Introduction
Despite considerable efforts aimed at equality, structural racism persists in the United States of America. Child welfare policy is one of the areas in which the problem becomes particularly apparent. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program was launched on the federal level to provide poor families with necessary aid. One of the aims of the policy is to ensure that children grow in a positive environment and their basic needs are met. Nevertheless, the issue of unequal distribution of welfare based on racial prejudices remains, showcasing the nature of structural racism in the United States. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in the context of child welfare disparities.
Temporary Aid to Needy Families Act
Many families across the United States struggle to make a living for a variety of reasons, and governmental programs have been attempting to alleviate the problem. The situation is particularly difficult for children, as, without support, they are forced to grow up in poverty. Being deprived of necessities while not having access to quality services and education entails an unfortunate situation in which children cannot find their deserved place in life. As a result, they have fewer chances of graduating from college and having a successful career, which is why poverty persists. While the discussed issue may concern any family, it becomes particularly acute for people of color, who suffer from racial disparities on a systemic level. The government has been proposing financial assistance programs, also known as welfare, to families in need, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant is one of them.
The discussed issue lies within a broad historical context, as it has been discussed for almost a century. The first attempts at providing American citizens with effective social security policies date back to the 1930s and The Social Security Act (“The temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) block grant: A legislative history,” 2020). By the policy, federal funding was allocated to families in which at least one of the parents was incapable of providing financial support. Further policies are aimed at establishing families’ self-sufficiency and independence, especially in the case of single mothers (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020). The new amendments encouraged people to work, providing them with incentives to do so. By the 1960s, debates began surrounding the necessity of reforming the welfare system. Between 1964 and 1973, the government managed to expand the range of families receiving welfare from one million to 3.1 million (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020). As a result, people’s dependency on welfare grew, as well.
By the following decade, temporary financial assistance began to transform into a long-term source of income for many. The Family Support Act of 1988 introduced new education opportunities, training programs, and employment services for the recipients of welfare (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020). The “welfare-to-work” initiatives culminated in the 1990s, when President Clinton proposed to “end welfare as we know it” (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020, p. 5). The new vision included time limits and additional motivation to learn and work instead of forming a dependence on federal money. Following a series of debates regarding the new framework, President Clinton, having vetoed previous drafts, signed the welfare reform bill on August 22, 1996, introducing the TANF (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020, p. 5). The new system aimed at meeting two requirements: providing parents with incentives to work while ensuring that their children’s needs are met.
Generally, the core concepts of TANF have been kept intact since 1996, and the system functions upon the same principles in 2020. However, while the nature of the project has not changed, it has seen several extensions, which were pointed at new challenges arising in the 21st century. As far the present situation is concerned, TANF is funded through November 30, 2020, by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, reflecting one of the most important problems of the year 2020 (“The temporary assistance for needy families,” 2020, p. 5). As of now, all recipients of welfare are obliged to begin working as soon as they are eligible or within two following years. While this condition may difficult for single parents, they have to work at least thirty hours per week (“Temporary aid to needy families (TANF), n.d.). If a family fails to meet such requirements, the state’s authorities have the right to terminate their participation in the program. Accordingly, the TANF encourages parents in need to continue their development by providing them with financial aid for their children.
However, welfare distribution in the United States has been affected by systemic racism. Historically, this issue has existed since the early years of American democracy. Despite recent efforts aimed at equality, the disparities persist, as inequality and racism remain embedded in many people’s minds. Garcia et al. (2016) write that children of color are generally less likely to receive required services than their white peers. The current functioning of the welfare system reflects the disparities, and families of color often remain excluded from the program. Parolin (2019) confirms the aforementioned statistics, adding that black children are twice as likely as Caucasian children to live in poverty. Harp and Bunting (2019) trace the disparity to black mothers, who become victims of prejudices from the pregnancy stage. As research suggests, they are more likely to be screened for drug use or reported to welfare services (Harp & Bunting, 2019). As a result, they lose either the government’s financial support or even the custody of their child.
However, while the problem is highly severe, the TANF has the potential to mitigate some of the negative effects. The present situation has appeared due to the negative historical baggage of welfare, and profound transformations are required for its equal distribution. According to Parolin (2019), the program’s potential is currently utilized incorrectly, thus aggravating the welfare disparities. The study shows that over 250000 black children are forced into poverty due to racial inequities in the states’ administration of TANF (Parolin, 2019). At the same time, structural changes in the policy will allow to eradicate the disparity and ensure equal distribution of welfare, according to the program’s principles instead of racial prejudices. Soffer-Elnekave et al. (2020) add that parent mentoring programs make another valuable contribution to the fight against racial discrimination in child welfare. One of TANF’s principles refers to working parents as role models for their children, which is why its correct implementation corresponds with the findings.
Systemic racial disparities have permeated all layers of society, and child welfare distribution is one of them. The impact of disparities is particularly negative in this case, as it affects future generations. Children of color living in poverty are put in an unfavorable position since their birth due to unfair distribution of financial support and unjustified prejudices. As a result, they have fewer chances of living a good life, and poverty persists. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families policy aims at providing families in need with support and incentives to regain control of their lives. Nevertheless, its use concerning people of color has been sub-optimal, and structural changes are required to utilize the TANF’s potential in this regard.
References
Garcia, A. R., Kim, M., & DeNard, C. (2016). Context matters: The state of racial disparities in mental health services among youth reported to child welfare in 1999 and 2009.Children and Youth Services Review, 66, 101–108. Web.
Harp, K. L. H., & Bunting, A. (2020). The racialized nature of child welfare policies and the social control of black bodies.Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 27(2), 258–281. Web.
Parolin, Z. (2019). Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the black–white child poverty gap in the United States.Socio-Economic Review. Web.
Soffer-Elnekave, R., Haight, W., & Jader, B. (2020). Parent mentoring relationships as a vehicle for reducing racial disparities: Experiences of child welfare-involved parents, mentors and professionals.Children and Youth Services Review, 109. Web.
Temporary aid to needy families (TANF).(n.d.). Office of Family Assistance. Web.
The temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) block grant: A legislative history. (2020). Congressional Research Service. Web.