1 How do rates of teen pregnancy in 2011 compare to rates over the past century LECTURES 2001 had record low pregnancy rates Rate has been relatively stable Racial disparity in 2011 o White 39 3 1000 o Black 99 3 1000 o Latino 106 3 1000 2 Are there differences by race ethnicity Highest rates of pregnancy for Latinos Second for Blacks Lowest for whites 3 How do concerns over welfare dependency and decline of marriage influence discussions of teen pregnancy More likely to have children with someone they don t want to marry Possibility of shot gun marriage Concerns on who will be able to support them o Assumption that they will not be able to support themselves and need welfare Can t rely on marriage anymore o People getting married later and postponing it o Marriage and childbearing relationship has been changing Welfare is not a cause of teen pregnancy those who use public supports are less likely to have teen pregnancy 4 How does the perception of limited life options lead to teen childbirths Feeling disadvantaged and that they have limited life options will lead to teen childbirth because they don t think their life can change or get better Often are of lower SES lower measured abilities not doing well at school May want to feel a purpose and feel loved Don t see themselves as getting a career or that they can do anything because they are 5 What are the consequences of teen mothers as they reach their late 20s discouraged at young ages Less likely to finish high school More likely to use welfare o Welfare is more of a consequence than a cause More likely to get divorced or never be married 6 What has research shown to be the most effective programmatic approach to reducing rates of teen pregnancy A comprehensive approach o Sexual education o Access to contraceptives and reproductive health care o Youth development Expanding life skills and life options Changing attitudes and adult behaviors 7 Why has poverty become feminized over time three factors Changes in families 1 o Delay in age of first marriage o Rise in divorce o Increase in children born outside of the marriage o Increase in non family households o Increase in life expectancy Changes in economy o Women s labor force participation increases o Gap in earnings decreasing o Men s earnings have stagnated or declined Changes in public benefits o TANF for younger women o Social security for older women o They have shrunk or disappeared 8 How do women s wages compare to men s wages Women wages are lower 9 What is a means tested program Work based strategies o May babysit sell clothes recycle etc Network strategies family friends men o Work within networks o Families as a network o Extended family members o These networks are resources Agency based strategies o Food stamps cash assistance o Agencies that can provide resources None of these strategies work in isolation Deciding if an individual or family is eligible for government assistance based upon whether the individual or family possess the means to do without any help 10 How do women seek resources to make ends meet for their children 11 Why is mothering in poverty more about survival than choice Mothers focus is making sure they can survive and all their expenses and money go to survival not to doing things by choice or extra 12 What is a marriageability pool and how does sex ratio figure into women s decisions about relationships The people who are looking for marriage at the same time and with the same people There are fewer marriageable men than women Men don t have jobs and are not as able Women are having a harder time finding eligible partners 13 Why is there a discrepancy between the values and the behaviors of low income mothers Kin networks Relaxed parental expectations Flexible maternal role o Biological mom is not the only one responsible there are other moms 2 Have to do these strategies to deal with the situations despite if this is what they value or want to 14 What was the purpose for the creation of the ADC program in 1935 To support children whose parents are dead deserted or incapacitated o Men would have to work far away and desert their families without any Targeted at poor women to help them with their children o Benefits were low it d be better to get remarried but it was something for the resources time being Solutions for women focused policy o Stay home and care for children o But get married too low benefits Solution for women focused policy o Stay home and care for children o But get married too low benefits Very small program 15 What are some of the myths of welfare and what are the facts behind them Once on welfare always on welfare o Most people leave after 2 or 3 years o Real once on welfare only there for a few years and move out Welfare recipients don t want to work o They don t have the resources to be able to get a job o A lot of women have some part time unofficial job o Welfare money is not enough to live on o 4 5 families do something else also Children raised on welfare use welfare o 2 3 of daughters of highly dependent welfare users did not ever go on welfare o 16 used it sometimes 20 had a higher rate 1 5 not the majority Most women on welfare are African American o More poor whites than blacks o 2 1 ratio of white poor women to black women o More women numbers are white women Welfare causes families to break up Women on welfare have kids for money o Living on welfare means there is disadvantage of having children o Stressful environment o Don t have enough money to have kids o The amount of money they get per child is not actually enough o Less likely to have children than women who are not on welfare Women on welfare have a lot of kids Most teen mother turn to welfare o Only 5 of women on welfare are teen moms Payments are too generous 16 What is the lifetime limit for receipt of public assistance under welfare reform 60 months over their lifetime 5 years for cash benefits 3 Three month in a given 3 year period for food stamps if the adult is not working 17 What counts as a work activity 50 of recipients need to be involved in work activities o Unsubsidized work o Work experience o Education o Subsidized work o On the job training o Workfare Work must equal 20 hours for the first 24 days Work must equal 30 hours for receipt Lose payments if no longer working If work is reduced so is the check 18 What is a family cap and an illegitimacy bonus States that reduce the ratio of out of wedlock births to total birth and keep