Case Studies of Families Involved with Welfare and Child Welfare

76Table 5.1SOME POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF DUAL SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT UNDER WELFARE REFORMWELFARE REFORM CHANGES FAMILY EFFECTS CHILD WELFARE CONCERNS1. Family cap, time limits, Decreased family income • Increased maltreatmentsanctions• Increased use of child welfare services(CWS), including increased entries into2. Family cap, time limits,sanctions3. Work requirements with limited Parents choose inadequateavailability of child carecare for their children4. Increased surveillance Increased exposure tosocial service personnel5. Lack of coordination between Additional stress onwelfare and child welfare agencies, dually-involved familiesconflicting case plan requirements6. Increased employment due towelfare-to work program7. Services made available oraccessible through TANF dollars(e.g. domestic violence counseling,child care, family preservation)foster and kinship careDecreased family income • Lowered likelihood of successfulreunification• Increased chances of reentry for those whoreunifyIncreased income leadingto improved parentalwell-beingPositive impact onfamily’s special needs8. Service utilization through CWS Economic and socialbuffer for most precariousfamilies9. Option for exemption fromwelfare-to-work requirements forkin caregivers, coupled withproblems finding quality child care10. Other specific stipulations(e.g., teen parent requirements tolive at home and participate inCalLEARN; school attendancerequirements for parents ofadolescents; paternity reporting forchild support; immunizations)11. Increased employment in lowwagejobs12. Psychological impact of newset of welfare policies13. Policy and program changesdue to welfare reformIncreased use of informalkinship care for parentson welfareVaried, unknown effectson families and parentingLimited economicadvantage, however morecontact outside the homefor parents and childrenUnknown effects onparental stress, motivationand behaviorNo substantive impact onsome parents, for whomwelfare is a short-termsolution to an economicand/or social crisis• Increased CWS involvement• Increased CWS involvement for poorfamilies• Decreased chance of economic success orstabilized parenting• Decreased maltreatment• Decreased CWS involvement• Prevent families from entering CWS• Promote successful exits from CWS• Avoid some negative repercussions thesefamilies might otherwise experience underwelfare reform• Unknown (positive and/or negative) effectson children and families• Varied, unknown effects on CWSrequirements• Range of effects depending upon quality ofthe parent-child relationshi,p and the qualityof available child care• Unknown effects on CWS involvement• No effect on CWS involvement