing the next generation. (CS)

Uses a systems approach to reframe welfare assistance as well-being for the many, not welfare for the few. The framework outlines the state of family economic functioning (crisis, at risk, safe, thriving), type of welfare assistance (entitlement, subsidy, self-sufficiency, sustainability), poverty levels (below, at, 150%, 200%), and supports…

Discusses the British underclass, a subgroup of poor people who live off mainstream society without participating in it. Examines the underclass' roots in illegitimacy, crime, and voluntary unemployment. Suggests that well-intentioned social policies have removed incentives for change. (FMW)

Discusses the need for citizen involvement to help restore and improve nutrition programs cut by the welfare reform bill. Describes various activities to offset government cutbacks and ease hunger in America. (YKH)

This report highlights the interconnectedness of welfare reform and broader strategies concerning the economy, education, and the conditions of work. Recommendations are presented for policies that would help working poor families avoid dependence on welfare. The report is divided into five chapters. Chapter I summarizes major findings and…

Assesses the major claims and counterclaims in the debate on the desirability of attaching work-related obligations to the receipt of welfare benefits. Attempts to reach a balanced judgment on whether labor policy should continue moving in that direction. (JOW)

In 1996, only 30% of poor children who lived apart from their fathers received financial support. That year, welfare reform addressed this hard fact, stepping up efforts to collect child support. However, increased child support alone will not be enough. Further support, economic incentives, and revised child support policies are needed to enable…

Because welfare entitlements are increasingly unpopular, social work advocates need to place greater emphasis on job growth and alternate mechanisms for wealth redistribution, including refundable tax credits for working poor people. The Internal Revenue Code can be an effective weapon in combating poverty if antipoverty approaches in the code are…

Highlights issues in funding, service availability, child care services, and mandated participation in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) training program. Suggests full implementation of the Family Support Act of 1988 and the expansion of other income supports for low-income families rather than further development of welfare benefits…

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…

This document presents a welfare reform proposal designed to ensure a transition toward economic self-sufficiency and an end to poverty. It consists of four distinct elements that form an integrated and interdependent whole. The first element is a series of initiatives to achieve an adequate income maintenance system that guarantees that all needy…