Although there has been a dramatic increase in child care funding since the passage of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, some activists and members of Congress have argued that there remains a child care crisis. This paper asserts that many of the arguments concerning welfare and child care are outdated or…

This report examines how state welfare-to-work programs have affected young children since the 1996 welfare reform act, which moved millions of women into low-wage jobs. Researchers followed a sample of 948 mothers and young children for 2-4 years after the women entered new welfare programs in California, Connecticut, and Florida. After…

The erosion of marriage has caused enormous difficulties for children, parents, and society. Compared to children born within marriage, those born outside of marriage are overwhelmingly more likely to live in poverty, depend on welfare, and have behavior problems. They also may suffer depression and physical abuse, fail in school, abuse drugs, and…