Parents and youth impacted by the child welfare system have called for unconditional cash and direct investment in families and communities, which research shows can reduce child welfare involvement.
Throughout this series, FPP is exploring:
- >> Economic policies and conditions that expose families to child welfare involvement;
- >> Local and national advocate efforts to shift public assistance toward providing unconditional cash to better protect families from the impacts of poverty;
- >> Guaranteed Income as a tool for family investment and a policy strategy to reduce child welfare involvement.
Launched in May 2024, the Cash Matters series will include informational explainers, teach-ins and interviews with experts on cash access, parents and youth impacted by ACS, and groups organizing in NYC. The goal is to help advocates, policymakers, journalists and elected officials envision how city and state economic policies might better protect against child welfare involvement.
Reach out to us at info@familypolicynyc.org with any questions.
Read Interviews with Experts on Cash Support
‘The pandemic reinforced a need for assistance that’s flexible and that provides folks with choice, dignity and the trust to make decisions about what they and their families need. But there’s still a lot of work to be done to change attitudes about receiving assistance.’
– Changing the Narrative Around Cash Assistance: Julia Casey, FPWA
‘This is a big moment. Families absolutely should be getting more support than they’re getting right now, and policymakers are talking about doing things that might actually make that possible.’
– Making Cash Policies Work for Families: Aditi Shrivastava, CBPP
‘Psychological costs like shame and stigma have always been a feature of assistance programs. You are scrutinized as to why you need assistance, and that scrutiny is a cost of receiving benefits.’
– Addressing Administrative Burdens That Push People Away from Support: Carolyn Barnes, University of Chicago
‘In child welfare, you start the relationship with a report in your hand that accuses you of being a bad parent. I can’t think of any other accusation that would hit home harder. With unconditional cash, you’re starting the relationship saying, we assume that you are good and knowledgeable about how to spend your money. It’s the opposite of a pejorative system.’
– How Guaranteed Income Gives Families Space to Breathe: Allison Thompson, Center for Guaranteed Income Research
‘We start with the hypothesis that every mom’s situation is different. We have really learned that when you provide flexible cash, everyone can access what they actually need.’
– What NYC Is Learning About the Impacts of Unconditional Cash on Moms and Babies: The Bridge Project
Learn About the Reality of Cash Support in NYC–and How It Can Shift
Take Our Survey: What do you want from the Cash Matters series?
We are working with the NY State Cash Alliance and other allies to build knowledge and momentum for legislative change. What questions do you want us to answer? How can our work support your advocacy?
>> Click here to take the survey
We’d especially like to hear from parents, youth and others who want to get involved in legislative advocacy to expand cash support for families!