Deep Poverty Among Children Worsened in Welfare Law’s First Decade

While data illustrating the impact of welfare reform in the past two decades show an increase in parents working and fewer people on welfare, a closer look at the data reveal troubling trends related to children and families living in deep poverty, meaning those living below half the federal poverty line.  Such observations were recently released in a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  Researchers found that the percentage of children living in deep poverty rose from 2.1 to 3 percent. Key findings included the following:  early welfare-to-work programs increased deep poverty even as they reduced overall poverty; measured carefully, deep poverty rose nationwide; and more families are living on less than $2 per person per day.  These findings illustrate that welfare reform has done little for our nation’s poorest families.  Click here to read more.