Welfare Reform and the Well-Being of Children

Project Title:	Welfare Reform and the Well-Being of Children
Grant/Contract Number:	R01 HD36093
Type of Project:	Research
Funding Agency:	National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Agency Contact Person:	Reid Lyon (301) 496-9849
Principal Investigator:	Andrew Cherlin
Mailing Address:	Johns Hopkins University Sociology Department 3400 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218
Total Project Duration:	9/30/97 to 11/30/98
FY 98 Total Costs:	$700,000
Total Project Budget:	$4,325,684
Child Maltreatment Focus:	Secondary
Type of Abuse:	Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Neglect; Undifferentiated
Sample Size:	3,150
Age of Subjects:	0-4 and 10-14 years old
Child Abuse and Neglect Focus of This Project:	Treatment and Preventive Interventions
Summary

The Welfare Reform Bill of 1996 is the most dramatic public policy change for the poor since the Great Depression. Sponsors and critics disagree over the potential impact this will have on the children of families who must comply with time limits on cash assistance and work requirements. Proponents contend that parents will have increased self-esteem and a daily regimen, while opponents believe that the new rules hurt children because of increased stress on single parents coping with employment and child care needs. This study will investigate the effects of welfare reform on children in Boston, Chicago, and Baltimore over a 5-year period. The conceptual framework is the economic household production model, supplemented with perspectives on child development that are drawn from the literature on this topic and informed by insights from sociological and ethnographic research.