Video
“Daddy Don’t Go” is a film capturing two years in the lives of four disadvantaged fathers in New York City as they fight to defy the odds against them. And the odds are real - men living in poverty are more than twice as likely to become absent fathers than their middle-class peers (U.S. Census Bureau). “Daddy Don’t Go” is a tough but tender journey that aims to illuminate the everyday struggles of disadvantaged fathers. Alex, Nelson, Roy and Omar shatter the deadbeat dad stereotype and redefine what it means to be a good father for all men. (Author summary)
This chapter draws upon 14 years of related ethnographic studies to uncover the principal features that characterize family life among the poor. Experiences dealing with multiple agencies are discussed, as well as experiences dealing with health problems in the context of the U.S. medical care system, and the aftermaths of household emergencies. 34 references.
This chapter reviews how theorists and policymakers portray the state’s capacity to alter the behavior and beliefs of low income parents and then highlights findings from a study of two women’s experiences in their efforts to find jobs and supportive resources. Finding a job and securing welfare supports were linked to their parenting pathway, however, the mothers’ first concern was their children’s well-being. The chapter concludes by exploring whether the motivating power of raising children might lead to a more effective family policy. 34 references. (Author abstract modified)
This chapter synthesizes the results of both quantitative experimental and qualitative research about how low-income children fare as their mothers spend more time in the labor market and attempt to strike a new balance between work and parenting. Findings indicate policies that effectively increase parental income as they increase employment improve the well-being of young children and are the most promising for helping families cope. Numerous references.
Unpublished Paper
The negative effects of incarceration on child well-being are often linked to the economic insecurity of formerly incarcerated parents. Researchers caution, however, that the effects of parental incarceration may be small in the presence of multiple partner fertility and other family complexity. Despite these claims, few studies directly observe either economic insecurity or the full extent of family complexity. We study parent-child relationships with a unique data set that includes detailed information about economic insecurity and family complexity among parents just released from prison.…
This book explores how dramatic changes in family welfare policies over the past decade have impacted the work, child care practices, and relationships of low-income mothers and fathers. Drawing upon several local, State, and national qualitative studies, the book explores how women and men are reading the policy signals, rules, and incentives as they attempt to raise their children and earn sufficient income to hold their families together. The text is divided into three themes centered around women’s roles as workers and mothers, policy effects on children, and the evolving role of fathers…
The author of this chapter suggests that attempts to encourage fathers to remain with their families do not address the economic and social reality of low-income men and single parent families. The statistics about father absence fail to calculate the number of non-resident fathers who are involved with their children but do not provide financial assistance and do not consider that residence with an abusive father is more harmful than living in a single parent household. Furthermore, the public image of low-income single mothers depicts them as unwilling to work or supervise their children…
Economic theory can be used to explain family behavior and trends in marriage, divorce, births, and child development. This chapter provides an economic perspective to explore questions about why some nonresident fathers withhold financial and emotional support from their children. The economic model includes variables such as the level of consumption by each parent and child, shared and private goods, the amount spent on children, parental cooperation, and differences in spending of fathers and mothers. The text summarizes evidence about trends in child support and visitation and the ability…
This 1998 report profiles what States are doing to promote the well-being of America's youngest children and families. It gives a picture of the level of commitment to young children and families across the States. The report includes data on State-by-State indicators of young child and family well-being; on State-by-State investments in basic support services for young children such as health care, child care, and early education; and on indicators relevant to how welfare reform implementation is likely to affect families with young children. The report is divided into 4 chapters with the…
Despite the increase in the number of children born to unwed White mothers, social policies and attitudes about female-headed households usually depict the family structure as a Black issue. Public discourse continues to view the matriarchal family as abnormal and the cause of many problems in the Black community, such as criminal behavior and drug abuse. Black men are considered to be unsuitable role models and unable to lead their families, a belief that White Americans have maintained since the days of slavery. However, these criticisms of Black fathers distract attention from the social…
