View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Poverty after Birth: How Mothers Experience and Navigate U.S. Safety Net Programs to Address Family Needs.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Poverty after Birth: How Mothers Experience and Navigate U.S. Safety Net Programs to Address Family Needs.
Authors: Marti-Castaner, Maria, Pavlenko, Tonya, Engel, Ruby, Sanchez, Karen, Crawford, Allyson E., Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, Wimer, Christopher
Source: Journal of Child & Family Studies. Aug2022, Vol. 31 Issue 8, p2248-2265. 18p. 2 Charts.
Subjects: Childbirth, Minorities, Social support, Food relief, Interviewing, Qualitative research, Safety-net health care providers, Descriptive statistics, Poverty, Homelessness, Public welfare, Thematic analysis, Housing
Geographic Terms: New York (State)
Abstract: Although pregnancy and the first year of life are sensitive windows for child development, we know very little about the lived experiences of mothers living in poverty or near poverty during the perinatal period; specifically, how they perceive and use public resources to support themselves and their newborn. In this qualitative study, we explore how predominantly Black and Latinx mothers with infants living in or near poverty and engaged in public assistance manage to meet their family's needs with available resources from safety net programs and social supports. We conducted 20 qualitative interviews with mothers living in (85%) or near poverty in New York City (NYC). All participants (mean age = 24) had an 11-month-old infant at the time of the interview. Using thematic analysis, we identified five main themes reflecting how mothers experience and navigate living with very low incomes while engaging in public assistance programs: (1) experiencing cascading effects of hardships during pregnancy, (2) relying on food assistance and informal supports amid scarcity, (3) waiting for limited affordable housing: 'life on hold', (4) finding pathways towards stability after the baby's birth, (5) making it work: efforts to look forward. Results describe how the current focus on "work first" of existing federal and state policies adds a layer of stress and burden on the lives of single mothers experiencing low incomes and entangled hardships during pregnancy and after birth. We document how mothers experience coverage gaps and implementation challenges navigating the patchwork of public assistance programs, yet how the support of flexible caseworkers accessing, using, and coordinating assistance has the potential to help mothers plan for longer-term goals. Highlights: Mothers with low incomes experience multiple needs regarding income, housing, and childcare despite existing safety net programs. Mothers find strength through their relationships with their children and the support encountered and mobilized from the community and family. Safety net programs may not always be sufficient for mothers with low incomes in the first year after giving birth. Safety net programs must review coverage gaps, implementation challenges, and work requirements for mothers of infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 158277861
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Poverty after Birth: How Mothers Experience and Navigate U.S. Safety Net Programs to Address Family Needs.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marti-Castaner%2C+Maria%22">Marti-Castaner, Maria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pavlenko%2C+Tonya%22">Pavlenko, Tonya</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Engel%2C+Ruby%22">Engel, Ruby</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sanchez%2C+Karen%22">Sanchez, Karen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crawford%2C+Allyson+E%2E%22">Crawford, Allyson E.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brooks-Gunn%2C+Jeanne%22">Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wimer%2C+Christopher%22">Wimer, Christopher</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Child+%26+Family+Studies%22">Journal of Child & Family Studies</searchLink>. Aug2022, Vol. 31 Issue 8, p2248-2265. 18p. 2 Charts.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childbirth%22">Childbirth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minorities%22">Minorities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+support%22">Social support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+relief%22">Food relief</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Safety-net+health+care+providers%22">Safety-net health care providers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Poverty%22">Poverty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Homelessness%22">Homelessness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+welfare%22">Public welfare</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Housing%22">Housing</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York+%28State%29%22">New York (State)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Although pregnancy and the first year of life are sensitive windows for child development, we know very little about the lived experiences of mothers living in poverty or near poverty during the perinatal period; specifically, how they perceive and use public resources to support themselves and their newborn. In this qualitative study, we explore how predominantly Black and Latinx mothers with infants living in or near poverty and engaged in public assistance manage to meet their family's needs with available resources from safety net programs and social supports. We conducted 20 qualitative interviews with mothers living in (85%) or near poverty in New York City (NYC). All participants (mean age = 24) had an 11-month-old infant at the time of the interview. Using thematic analysis, we identified five main themes reflecting how mothers experience and navigate living with very low incomes while engaging in public assistance programs: (1) experiencing cascading effects of hardships during pregnancy, (2) relying on food assistance and informal supports amid scarcity, (3) waiting for limited affordable housing: 'life on hold', (4) finding pathways towards stability after the baby's birth, (5) making it work: efforts to look forward. Results describe how the current focus on "work first" of existing federal and state policies adds a layer of stress and burden on the lives of single mothers experiencing low incomes and entangled hardships during pregnancy and after birth. We document how mothers experience coverage gaps and implementation challenges navigating the patchwork of public assistance programs, yet how the support of flexible caseworkers accessing, using, and coordinating assistance has the potential to help mothers plan for longer-term goals. Highlights: Mothers with low incomes experience multiple needs regarding income, housing, and childcare despite existing safety net programs. Mothers find strength through their relationships with their children and the support encountered and mobilized from the community and family. Safety net programs may not always be sufficient for mothers with low incomes in the first year after giving birth. Safety net programs must review coverage gaps, implementation challenges, and work requirements for mothers of infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=158277861
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10826-022-02322-0
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 2248
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Childbirth
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minorities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social support
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food relief
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Safety-net health care providers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Poverty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Homelessness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public welfare
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Housing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New York (State)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Poverty after Birth: How Mothers Experience and Navigate U.S. Safety Net Programs to Address Family Needs.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Marti-Castaner, Maria
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Pavlenko, Tonya
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Engel, Ruby
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sanchez, Karen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Crawford, Allyson E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wimer, Christopher
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Text: Aug2022
              Type: published
              Y: 2022
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10621024
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 31
            – Type: issue
              Value: 8
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Child & Family Studies
              Type: main
ResultId 1