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Child Care "Packaging" Among TANF Recipients: Implications for Social Work
By Anu Rangarajan, Allison Zippay
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 24, 2; April 2007, p.153-172

Summary: This article presents the results of a study that examined the ways in which current and recent recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assembled or “packaged” their child care arrangements among formal and informal providers. Data from current and former welfare recipients show that multiple providers were used within the category of informal child care for reasons including availability, the use of a network of social acquaintances as a problem-solving resource, the need to accommodate irregular work hours, and personal trauma that contributed to a distrust of strangers in formal settings. Most respondents “packaged” their child care arrangements by drawing on combinations of care by friends, family, school-based programs, and latch-key arrangements. Many of these respondents preferred that their young children be cared for by someone they knew. Findings can affect the efficacy of practice with TANF recipients by contributing to social workers’ understanding of the context of decision-making regarding child care. Contains 63 references.

Index Terms: Child Care, Data Collection, Data Reporting, Demographics, Poverty, Welfare Reform, Availability, Social Workers, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Publisher: Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal

Publication Type: Journal Articles

Pages: 19 pages
Language: English

 
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