Child Safety
Results Statement: Families have access to quality services and supports that work for them.
In the past, a large number of households were served by public welfare, however this has dropped dramatically since welfare reform (W-2) was introduced in 1996. In the zip codes that include Making Connections, welfare enrollment dropped 78% from 1994 to 2003. But more than 800 families are still a part of the W-2 caseload. Food stamp enrollments dropped 25% in the same period.
Households and children remain at risk.
According to the 2000 Census, roughly one quarter (24.7%) of children under the age of 18 live in two-parent households. More than half (55.3%) of children live in a household with one-parent. 20% of youth in the community (2,641 children) do not live with a parent – most, but not all, of these children live with a relative. A significant number of children are being raised by their grandparents, who have become their guardians.
