This booklet provides information on the use and cost of child care for preschoolers. Tables and charts provide data on: (1) child care arrangements used by employed mothers for preschoolers; (2) the weekly cost of preschool child care from 1986 to 1993; (3) the percent of arrangements for which payments are made; (4) regional differences in child…

The extremely conservative political climate and the record-breaking recession have effectively destroyed the hopes and dreams of poor black families, and they seriously threaten the existence of an emerging, still fragile, black middle class. Prior to 1960, no more than 10-12 percent of black families could be counted as members of the middle…

Reports a study comparing information from federal income tax returns with that on the Parents' Confidential Statement for student financial aid applications at California State University, Long Beach. Results correspond with those of a similar national study: Although the majority of parents provide accurate information, verifying data is still…

For a number of years, authorities in the field of early education have questioned whether computers should be used in classrooms of young children. In response to the controversy surrounding computers and young children, this study investigated directors' reports of the use of computers in Texas child care facilities. Directors of licensed child…

Patterns of individual giving to higher education in 1984 are reported, along with the characteristics of donors. The study sample consisted of 66 private and 33 public colleges and universities. Information is presented on: the size of the gift; the income level of donors, by household adjusted gross income; level of giving of donors by whether…

This study of public parks and recreation agencies throughout the United States was undertaken to develop a mathematical pricing formula sensitive to local spending abilities in order to determine if a per capita pricing structure would be possible. Four hundred and seventy public parks and recreation agencies responded to a survey of fees and…

Mail questionnaire response rates were investigated in a three-factor design including ethnic group (Spanish surname vs. non-Spanish surname), income level (below vs. above median income) and questionnaire language (English only vs. English with interlinear Spanish translations). Log-linear multiway frequency analysis indicated lower response…

Current census data make clear that California's poor are poorer today than they were 10 years ago. In particular, data indicate that single working women with children earn less than working, married women with children. Because California's state-subsidized day care system directs programs to enroll children on the waiting list who are from…

Public concern for children has become more visible during the last decade as awareness of child abuse and neglect has increased. It is difficult to design policies to deal with troubled youth who run away. Because families of runaways are often looked upon as failures, there is a reluctance among families to report the runaway. Families may not…

Changes in the Australian taxation system are discussed in reference to two central issues: (1) achieving horizontal and vertical equity within the tax-transfer system; and (2) interrelating taxation and social security systems. Horizontal equity embodies the principle that those in similar economic circumstances should pay the same levels of…

High school students were divided into groups and asked to research the cost of having a child in a low, moderate and high income family. The purpose was to help students realize the high costs of becoming parents. (EK)

This paper presents a multi-pronged strategy for reducing poverty and unemployment by increasing the number of jobs for unskilled workers and raising their wages. The first component of this strategy is a marginal hours employment tax credit, similar to the recently enacted New Jobs Tax Credit. This would serve to generate an expansion in…

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…

THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS ARE RAISED--(1) WHAT IS MEANT BY POVERTY AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF POVERTY DEPEND ON THE SORT OF MEASURING ROD USED. (2) HOW MANY AND WHAT PROPORTION OF THE NATION'S CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN POVERTY. AND (3) WHERE, GEOGRAPHICALLY AND SOCIALLY, ARE THESE CHILDREN OF THE POOR TO BE FOUND. POVERTY IS…

This study focused on the factors that urban and suburban black families have found to be supportive of stability and mobility. All of the families involved were middle income blacks. They all had school aged children under 18 years of age living in the home. Three hundred and five parents were interviewed representing 178 family units. The sample…