Do Mandatory Welfare-to-Work Programs Affect the Well-Being of Children?

Prepared for:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

U.S. Department of Education
Office of the Under Secretary
Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Prepared by:
Gayle Hamilton
with
Stephen Freedman
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation
and
Sharon M. McGroder
Child Trends

This document was prepared as part of the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS). The Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) is conducting the NEWWS Evaluation under a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), funded by HHS under a competitive award, Contract No. HHS-100-89-0030. Child Trends, as a subcontractor, is conducting the analyses of outcomes for young children (the Child Outcomes Study). HHS is also receiving funding for the evaluation from the U.S. Department of Education. The study of one of the sites in the evaluation, Riverside County (California), is also conducted under a contract from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). CDSS, in turn, is receiving funding from the California State Job Training Coordinating Council, the California Department of Education, HHS, and the Ford Foundation.

The findings and conclusions presented herein do not necessarily represent the official positions or policies of the funders.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Overview of Findings
How Mandatory Welfare-to-Work Programs Might Affect Children
Aspects of Child Well-Being Examined in the NEWWS Evaluation
Characteristics of Adults and Children in the Samples
Program Implementation
Impacts on Targeted Outcomes
Impacts on Nontargeted Outcomes
Child Impacts
Conclusion
Appendix A: Two-Year Child Outcome Measures
Appendix B: (Table) Impacts on Average Total Welfare Payments Received in Years 1 and 2
Appendix C: A Comparison of National Samples of Children and Control Group Children Two Years After Study Entry
Appendix D: (Table) For All Families in the Client Survey Sample: Control Group Child Outcomes and Impacts on Child Outcomes
References
Notes

Do Mandatory Welfare-to-Work Programs Affect the Well-Being of Children?

Similar content

Do Mandatory Welfare-to-Work Programs Affect the Well-Being of Children?

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Overview of Findings

How Mandatory Welfare-to-Work Programs Might Affect Children

Aspects of Child Well-Being Examined in the NEWWS Evaluation

Characteristics of Adults and Children in the Samples

Program Implementation

Impacts on Targeted Outcomes

Impacts on Nontargeted Outcomes

Child Impacts

Conclusion

Appendix A: Two-Year Child Outcome Measures

Appendix B: (Table) Impacts on Average Total Welfare Payments Received in Years 1 and 2

Appendix C: A Comparison of National Samples of Children and Control Group Children Two Years After Study Entry

Appendix D: (Table) For All Families in the Client Survey Sample: Control Group Child Outcomes and Impacts on Child Outcomes

References

Notes