Abstract
Welfare reform was examined for 39 Michigan families whose children have significant health or intellectual and behavioral disabilities. As a group, these families received little specialized assistance or services to address their unique needs. Family-cited barriers to self-sufficiency included poorly trained welfare caseworkers, limited public transportation, and inadequate child care. Having an older child was the only discriminating variable between working and non-working mothers. However, working mothers only had temporary positions with no benefits and low pay. All families, whether employed or not, lived below the poverty line.
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LeRoy, B.W., Johnson, D.M. Open Road or Blind Alley? Welfare Reform, Mothers, and Children with Disabilities. Journal of Family and Economic Issues 23, 323–337 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021177831366
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021177831366