Welfare Reform & Lone Mothers' Employment. The 1990s in the US saw the devolution of much of welfare policy to State level, the introduction of work requirements for welfare recipients, increased childcare provision and a rise in the Earned Income Tax Credit. These reforms were introduced to move lone mothers into work - by mandating work, making work pay and helping with childcare - and the evidence presented here suggests that they did just that. Between 1994 and 1995 the numbers of people on welfare fell by half from 5million to 2.5 million. Over the same period labour force participation of lone mothers increased by 10%. Analysis suggests that this was due to a combination of two factors - the welfare reforms and the strong US economy. By Jane Waldfogel, Sandra K. Danziger, Sheldon Danziger and Kristin Seefeldt of the UK based Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion. Also worth viewing is the Urban Institute's Assessing the New Federalism project, which, amongst other things, tests the impact of lone parents' moves into work on child poverty.

By Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion, US.

Employment Policy Resource.