Re-Visioning the Environment of Support for Single Mothers in Extreme Poverty Round Table Respondents: Dr. Sylvia Fuller, UBC - Sociology Dr. Paul Kershaw, UBC – HELP & Political Science, Dr. Jane Pulkingham, SFU - Sociology Dr. Margot Young, UBC – Law And you…. Round Table Chair:  Dr. Marge Reitsma-Street (University of Victoria) Presenters:  Dr. Penny Gurstein, UBC  Silvia Vilches, Ph.D. student, UBC

Income Assistance Project Investigates the experiences of single mothers on income assistance to better understand how public policies can respond to the support needed by these women to adequately care for their child(ren) and themselves Data derived from “The Income Assistance Project” - a five-year research project which documents how changes to IA affect the daily lives of single mother families with preschool children through qualitative, in-depth interviews every 6 months over a three-year period with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women living in urban Vancouver and the rural Bulkley Valley

Understanding the Policy Context: Whose Responsibility? Welfare Diamond – the relationship of the public/state, the market, the community or voluntary sector & the family –in terms of the provision of care for those in need Three questions that highlight gendered nature of care (after Jenson) –Who cares? –Who pays? –Whose responsibility is it?

The system of support – thinking with an ecological framework Family supports Family, friends, neighbours, etc. graphic Public sector/ State Community services; Housing regulation & support; Child care; Income assistance; Medical supports; Social services programs; Schools Market labour market; housing market; job history; globalization; Community Food banks; neighbourhood associations, houses, voluntary sector Women, children & families

Interlocking Support Systems Well, my sister helps me, and that is really neat. I felt really guilty before, like, that’s why I even ended up being with my kids for three and a half years non-stop. And I remember too, I was just so exhausted, like I had to think if I could just have a 20 minute nap I would feel okay again but I couldn’t - because I couldn’t even take a shower, because my boys were like that….But she’s helped me a lot with, like, ways that she’s been to me and stuff. And it’s sometimes nice just to have somebody to talk to, like. And I didn’t want to pressure her, because she doesn’t have any kids, so it’s not like I want to make my problems other peoples’ problems. (“Laura”)

A Precarious Social Network My kids gotta have something first before [I eat]. I don’t care if I don’t eat. I always say that [to myself] I don’t care about me, but I care about you. (“Olivia”) need comes first Inflexible demand - inelastic Women = providers = responsible

Social Supports: A Two-way Street A Fragile System Balancing need with giving: Women are… –source of support to immediate family & others –receive support from others Stressing the System Social networks does not always equal “social capital” –Forcing women to resort to their social networks can put them at risk of violence –Can weaken others in their networks –Can obligate them to return “favours” Complex webs of interaction Reciprocal set of obligations

Impacts of Policies on Daily Living Housing insecurity = food insecurity –food insecurity puts the health and safety of mothers and their children at risk Lowering of income assistance amounts –precipitates both housing and food insecurity Dependency of women on the system of financial supports –Increases insecurity of their basic living supports Health & Disabilities increases the risk Linked in an “ecological system” Makes women work harder to cope

Re-Imagining Social Supports Policy that achieves outcomes… –Gives women credit for supporting others –Applauds sharing rather than penalizing it –Ensures that women can maintain barriers to preserve personal safety –Provides adequate food security supports –Recognizes significant health problems within the family as requiring extra supports for the carer –Identifies children as doing best when cared for adequately within a family context –Links paid and unpaid work

Re-Imagining Responsibility & Accountability Supporting the supports Letting family, friends, neighbours, speak for need. Paying for services Not exhausting networks – appreciating networks – credits? graphic Re-Imagining the Role of Market Addressing systemic inequalities – responsible to leg. Re-asserting the role of state as an essential and necessary partner even in the face of globalization Supporting Community to help Food banks; neighbourhood associations, houses, voluntary sector Public sector/ State, responsible for reducing poverty: Recognizing the integrated nature of supports – infrastructure – as a service to all, not just targeted population – e.g. hot lunch programs in schools Case workers as advocates Women, children & families

A Context of Support Re-imagining the family as an essential support system requires moving public policy away from a focus on the individual and toward strengthening the capacity of networks, both formal and informal, to work together to support women, children and families. Not just income security changes… but a change in the way we see ourselves as citizens