Allison De Marco

Understanding the Impact of Poverty on Critical Events in Emerging Adulthood

Current trends have allowed some youth a lengthened transition to adulthood, in part because of demographic shifts that delay the time until adolescents assume adult roles. Although these trends are well documented, less research has examined how this impacts vulnerable subgroups. Using a sample of predominantly White youth (ages 18-33) from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 1,517), this study traces the timing of critical events in emerging adulthood. Using survival analysis, results suggest poverty impacts youth experiences of home leaving, marriage, and parenthood. Low-income youth are at greater risk of early home leaving but less likely to leave after age 18. They are less likely to marry, though they have a greater risk of parenthood prior to age 25. Taken as whole, these outcomes can set youth up for negative trajectories throughout adulthood and may not allow poor youth the same opportunity for an extended period of emerging adulthood.

The Influence of Family Economic Status on Home-Leaving Patterns During Emerging Adulthood

Demographic shifts have lengthened the transition to adulthood and altered home-leaving patterns. Though all emerging adults are affected, little research has examined the experience of poor youths in this context. Using The National Survey of Families and Households, this study examined age of home leaving, repeated home leaving, and exit destination (N = 1,517). Poverty was related to these patterns. Young adults who experienced childhood poverty or public assistance were less likely to leave for school; those who experienced poverty were less likely to ever leave or experience repeated home leaving; and those with a public assistance history were more likely to leave early. These emerging adults may require assistance to transition out of the home and transition to school.

An Evaluation of a Program to Increase Physical Activity for Young Children in Child Care

Research Findings: In the past 20 years, obesity rates among U.S. children have skyrocketed. In fact, 15.4% of 2- to 4-year-olds in North Carolina, where this study takes place, are obese, making it the 5th worst obesity rate in the nation. Research indicates that young children in preschool settings largely engage in sedentary activities, demonstrating the need for programs that encourage physical activity. Starting physical activity early helps children set patterns for lifelong learning and participation. In this article we describe the development and evaluation of a program of physical activities, Be Active Kids, designed to increase the level of physical activity of children birth to age 5 in child care settings in North Carolina. Using a single case study, multiple baseline design, we introduced the intervention in 6 classrooms in 3 child care centers. Teachers received a standardized training, and children in each classroom were observed for their level of physical activity during the baseline and treatment phases. Results demonstrated that teacher training and implementation of physical activities increased light and moderate/vigorous physical activity and was particularly effective when activities were teacher directed. Practice or Policy: This study provides evidence that a program of physical activity can help even the youngest children to be more physically active.This article describes the development and evaluation of a program of physical activities designed to increase the level of physical activity of children birth to age 5 in child care settings in North Carolina.

The relationship of maternal work characteristics to childcare type and quality in rural communities

Drawing on data from the Family Life Project collected in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, this paper examines the relationship between maternal work characteristics and childcare type and quality in rural communities. Research is limited on the childcare experiences of rural families. Rural areas have less access to formal childcare and families often commute long distances for work, restricting childcare options. Employed mothers using childcare were selected (n=441). Logistic and OLS regression was used to examine which characteristics, including workplace support, objective occupational measures, hours, wage, and shift, predicted care type and quality. Results indicated that most families were using informal care. Those with more hazardous work conditions and working night shifts were less likely to use centers. Higher quality care was related to more workplace support, center use, and higher wages. Implications for social policy and practice are discussed.

Delivering Welfare-to-Work Services in County Social Service Organizations: An Exploratory Study of Staff Perspectives

There is a limited body of knowledge on the role of staff in the implementation of welfare policy, especially how frontline staff members perceive an array of organizational factors and how these factors affect their ability to serve clients. This exploratory study builds upon this limited body of research by capturing staff perceptions of the personal and community resources that are needed to help TANF participants move from welfare to work in Californias CalWORKs program. It is based on staff perceptions of welfare-to-work services (from orientation to post-employment services) during the first five years of implementing welfare reform in eleven California county social service agencies (1998–2002). Data were collected from a sample of 292 welfare-to-work staff (line staff, specialists, and supervisors) through the use of a Web-based survey. The findings suggest that several factors impact service delivery, including the work environment, resources, characteristics of program participants, staff control over service provision, and staff knowledge and skills. The implications for practice and future research are identified.

