Welfare Reform and Children’s Living Arrangements

Rachel Dunifon, Cornell University
Kathryn Hynes, Cornell University

This paper uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine how the pre- and post-1996 welfare reforms influenced the family structures in which children live. This paper advances our understanding of the influence of welfare policies on children by focusing on children’s living arrangements, rather than those of single mothers; by examining a wide range of living arrangements, including cohabitation and living with a grandparent; and by measuring specific state policies adopted throughout the 1990’s, rather than just indicators for the implementation of any waivers or TANF in a given state. The results can shed light on how policy choices adopted by states can influence the living arrangements of children.