Traps, Pitfalls, and Unexpected Cliffs on the Path Out of Poverty

Abstract

Abstract A qualitative study was conducted to explore “cliff effects,” the overall dip in household resources when working poor families become ineligible for government work supports. The study included a survey of 78 low‐income women and 32 social service providers, followed by interviews with smaller subsets of each. We asked how low‐income women who are either on the verge of government support loss or who have recently experienced government support loss manage this circumstance and explored the effects on families' well‐being. We found that the participants with the highest average income ($34,000/year) were doing worse in terms of their well‐being than those with lower incomes. We recommend updating eligibility work support criteria and increasing support levels, developing “cliff effect trainings” for social service providers, and improving accessibility to higher education for working parents.

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