Children in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Child-Only Cases with Relative Caregivers

Final Report

June 2004

Prepared for:
David Nielsen
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation(ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Prepared by:
Deborah Gibbs, Jennifer Kasten, Anupa Bir, and Sonja Hoover
RTI International
and
Dean Duncan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and
Janet B. Mitchell
Scientific Reviewer

This report is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/child-only04

Printed Copy (in PDF format)

Contents

Executive Summary

Chapters

1. Introduction
   • 1.1 Background
   • 1.2 Pathways to Kinship Care
   • 1.3 Research Questions
2. Literature Review
   • 2.1 Methods
   • 2.2 Parental and Nonparental Child-Only Cases
     • 2.2.1 Definitions and Classifications
   • 2.3 Growing Proportions of TANF Child-Only Cases
     • 2.3.1 Context for Growth in TANF Child-Only Cases
     • 2.3.2 State Variation in Child-Only Caseloads
   • 2.4 Informal and Formal Relative Caregiving Arrangements
   • 2.5 Well-Being of Children in Relative Care
     • 2.5.1 Children Enter Relative Care When Parents Cannot Care for Them
     • 2.5.2 Relative Care May Be the Best Alternative
     • 2.5.3 Relative Care Offers Stability
     • 2.5.4 Children Often Exposed to Trauma
     • 2.5.5 Physical and Emotional Health Is Poor
     • 2.5.6 School Performance Is Poor
     • 2.5.7 Financial Hardship
   • 2.6 Services Needed to Maintain Well-Being
   • 2.7 State Responses to Child-Only Cases
     • 2.7.1 Annual State TANF Plans
     • 2.7.2 Composition of Child-Only Caseload
     • 2.7.3 State Initiatives
   • 2.8 Discussion
3. Secondary Analysis
   • 3.1 Analytic Approach
   • 3.2 The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well Being
     • 3.2.1 Data Overview
     • 3.2.2 Identifying Child-Only Cases and Comparison Groups
     • 3.2.3 Analysis
     • 3.2.4 Summary
   • 3.3 Analysis of the Survey of Income and Program Participation
     • 3.3.1 Data Overview
     • 3.3.2 Identifying Child-Only Cases and Comparison Groups
     • 3.3.3 Analysis
     • 3.3.4 Summary
   • 3.4 Discussion
4. Case Studies
   • 4.1 Case Study Methods
     • 4.1.1 Design
     • 4.1.2 Site Selection
     • 4.1.3 Data Collection
     • 4.1.4 Analysis
   • 4.2 Who Are the Children in TANF Child-Only Cases with Relative Caregivers in Case Study States?
     • 4.2.1 Demographics of TANF Child-Only Cases with Relative Caregivers
     • 4.2.2 Living Arrangements
     • 4.2.3 Well-Being
   • 4.3 How Do Service Systems Respond to Children in TANF Child-Only Cases with Relative Caregivers?
     • 4.3.1 Formal and Informal Kinship Care
     • 4.3.2 Licensed and Unlicensed Relative Foster Care
     • 4.3.3 Collaboration between TANF and Child Welfare Agencies
   • 4.4 How Do States Assess, Respond to, and Monitor the Needs and Well-Being of Children in TANF Child-Only Cases with Relative Caregivers?
     • 4.4.1 Eligibility and Intake
     • 4.4.2 Assessment of Child/Family Needs
     • 4.4.3 Financial and Other Supports
     • 4.4.4 Health and Mental Health Service Needs
     • 4.4.5 Case Management
     • 4.4.6 Custody and Permanency
     • 4.4.7 Caregiver Services and Initiatives
   • 4.5 Discussion
5. Summary and Conclusions

References

Figures

Figure 1-1 Pathways to Kinship Care
Figure 2-1 Number of Child-Only Cases and Proportion of the TANF Caseload

Tables

Table 2-1 Child-Only Cases as a Percentage of Total TANF Caseload, October 2000 - September 2001
Table 2-2 Reasons Parents in Household Not Eligible for Assistance, October 2000 - September 2001
Table 2-3 Relationship of Child-Only Recipient to Head of Household, October 2000 - September 2001
Table 2-4 Child Welfare Involvement and Financial Support for Kinship Care
Table 2-5 Services Available to Families in Kinship Care
Table 2-6 Child-Only References in Annual State TANF Plans
Table 2-7 Child-Only Trends and Practices by State
Table 3-1 Descriptions of Comparison Groups
Table 3-2 Logic and Order of Comparison Group Creation
Table 3-3 Definitions of TANF Eligibility by Income Range and Household Size
Table 3-4 Demographic Characteristics of Children by Group
Table 3-5 Summary of Child Well-Being Measures by Age
Table 3-6 Measures of Well-Being
Table 3-7 Child-Reported Service Use
Table 3-8 Caregiver Reported Program Use
Table 3-9 Percent Reporting Social Services Received by Children
Table 3-10 Logic and Order of Comparison Group Creation
Table 3-11 Demographics
Table 3-12 Percent Reporting Service Use
Table 3-13 Child's Home and Environment
Table 3-14 Child's Nutrition
Table 3-15 Child's Education
Table 3-16 Child's Health and Health Care Utilization
Table 4-1 Data Collection Approaches
Table 4-2 Characteristics of TANF Child-Only Cases, FY2001
Table 4-3 Financial Support for Formal and Informal Kinship Care
Table 4-4 Licensed and Unlicensed Relative Foster Care
Table 4-5 Relative Guardianship Programs

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Home Pages:
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Last updated:10/18/04