Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study: Program Components, Policies, and Activities

Program Components, Policies, and Activities Evaluated

Employment activities

  • Job skills training
  • Job readiness activities
  • Job search
  • Job placement
  • Work supplementation programs
  • Job development
  • Self-employment

Financial disincentives/Sanctions

  • Reduced benefits for non-compliance
  • Strengthened JOBS sanctions

Program requirements

  • Work requirement
  • Child support order
  • Parenting or social contract
  • Immunizations for children

Child support

  • Support paid directly to parent
  • Increased efficiency in collection
  • Child support - misc.
  • Services to non-custodial parents

Social/Support services

  • Child care
  • Health benefits
  • Child protection agencies
  • Community/social services

Administration/Implementation

  • Changes in welfare office environment/culture
  • Simplification of program rules and procedures
  • Development of partnerships with private organizations
  • Program enforcement of sanctions
  • Development of new welfare policies
  • Administration/Implementation - misc.

Educational activities

  • School readiness activities
  • Educational Activities - misc.

Time limits

  • Time Limits - misc.

Family caps

  • Family Caps - misc.

Eligibility

  • Eligibility - misc.
Variation in program components across sites? Yes
Notes on program components Changes in Child Support: The effects of stronger child support enforcement will be studied in terms of decisions about cohabitation, evasion patterns, child well-being, and other parenting behavior of fathers.

Employment activities: The effects on parents of the requirements of work to receive welfare benefits will be studied.

Program Operations: Differences in parent relationships, relationships to kin, and parent-child relationships will be studied within the context of varying policy regimes.

Program Requirements: Differences in parent relationships, relationships to kin, and parent-child relationships will be studied as related to particular program requirements.

Social/Support services: Access to health care, use of child care services, contact with child protection agencies, and utilization of other community and social services will be studied.

Time Limits: The effects of the 5 years federal time limit and other state-imposed time limits on welfare receipt will be studied.