little chance of advancing up the economic ladder?” (Samuel 1).
While no one can deny the success of the TANF program in moving single mothers from welfare to work, it appears the lack of a holistic support program working in tandem with TANF that addresses the specific needs of single working mothers has made the shift one more akin to moving from the frying pan to the fire. Without a holistic approach being adopted to address the issues these new working mothers experience, they are often doomed to a life of poverty even though they work. This is because there are many issues affecting a single working mother with a pre-school child that TANF does not provide support or guidance for, issues like health care, child care, education, pay scales and taxes “There have been successes in terms of the ability of government to move people, women and children, off welfare, but it looks like what they are essentially doing is only moving them out of welfare traps into poverty traps” (Samuel 1).
Other programs and support services need to be instituted which are designed to address the issues that affect single working moms who have successfully made the transition from welfare to work. A holistic approach is needed to address issues that these mothers often encounter, such as a lack of child care, a lack of health insurance, and a lack of education and skills which keeps them trapped in working poverty. A holistic approach would address these needs in order to enable the recipient of TANF’s benefits to raise the standard of living for herself and her child. When a women with a pre-school child is on welfare, she receives many benefits to help her address some of the needs that once she becomes a member of the
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