The passage of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (P.L. 110-351) represents the most significant federal child welfare reform in more than a decade. While the scope and nature of the federal reforms are far reaching, the actual impact of the legislation on children will depend largely upon how it is implemented.…

To highlight the individual and systemic practices that perpetuate the overuse of and reliance on kinship care and instead emphasize family reunification as the permanency plan for African American children in the child welfare system, the authors first discuss how kinship care is affected by federal child welfare policy and provide a historical…

This report tests the hypothesis that strong child support collection is associated with lower welfare caseloads. It uses annual state panel data from 1980-96 to replicate previous models and incorporate the effects of child support. The primary analysis technique is fixed effects regression of welfare caseloads with welfare caseloads as the…

Reviews policy development and research trends relating to work, welfare, and AFDC. Examines the persistence over time of the values of capitalism, liberalism, and positivism, which have resulted in the work ethic and influenced the AFDC. Outlines a research agenda to counter these influences. (Author/JAC)

Substance use by welfare recipients is frequently mentioned as an important barrier to well-being and social performance. This article uses nationally representative cross-sectional data and Michigan-specific panel data to summarize trends in substance use among Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance to Needy…

The provisions of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-272 of the 96th Congress) are delineated in this legislative bulletin. The primary purposes of the Act are (1) to establish a program of adoption assistance; (2) to strengthen the program of foster care assistance for needy and dependent children; and (3) to…

Argues that the lack of a social welfare policy that takes into account the needs of families has deplorable effects and that Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program policies maintain dependency and weaken family support systems. An alternative proposal is offered that has as its aim the strengthening and ultimate self-sufficiency…

Relates the history of restriction of access to the Aid to Dependent Children and Aid to Families with Dependent Children programs. Examines how intrastate and interstate policies affected the enactment of work requirements for aid. Shows that intrastate politics had the greatest effect, but that policies spread among states in similar situations.…

Children in foster care have lower health status than do their peers and limited access to health care. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services developed HealthWorks, a separate primary care preferred provider system for children in foster care. This study compared claims data for children in HealthWorks with children not enrolled…

This report summarizes discussions from two round-table seminars exploring federal programs that affect children and families. Ideas presented in this report are organized around five topics: (1) symptoms of fragmented federal programs for children and families; (2) why coordinated services for children and families are so rare; (3) what Congress…

Legislation has been proposed by the Administration to revise the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) foster care program. This committee print provides background information on the AFDC foster care program under Title IV-A (from 1962-1980); discusses the changes made in the program since the passage of the Adoption Assistance and…

Society has moral and economic obligations to assist the urban poor to overcome adverse conditions. A national urban policy designed to ameliorate substandard conditions is recommended along with realistic policies and programs of effective schooling. The urban poor have a responsibility to accept and use the help offered to them. (Author/VM)

This paper examines trends in federal spending on children, assessing changes in spending between 1960-97 and classifying federal programs within eight budget categories: tax credits and exemptions (including the Earned Income Tax Credit and dependent exemption); income security (including Aid to Families with Dependent Children); nutrition…

This country has long debated the question of how to design the welfare system, particularly the federally supported Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program which provides cash assistance to families headed primarily by female single parents. A pressing issue is whether welfare programs should continue to be broad entitlements or…

This report presents results from a comprehensive study of child support issues. Using information from three data bases, the following findings emerged: (1) marital status is a strong predictor of receipt of welfare and child support; (2) socioeconomic characteristics of the mother and her family influence welfare and child support outcomes; (3)…