Preparing Children For Success: Parents’ Perspectives On Promoting Savings And Education

Many states are implementing asset development strategies to promote postsecondary education for low- to moderate- income families, realizing that limited education is a powerful predictor of poverty, and poverty mediates the likelihood of obtaining postsecondary education. Using demographic and qualitative data collected from two groups of low- to moderate-income parents (N = 24), this article highlights two programs that promote savings and increase post-secondary education for these children and families. The 21st Century Scholars Program targets youths, and the complementary Educational Development Accounts program targets their parents. This article also explores perspectives of the participants’ experiences, beliefs, and perceptions relative to savings and education and the success of their children in these areas. It concludes with implications for asset-building programs and policy whose aim is to assist low- to moderate- income families in achieving economic and educational mobility and implications for social welfare policy

Voices From The 'Holler': Implementation And Analysis Of An Advanced Advocacy Practice Course In Rural Appalachia

The availability of quality macro education is a critical determinant to policy engagement among social workers, especially for those in geographically isolated areas. This mixed methods, pilot study compares self-assessed CSWE policy competencies of graduating MSW students who completed an Advanced Advocacy Practice course with a comparison group. Student course reflections were also analyzed for common themes. Results indicate that students who completed the course rated themselves higher across policy competencies than graduating MSW students who had not completed the course. They were also more likely to see policy advocacy as a “primary skill” for social workers. Qualitative analysis suggests that participants gained greater confidence in their macro practice skills. This pilot study provides an important contribution to the limited existent research on best practices for social work policy education, especially for those in rural areas

Distance Education In Social Work: A Review Of The Literature

The growth of online technologies in higher education has presented new challenges for the field of social work education. Some have questioned whether this human interaction-dependent profession can be ethically delivered online. Technology also poses special challenges for social work education and practice in the areas of confidentiality and professional boundaries. These ethical questions have resulted in a lag for research in the area of online social work education when compared to other fields. This review of the relevant literature attempts to discover the current state of knowledge for social work education technologies. Findings indicate that barriers to human interaction and technical glitches are common concerns for educators. However, there is evidence that online social work students have statistically similar outcomes in comparison to traditional students and that technology presents new opportunities to the field if properly utilized

Cohabitation And Marital Status: Their Relationship With Economic Resources And Intimate Partner Violence

Household economic decisions have historically been viewed through a patriarchal lens; however, using empowerment theory, the effects and implications of economic resources in the lives of low-income individuals are being reexamined and reconstructed. No longer is it sufficient to view economic resources or intimate partner violence (IPV) from a one- dimensional perspective; a holistic, multi-dimensional approach examining the complexities of economic resources and IPV must be viewed from the inequities that arise from social, economic and cultural power imbalances. Research studies have traditionally examined the relationship between household income and only the physical abuse component of IPV. In more recent research, after controlling for income, household financial assets are also found to be associated with various measures of personal well-being. Yet little information is available regarding the correlation between income, financial assets and intimate partner violence. Given the importance of a variety of variables on a woman’s decision to leave an abusive relationship, it is important to examine these relationships. Data from a bi-state longitudinal study of 904 low-income individuals were used to assess the relationship between household assets and IPV outcomes. Findings indicate that personal income, assets in the form of savings, marital status, household composition, and housing status are significantly related to differential reports of IPV. Implications for this research are discussed

Predicting Paternalism: Welfare Asset Limits And State-Level Demographic, Economic, And Political Factors

Welfare eligibility is usually determined via income and financial assets. Since devolution of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families administration in 1996, there is significant state variation in these criteria. Previous research suggests that income limits are influenced by racial politics, with more restrictive criteria associated with higher Black populations. The current study examined whether asset testing is similarly determined. Findings indicate that asset tests are positively associated with a democratic State Senate, median income, and the percentage of Black residents. The presence of advocates seeking to advance asset-building opportunities to low-income families may have influenced this divergence in income and asset testing

Student Attitudes Toward Poverty In A Social Welfare Policy Course: Online Versus Face To Face

The growth of online higher education has presented important questions for social workers in academia. Can a human-based profession be properly taught online? In macro courses, are social work students able to gain a complex understanding of human experience, social justice, and oppression without the benefit of face-to-face debate and dialogue? In an undergraduate social welfare policy course, pre and post anonymous opinions surveys were collected on the causes of poverty. Students in both a face-to-face and an online course section, were asked to rate their agreement with the statements “Poverty is usually caused by individual actions” and “Poverty is usually caused by societal actions.” While no statistically significant changes appeared for face-to-face students, online students were more likely to decrease blame for individual actions and increased attribution for societal actions at posttest. Reasons for this difference will be discussed, including the possible role of peer influence in face-to-face course sessions

Shelter From The Storm: TANF, Assets, And The Great Recession

A growing body of literature suggests that asset limits in public assistance are associated with low savings rates among low- income families. Several states have begun eliminating or significantly increasing asset limits in an attempt to address potential disincentives. The primary concern for other states, however, appears to be the possibility that caseloads would increase to unsustainable levels, especially in times of economic recession. Five states that eliminated or increased asset limits during the Great Recession were analyzed for changes in caseload size after the rule change. Results suggest that there is no significant relationship between asset limits and caseload size

Examining Relationships Between Financial Capital And Personal Well-Being

Researchers have traditionally examined economic well-being with income data, yet recent findings indicate positive effects of assets on well-being, independent from income. For this study, baseline data from 904 low-income individuals were used to examine relationships between income, assets, and personal, social, and economic outcomes. Baseline findings indicate that financial assets did not influence perceptions of self-efficacy, economic strain, or social support. However, an individual’s age was associated with perceived outcomes, with increased age leading to decreased support and self-efficacy and increased economic strain. A discussion of findings and implications of this research for community-based strategies is provided

The Forgotten 1980s Rule That's Hurting Poor Families' Savings

Essay posted on theatlantic.com

Foster Parent Support And Retention: A Policy Approach

Foster parent retention is an important, yet often overlooked, component to long term outcomes for children in the foster care system. A recent pilot study examining the perspectives of four Arkansas foster care caseworkers found that, much like the rest of the country, Arkansas experiences high foster parent attrition. This current study explores the perceived effectiveness among sixteen foster parents of the Foster Parent Support Act of 2007 for improving retention in Arkansas. It was discovered that Arkansas foster parents were largely unaware of the act and reported insufficient support, voice and information in the child welfare process