Education is the key to a livable working wage and a major hurdle for welfare families. There is a great need, for example, for Spanish speaking trainers for home care workers. Nearly every family contacted cited the importance of child care, health insurance, transportation and a move up the pay scale. While the number of families on welfare are decreasing, caseloads are increasing and have at least doubled in the three years since welfare reform. Most have left because of an increase in earnings and employment.
Families earning three times above their welfare grant lose the grant.
The TANF clock stops when individuals work 30 hours or when two parents work a total of 35 hours. Supportive services are available for child care and for continuing education. We are one of a few states that has drawn down the full amount of federal monies. The YWCA caseload for women with subsidies needing child care has grown from 200 to 2000 and has required an increase from 2 to 11 employees. YWCA has 5 licensed facilities in Waukegan providing before and after school care.