There is little research on knowledge of the policy rules that could affect individuals, either in general or in evaluations of new programs. The lack of research is surprising, given that knowledge gaps could limit the effectiveness of reforms or lead to incorrect inferences regarding the effects of a policy change. In this article, we use survey…

This study focuses on how Wisconsin built up work requirements in Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) prior to both Wisconsin Works (W-2) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). It suggests that Wisconsin is an example to other states and that Wisconsin provides a good test of the top-down hypothesis about the implementation…

This document reports on the states' implementation of the Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984. The Child Support Enforcement Program is a federally administered, state run program in which child support agencies locate absent parents, establish paternity, obtain support orders, and enforce support collections with the purpose of reducing…

Previous research demonstrates that most female heads of families get neither adequate nor regular child support payments. This study provides a quantitative assessment of the nature of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) child support problem, and analyzes the effects of various government policies on success in collecting support…

Investigated by this study were effects--at state, county, and family levels--of federal cuts and changes on day care services in New York State, focusing on areas outside New York City. At the state level, the study examined policies shaping delivery of day care services to the poor and state systems for tracking changes in funding and children…

In this report of a hearing on the effects on children and youth of President Reagan's proposed budget cuts of means-tested entitlement programs, Linda S. McMahon, Associate Commissioner of the Office of Family Assistance, and Robert E. Leard, Acting Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service at the Department of Agriculture, present the…

Results of a review of problems associated with divorce indicate that not only are very large numbers of children involved, but divorce seems to be associated with serious effects for children and adults. A very substantial number of children of divorced parents live in poverty and nearly all experience substantial reductions in family income. One…

The Recycling Fund Concept was conceptualized as a special allocation of money for the purpose of expanding child care services for preschool children of low-income parents who were or had been recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. In 1985, North Carolina's Child Care Resources Incorporated…

The purpose of Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act is to enforce the support obligations owed by absent parents to their children, locate absent parents, establish paternity and obtain child support from parents. This Senate report provides an overview of the child support enforcement program and 23 tables of statistical data. Many of…

This report describes how Title IV-A of the Social Security Act is being used to aid homeless families with children. The report reviews the history of the Emergency Assistance program (EA) and the special needs component of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (AFDC-Special Needs), discusses current policy and practice, examines…

Since 1986, this annual cost study has provided a measure of what it costs the taxpayer each year to support families that began when the mother was a teenager. Three sets of public costs are estimated; these reflect: (1) how much the United States spends as a result of teenage childbearing in a given year; (2) the public cost over a projected…

Federal policy has reduced public responsibility for families receiving AFDC and shifted responsibility for dependent children to their parents. Discusses how fostering parents' obligation to support their children can benefit families. Explores how an awareness of these benefits on the part of workers can improve social work practice. (Author)

Emphasizing the effects of changes in social policy on black children, this report describes the federal administration's proposed and completed funding for social programs for fiscal years 1982-85 and outlines strategies for those interested in affecting program policy. Social programs are grouped under three main headings: (1) health and child…

This factbook provides data on the well-being of South Dakota children. It is intended as a vehicle for policy makers, advocates, the media, and service providers to raise awareness on the status of children in South Dakota. Section 1 of the factbook is an introduction and overview on South Dakota demographics. Section 2 presents special reports…

This report consists of tabulations by county for the entire 1987 and 1988 population receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and the entire population in the Work Experience and Job Training (WEJT) and Community Work Experience (CWEP) programs in Wisconsin. The tables include a complete history of all reported earnings data for…