Introduction to Social Work: An Advocacy-based Profession
SAGE Journal Articles
Explore full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in the chapter.
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Summary:
Using data from the National Survey of America's Families, this study assesses the success of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) goals to increase employment, enhance family stability through marriage promotion, and reduce welfare reliance. In the period prior to TANF implementation, during implementation, and from 1 to 4 years after implementation, employment rates increased for some mother categories. Among categories of poor and near-poor mothers of children with disabilities, marriage rates did not change. Although TANF appears to have mixed results for these families, it is not leading to an overall reduction in welfare reliance among low-income women raising children with disabilities. The authors discuss recommendations and policy implications for the successful promotion of employment among mothers raising children with disabilities.
Summary:
Money has meaning that shapes its uses and social significance, including the monies low-income families draw on for survival: wages, welfare, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This study, based on in-depth interviews with 115 low-wage EITC recipients, reveals the EITC is an unusual type of government transfer. Recipients of the EITC say they value the debt relief this government benefit brings. However, they also perceive it as a just reward for work, which legitimizes a temporary increase in consumption. Furthermore, unlike other means-tested government transfers, the credit is seen as a springboard for upward mobility. Thus, by conferring dignity and spurring dreams, the EITC enhances feelings of citizenship and social inclusion.