Another class discussion regarding single parenting and the PRWORA....

I was asked by a classmate if I feel that the state should emphasize eventual self-sufficiency among able-bodied welfare recipients. My classmate is a single father. Names have been removed from my response, which follows.

Incidentally, [classmate], I have VERY strong feelings both for and against the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 (welfare reform, work-fare). The whole purpose of this set of reforms was to encourage adults in need to work to become self sufficient, AS WE ALL SHOULD. Lord knows I do. The problem comes when one is working enough to no longer qualify for assistance, but doesn't make nearly enough money to support a family. That's where I am now. I make $10/hour, 40 hours/week. That's $1600 a month. But then I have to pay rent, utilities, car payment, auto insurance, preschool/daycare, and we all have to eat. There's no way to do all of that on a mere $1600 a month (gross). We get by, because I have taken out some substantial student loans, and they make up the difference very nicely (until I get hospitalized for a brown recluse bite, and the post-discharge wound healing care costs me $5k). So, while I am nowhere near able to support my family, I am also not eligible for assistance, because I make too much money. It's frustrating. On one hand, you think "wow. I could support my family MORE if I just stopped working and lived on government assistance." On the other hand, you know that wouldn't work either.

The issue with the welfare reform act is that it requires 35 hours per week of work or work-related activity. Childcare assistance is available if the parent is actively working, but not typically before. It has often been removed without cause after a job loss, leaving mom or dad without child care while they look for another job. I've been in that spot. I can't get childcare until I get a job, but I can't go to interviews without childcare. It's a nasty catch 22.

My single biggest complaint with the PRWORA of 1996 is that, while job-related education can be included in one's "work-related activity" college is only allowed for 12 months. One year. One. This is nowhere near enough time to pursue a usable education. Endless research has been done on poverty, single-parent families, and education. It all leads to the same conclusion: Those of us who can complete at least an Associate's Degree, are able to move out of poverty and never return. We are able to raise children who will also go to college and will not live below the poverty line as adults, and that trend continues generationally. Yet, we cannot get government (or private, typically) assistance to raise our children, house them, feed them, and clothe them so that we can focus our energies on parenting and pursuing the education that will ensure our permanent exit from the welfare roles. It's a travesty, in my opinion.

While my research and efforts have been focused on single mothers, I am hoping that I can eventually find a team of single and formerly single fathers to enact a similar program for men. I am ill-equipped for such a program, because the focus of our program is going to be that each single mother is mentored by a mom who has been in her shoes. I want the same for single dads, but my girls are, well, mothers.

One disturbing trend that I have seen in this (single parents) community, is the tendency to downplay the roll of the father, and to forget that some children are raised by single DADS. I try to remind my girls that men struggle too, and they're not all bad. Heck, in my experience, even in my experiences with some pretty foul men, I have found that most men are nowhere near as bad as most women seem to think they are! Hang in there, brother. You're on your way to doing the best thing you can possibly do for your son: Giving him a positive roll model with a solid education.

There is more information on my feelings about welfare reform, as well as a copy of the paper I had published this year, at my blog: katie-darling@blogspot.com One of these days, I will update it again!


I suppose I updated again, didn't I?