Economic and Political Climate
A significant financial expansion coincided with a significant shift in policy that led to a substantial change of behavior, for instance, increased number of single mothers participating in the labor force and a decrease in public assistance caseloads. Additionally, the federal government allocates a block grant to the states under TANF program in a fiscal year (Jimenez et al., 2014). Equally, the rules also allocate mandatory funds to run these programs before receiving the federal grant, a policy that results in a severe financial penalty if not observed. Thus, the program did not rise or fall with economic cycles or adjusted for inflation.
Devolution of policymaking from federal and state governments to local governments has contributed to decentralization of policymaking. Accordingly, under TANF program, states and local governments have had the freedom to formulate their techniques and approaches to civil aid (Bielefeld & Cleveland, 2013). Consequently, different countries have embraced this freedom in various ways that provide insight into their economic and political characteristics. Therefore, devolution has pursued TANF goals by encouraging flexibility and innovation in addressing the needs of the clients.
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Role of the Religious Communities
Religious communities have various doctrines that advocate for social welfare. For the TANF program, religious communities have been of great help. The Law renewed an emphasis in the Deficit Reduction Act on work placement which gave religious communities the capacity to help in attaching recipients of TANF to employment. Also, religious communities have helped TANF in recruiting families and individuals that have the interest to serve in the program. By targeting their services on specific services, the religious communities have had a positive impact on clients. Moreover, the religious communities have adjusted their efforts and strategies for enhancing service delivery and supporting TANF in their efforts in helping needy families. For example, Rachael’s House a Christian based center works with women who are in prison and they receive funding from TANF to be able to serve those women that eligible. Further, religious institutions are in a position of supporting and sustaining TANF in the community. Therefore, religious communities have an essential role of shaping and molding the society's opinion, attitudes and behaviors towards assisting the needy, as well as creating awareness on the importance of such programs that aim to help the less fortunate (Göçmen, 2013).
A Need to Reform Social Welfare Systems
Social welfare systems have been reformed to streamline the redundant programs which are not efficient in the contemporary society to reduce the cost and improve the quality. This outdated system facilitates indigence and dependency on the government instead of assisting people to climb the ladder out of poverty (Dynarski, 2015). Accordingly, the transformation has been undertaken in the social welfare systems to establish an efficient and effective program that aims to reduce dependency on government assistance and promote self-sufficiency and independence. For example, in TANF program a large number of families who have moved out of welfare programs have stayed in poverty after that. Therefore, the system has been useful in creating job opportunities for the poor and enable low-income earners to escape poverty.
Target Population
TANF program has also provided support to a vast target population. For a start, considering the general demography, the elderly, children in foster homes and low-income families, ex-convicts, immigrant and native people are targeted (Dunn, 2014). Secondly, considering social challenges, the disabled, the illiterate, low-income families, single-parent families, limited English proficiency and impoverished women with children and without cash safety nets, have been the target population.
Sources of Resistance
The TANF social welfare program has faced so many resistance and challenges. For a start, various states programs have benefited few individuals and the state rather than the target population due to lack of accountability. Secondly, the limited accessibility of TANF program has become a potential source of resistance that inhibits families that face an emergency crisis from accessing the services and support to get back on track (Bielefeld & Cleveland, 2013). Thirdly, a sharp decline in TANF role has led limited availability of benefits provided to the target population hence exposing children from low-income families to long-term hardship and negative impacts. Lastly, contingency fund, labor force participation rate and the block grant structure has reduced the usefulness of the program as a safety net for the target population. Consequently, families that are in most needs of the safety net are not in a position to access it.
Societal Values Related to the Reforms
The primary societal value related to reforms is the encouragement of parenthood and co-parenting to reduce the number of single mothers and encourage fathers to participate and take responsibilities in the lives of their children. Consequently, it leads to a decreased number of sick children and single parents with children (Dunn, 2014). Also, public empathy is necessary to formulate an approach to public assistance of the less fortunate. Therefore, these social values have positively influence reforms in TANF.
Reformer Values
The TANF program has been advocating and pressing for reforms in social welfare systems should be innovative and creative to be able to formulate and recommend a better program that is effective and efficient in achieving the objectives of social welfare programs (Göçmen, 2013). Further, program exercise transparency and accountability to provide a clear insight into the recommended reforms and determine their progress. Consequently, it enables the reformer to achieve changes in the system.
Christian Values
The TANF program has also been advocating for love and justice as well as the value of integrity, human dignity, and sharing. In particular, it encourages Christian believers to love one another (Zastrow, 2016). Accordingly, due to love Christians have for one another, they are compelled to sharing whatever they have with those who do not have, for them to maintain their relationship with God. Equally, as a result of Christian teachings on justice and integrity, they are compelled to fight and stand firmly for the truth at all costs. Notably, this is values that are necessary for the struggle for reforms in social welfare systems.