Rural Neighborhood Context, Child Care Quality, and Relationship to Early Language Development

Research Findings: Prior research with older urban children indicates that a disadvantaged neighborhood context is associated with poorer early development, including poorer verbal ability, reading recognition, and achievement scores among children. Neighborhood disadvantage in rural communities and at younger age levels may also be related to development; however, this relationship has received little examination. In this study we utilized data from the Family Life Project, a representative sample of babies born to mothers in poor rural counties in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, to address questions related to the relationship between neighborhood context (disadvantage and safety) and childrens early language development. We examined the mediation of this relationship by child care quality. We also examined geographic isolation and collective socialization as moderators of the relationship between neighborhood context and child care quality. Results indicated that although neighborhood disadvantage did not predict childrens development or child care quality, neighborhood safety predicted childrens receptive language, with child care quality a partial mediator of this relationship. Collective socialization but not geographic isolation moderated the relationship between neighborhood safety and child care quality. Practice or Policy: Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed, including improving community safety through community policing, neighborhood watch, and social networks and increasing access to quality child care.

A qualitative look at child care selection among rural welfare-to-work participants

The welfare reforms of 1996 changed the administration of public assistance to children and families. One of the key provisions, requiring parents to join the workforce, resulted in an expanded need for child care. Prior research demonstrates that welfare recipients, particularly in rural areas, utilize informal child care arrangements. Further, recipients in rural communities face greater challenges due to a lack of transportation, geographic spread, and less access to services. This qualitative study examined the child care selection experiences of 33 welfare recipients in six rural Northern California counties. More families selected home-based than center-based child care. During their search processes, welfare recipients utilized both formal and informal routes to locate child care providers. Parents took advantage of their connections with the social service system, but also accessed their social networks for recommendations. Rural families also reported that their choices were constrained by the available programs, transportation, and by the quality of the programs they were able to access. Given the high rate of utilization of home-based arrangements among families in welfare-to-work programs, quality of care in such programs should be improved. Recommendations for increasing quality and access, as well as supports for welfare to work participants, are discussed.

The Community Empowerment Fund: A Matched Saving Model as an Innovative Approach to Housing the Homeless

Prevention efforts, rapid rehousing, and housing-first approaches have been major contributors in addressing homelessness. However, budget cuts may jeopardize these gains. The objective of this article is to use administrative data to examine an innovative new program’s ability to assist those experiencing homelessness to attain and retain permanent housing through asset building and access to financial services to build a more financially secure future. Results suggest that this program does foster savings and the attainment of permanent housing. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Making the Transition from Welfare to Work: Employment Experiences of CalWORKs Participants in the San Francisco Bay Area

ABSTRACT This study describes welfare-to-work participants in the San Francisco Bay Area, support services, experiences with the CalWORKs program, and predictors of employment status in the wake of welfare reform. Findings indicate that many are working and more Stayers and Recidivists than Leavers are using food stamps and Medi-Cal. Multivariate analysis reveals that race and financial supports were the significant factors contributing to employability, defined as the ability to secure employment despite the need to supplement earned income with welfare payments. To help people stay off of welfare, case management services are needed to help participants maintain employment and increase job skills. In addition to expanding our understanding of human behavior within the social environment of poverty, implications for practice and policy are identified.

Moving Beyond Geography: Health Practices and Outcomes Across Time and Place

This chapter examines the place effects on health that may persist and/or change over time and distance by focusing on the interaction of place and health in three distinct immigrant communities. Rather than equating community with a single, static geographic location, the approach taken in this chapter highlights the dynamism inherent in both community and place by examining how place of origin affects health beyond the original geographic boundaries and how such effects may change over time. Examining the interaction between immigrants’ places of origin and their host societies allows deeper insight into how place effects operate. We seek to understand how shared identities, a shared culture, and/or a shared experience with a particular place of origin may impact health outcomes and practices, and how those outcomes and practices may change over time. To investigate the persistence of health beliefs and practices, we first examine health practices among Chinese immigrants to England. We then turn to the study of health outcomes across time and place by examining notable health phenomena among two groups of immigrants. These phenomena include the “Roseto effect” among Italian immigrants to Pennsylvania and the “epidemiological paradox” of Mexican immigrants to the USA. These case studies suggest the centrality of the social aspects of community in place effects on health.