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Posted 7/21/97
Many agree that the U.S. welfare system needs to be reformed. But is the bill that President Clinton signed into law last August what we envisioned? How will it affect children and families?
Certainly the 6.5 million children in female-headed single-parent families that live in poverty will feel the effects of this legislation. Last year, single mothers and their children under 18 years of age made up 41.2 percent of those receiving federal welfare benefits, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Single mothers receiving welfare benefits have been the target of political rhetoric for years. Some admonish single mothers on moral grounds, believing that these mothers are "bad" because they had sexual intercourse and became pregnant outside of marriage. Others cite economic issues saying that single women intentionally have more children because it "earns" them more welfare money.
Cutting or eliminating financial aid to these families may be seen as punishment or "just desserts" by proponents of either approach. However, both approaches fail to recognize the circumstances of these women's lives, and could result in punitive -- not positive -- actions.
Rather than being abruptly cut off from government financial support, single mothers on federal assistance need help with managing the transition to employment.
A recent study by nurse researchers at Case Western Reserve University suggests that many nonemployed single mothers would prefer to work, but they do not have the job skills or child care to do so.
Like mothers in two-parent families, single mothers also have concerns about the effects of their absence from home on their children. These women would benefit from job training programs and college educations provided free or at minimal charge underwritten with public or private funds.
Additionally, the availability of low-cost, quality child care with flexible hours is critical to the mother's success in getting a job and staying employed. This child care might need to be subsidized for mothers seeking jobs or strengthening their job skills during the first six months of their entry into the workforce, and for extended periods for those employed in low-paying jobs.
Implementation of the welfare reform law and its ramifications will become apparent over the next several years. Involvement in state decisions and policies will be crucial with the expected transfer of responsibility for supporting those in need of government assistance from the federal to the state level.
As a pediatric nurse, I believe we need to advocate for children in poor families who will be affected. The best use of taxpayers' money would be to provide women with the job skills, education, and family support they need to be gainfully and successfully employed.
Then women can benefit from the boost in self-esteem often seen with employment. They will be better able to provide for their families, and socialize the next generation in the work ethic, resulting in a higher standard of living for children and families for years to come.
JoAnne Youngblut is associate professor of nursing at Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. This piece is adapted from an article that ran in the October/November issue of The Journal of the Society of Pediatric Nurses.