The Role of Informal Social Resources in Facilitating Employment Outcomes for TANF Recipients

Julia Henly
University of Chicago
969 E. 60th Street
Chicago IL 60637
773-834-1214
FAX: 773-702-0874
j-henly@uchicago.edu
 
Sandra Danziger
University of Michigan
540 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor MI 48109
734-764-5254
FAX: 734-998-8516
sandrak@umich.edu
 
Shira Offer
University of Chicago
969 E. 60th Street
Chicago IL 60637
773-834-1214
shira@midway.uchicago.edu
Purpose:  Several welfare reform studies report human capital as well as mental and physical health deficits can act as barriers to employment. There has been limited attention, however, to the role that informal resources can play in both moderating the influence of these barriers and directly affecting employment and economic outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of such informal resources for TANF recipients.
 
Methods:  This paper will report findings from a three-wave (1997,1998, 1999) longitudinal study of 631 welfare recipients in an urban Michigan county. Social support is measured as the perceived availability of support in four areas (emotional, instrumental, informational, and monetary). Economic/Employment outcomes are measured as (a) presence of employment in year three, (b) months worked in year three, (c) and welfare/work status at time three. Demographic, human capital, health, depression, and formal support use indicators are included as controls. OLS and probit models will test the importance of social support relative to human capital, health, and depression indicators for the set of outcomes. An interaction model examining the moderating influence of social support on human capital, physical health, depression, and formal supports will also be tested.
 
Results:  Preliminary bivariate results demonstrate higher levels of support are associated with a greater likelihood of working and more months worked; and welfare use is inversely related to social support. Further bivariate analyses suggest individuals with human capital, health, and depression barriers report less rather than more access to informal resources. The multivariate analyses are currently underway.
 
Implications for Policy: The paper will consider the relevance of knowledge regarding informal support availability to the design and implementation of welfare-to-work policy. Specifically, the paper will explore the fruitfulness of policy efforts to respond to deficits in informal support networks through the development of formal employment-related services.