Works In Progress - June 2006 - Governor Gregoire to cut children off Welfare

SANCTION: A penalty intended to enforce compliance or conformity; a coercive measure adopted usually by several nations against a nation violating international law.

Does this seem like a word that should be associated with Washington's poor children? Yes, according to Governor Gregoire. As of March 2007, children living in Washington will be "sanctioned" -- their welfare benefits cut off -- if their parents are perceived as not complying with welfare to work programs. Though it will harm children already facing a lack of support for basic needs, Gregoire is moving ahead with this policy change, despite:

over 500 letters and phone calls from constituents asking her not to cut welfare to children,

the welfare department's internal survey of 500 families in sanction, showing that most were sanctioned unfairly; they had reasons outside their control like lack of transportation or childcare, disabilities or other reasons preventing them from participating,

compelling written and spoken testimony from individuals and organizations explaining how this action will harm children,

a group of concerned legislators asking her to protect children,

research from other states that have sanctioned children showing that families whose welfare benefits are cut are those with the least education and work experience and who face the greatest barriers to work; they experience greater hardships, are less likely to become employed, and when employed, earn lower wages.

statistics showing families of color are disproportionately impacted by sanctions, especially Native American families who have been sanctioned at nearly twice the rate of other families.

Since President Clinton's Personal Responsibility Act in 1996, known as welfare reform, it seems an inordinate amount of responsibility has been heaped onto children. They are the majority of welfare recipients and the population most likely to be poor in our nation. The majority of poor children live in single parent families. In Washington, a single parent with two children receives only $546 in cash assistance. That amount hasn't increased in 14 years. The parent receives no, or inadequate, child support. They are required to look for work outside the home, while their work as sole caretaker for their children is devalued. Washington's welfare to work program is called Work First, while ironically our foster care system is called Children First. Allowing parents to care for their own children is more cost effective.

Work First has done a poor job of moving parents into living wage work. A state survey shows that parents who leave assistance for wages average less than $8 an hour. Rules require parents to take the first job offered, do not allow them to quit that job, and provide childcare support for only one year of college. Washington's Work First program is not a pathway out of poverty or to a better life, as it claims, but a dead end to a lifetime of low wage work, poverty and unending dependence on state benefits.

Parents work hard every day, no matter their socio-economic status. Penalizing families who are struggling to meet their basic needs is unfair to the families, the children and ultimately, to the community. Rather than sanctioning, our government should provide family support. This approach would recognize parents as resourceful, strong, competent and capable. It would:

support parental care of children as more beneficial and effective,

include access to high quality childcare and preschools,

ensure medical and dental coverage,

encourage education and job training, leading to living wage jobs with benefits,

work with communities to ensure adequate transportation and affordable housing.

Some in our community believe the myths and stereotypes that welfare recipients are lazy and need to be forced off the welfare roles. Few understand that it is the policies of the program that keep people mired in poverty. Governor Gregoire now wants to go so far as to punish children for the inadequacies of the Work First program. We need to educate our communities regarding family support versus family sanctions. Policies that support poor families break the cycle of poverty. Sanctions only make it more difficult for children to escape. Ask your legislators to maintain the child safety net and call or write Governor Gregoire, asking her to implement family support, not sanctions!

Office of the Governor

PO Box 40002

Olympia, WA 98504-0002

(360) 902-4111

Contact WROC, the Welfare Rights Organizing Coalition, to learn more. Join us for a day of action at the Evergreen State College graduation, where Governor Gregoire is the speaker.

1 pm

June 16th

Olympia (360) 352-9716

wrocoly@wroc.org

http://www.wroc.org

wrocsea@wroc.org

Seattle (206)324-3063