Development of the modern welfare system Early 20 th Century

Public v. Private n Pendulum swayed back and forth throughout U.S. history n By late 1800s welfare work mostly private – COS, Settlement Houses n Could the two work in harmony?

Origins of Current Public Welfare System n 1909 White House Conference on Dependent Children n Supported by social workers and sponsored by Theodore Roosevelt n The beginning of social work’s domination of child welfare issues

Purpose of Conference n Bring together leaders and their experiences n Develop a thorough plan for care of dependent children n “Home life is the highest and finest product of civilization” and “children should not be deprived of it except for urgent and compelling reasons.”

n Importance of foster care and adoption n Cottage type living if in institutions

Establishment of U.S. Children’s Bureau n Supported by social workers, especially those concerned with child labor n Opposed by businesses, who feared it would end child labor n Initially placed in U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor with a budget of about $25,000

n Children’s Bureau was mainly charged with investigating and reporting conditions n Headed by Julia Lathrop, social worker n Politically savvy, she first tackled infant mortality as an issue n Passage of Sheppard-Towner Act (1921) led to child and maternal health centers nationwide

Sheppard-Towner n Opposed as socialist (fear that government would come into home) n Opposed because headed by women’s efforts n Brought the federal government into child welfare through health through federal grants in aid to states

Widows’ Pensions/Mothers’ Aid n Another spin-off from 1909 conference n Children should reside at home and not be put in institutions or for adoption when widowed moms could not support n Anti-delinquency (mom should supervise) n End the separation of mother and child for reasons of poverty alone

n Also thought to be less costly (mom and child in institutions) n Opposed because it would transform charity into entitlement n Beginning of gendered welfare state (OASDI benefits men and means tested benefits women)

Widows’ Pensions Enacted n 1911 Missouri enacted for “full time mothers with dependent children” n In 1919, 39 states had such laws n By 1935, all but SC and GA n Return of public home relief n Foundation for Title IV of SS Act (AFDC) – needy children cared for in own homes

Part of a Broader Movement n Progressives also sought end to child labor n Also compulsory social insurance, workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance, old age insurance (labor union support) n Women’s suffrage (1920) n Prohibition (1919)