Fragile families in the American welfare state. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garfinkel, Irwin; Zilanawala, Afshin
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 55(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 210
• Page End: 221
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Family structure -- Family economics -- Welfare -- Fragile families and child wellbeing; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.05.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Abstract: The proportion of children born out of wedlock is now over 40%. At birth, about half of these parents are co-habiting. This paper examines data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study (N = 4271) to describe for the first time the role of welfare state benefits in the economic lives of married, cohabiting, and single parent families with young children. Surprisingly, total welfare state benefits received by the three family types are relatively similar. Nearly half of the full incomes of fragile families come from welfare state transfers. For single parent families the proportion is slightly more than two thirds. Though aggregate welfare state transfers are approximately equal across family type and thus change very little as marital status changes, these transfers and the taxes required to finance them cushion family status changes and substantially narrow the gap in full income between married and fragile families. Highlights: Total welfare state benefits received by fragile and married families are similar. Majority of welfare state transfers are in-kind benefits. Health insurance, ECEC, and housing are the largest elements of the benefit package. Changes in marital status have little effect on changes in welfare transfers. Welfare state transfers and taxes narrow gaps in full incomes between families.