Target Population Values
The target population should develop a sense of self-sufficiency and strive for independence to enable them to be self-reliant and reduce dependency on government assistance and improve their socio-economic status (Bielefeld & Cleveland, 2013). Also, they should be more creative to increase their chances of securing a better income earning employment and rise from poverty and dependency on government aid. Therefore, these values promote desired reforms in social welfare systems.
Diversity Issues
i) Cultural
Some cultural values contradict with the Christian values and beliefs about social welfare reforms. Therefore, it might be a problem affecting some changes. For example, those cultural values that are by nature oppressive are viewed as an acceptable culture in some communities (Dunn, 2014). An example is a community that marries off girls at a tender age of fifteen or less. Handling the problem about culture in the social welfare reform will be a huge task. Therefore, some of the measures put in place should be evaluated first to ensure that they are in harmony with the communities’ cultural practices.
ii.) Religious
It will be important to understand that not all religions in the communities are Christians. The program, therefore, considers having considerations of the different religious beliefs. For instance, to establish a social welfare reform program bearing Christian principles in a community dominated by the Muslim religion will be difficult. Unless the community decides to embrace the program, it will be impossible to influence them to abandon their religious beliefs for the sake of a social welfare reform program. Therefore, it will be an issue to consider when looking for an effective program for social welfare.
iii.) Racial
The program has not considered the racial factor to a great extent. That is because it will not be of great concern because Christianity cuts across all the races from blacks to whites to Mongolians. However, great caution has been kept when it comes to denominations and different Christian religious beliefs about different racial lines. In many cases, the blacks in the US are very sensitive about issues that pertain to racism (Jimenez et al., 2014). Therefore, if a social welfare program is to be affected, it will be necessary to consider the sensitivity of the issue about racism. If the program tends to lean on racial lines, it will be important to revisit and revise it, so it is flawless as far as racial issues are concerned.
iv.) Gender
Gender equality issues are normally very fragile and vital. The current society is very sensitive when it comes to gender equality. On the same breath, it goes without saying that the current society has neglected the boy child. Therefore, the social welfare program has been empowering the boy child to take positions in society. The Christian religion advocates for the boy child empowerment because they are believed to be the foundation of the family (Zastrow, 2016). When we have a society that has present fathers, the society will most likely be stable. The number of single mothers in the society will eventually decrease.
v.) Age-related
Regarding age-related social welfare reform, the program concentrates on specializing in different programs for different age groups. The reason is that different age groups have different social needs. For instance, children will need protection and caring needs. The teenagers will need empowerment and set of good role models that will help them to engage in responsible behaviors. The Christian faith encourages life empowerment and help (Jimenez et al., 2014). For instance, Jesus set the example by holding the children and talking about them relating them to the Kingdom of God. This sets an example for creating programs for different age groups.
vi)Socio-economic
The TANF program has been encouraging the practice of the principles of the Christian Faith concerning the area of socio-economy. That is the poor and lowly in the society are considered the friends of God. In fact, God talks about the poor as playing a critical role. Jesus said that those who love him would care for the needy and lowly in the society. In fact, he always associated with the poor, saying that he came for them (Zastrow, 2016). Therefore the social welfare program should consider targeting the poor and vulnerable in the society to make sense the basis of Christianity and coping the example of Jesus in setting the foundation for Christian service.
b.) Outcomes
The immediate impact of the reform movement
The reform movement will be expected to cause a change in the society for the better. The society will transition in the areas of social-economical progress. Since the social welfare program addresses issues concerning people from different backgrounds and demographic statuses, the whole society will be deemed to change for the better.
ii.) The long-term impact of the reform movement
The long-term effect of the movement is that the Christian faith will gain more acceptance with the society at large. Since the commission of the faith is to preach the gospel of Christ to the whole world. With the social, economic progress that the program would have brought into the community, the community will be more responsive and receptive to the Christian faith. Another long-term effect is that other faiths and organizations will be encouraged to create more programs of such nature, which will help the communities prosper.
iii.) Lessons learned from this reform movement
The major lesson learned from the reform movement is that the planning of the movement should incorporate a lot of factors. Since the reform movement is religious and specifically it is Christian based, a lot of factors will need to be considered. The Christian faith in itself tends to attract a lot of biases in the society. In that case, a lot of caution will have to be considered.
References
Bielefeld, W., & Cleveland, W. S. (2013).Faith-based organizations as service providers and their relationship to government. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 42(3), 468-494.
Dunn, G. D. (2014). Why care for the poor? The role of almsgiving in Jerome’s asceticism.ZeitschriftfürAntikesChristentum/Journal of Ancient Christianity, 18(2), 283-301.
Dynarski, S. (2015).Helping the poor in education: the power of a simple nudge. The New York Times, The Upshot, retrieved July 28, 2015.
Göçmen, I. (2013). The role of faith-based organizations in social welfare systems: A comparison of France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 42(3), 495-516.
Jimenez, J., Pasztor, E. M., Chambers, R. M., &Fujii, C. P. (2014). Social policy and social change: Toward the creation of social and economic justice. Sage Publications.
Zastrow, C. (2016). Empowerment series: an introduction to social work and social welfare: Empowering people. Cengage Learning.
