Do Private Safety Nets Increase Employment and Reduce Welfare Receipt among Single Mothers?

Kristen Harknett, University of Pennsylvania

In this paper, I examine the relationship between social network support and employment and welfare receipt among low-income single mothers in three U.S. counties. Departing from prior research in this area, I measure private safety nets as the potential to draw upon family and friends for child care, transportation, or financial assistance in the event that these supports are needed. I find that private safety nets facilitate employment and reduce reliance on welfare. My findings suggest that social network disadvantages compound individual-level disadvantages and that social networks should be taken into account when designing and targeting welfare policies.