ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 7, 1997 TAG: 9704070112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Would free child care keep people on welfare?
Critics say the state's plan to give free child care to welfare recipients who get jobs would create an incentive for people to remain on public assistance.
The Department of Social Services has proposed using a federal block grant to provide child care for welfare recipients. Non-welfare families earning the same income would have to pay a small portion of their child-care bills.
``We don't want to inadvertently create an incentive to get on or stay on [welfare] because that's where child care is available,'' said Robert Cox, Charlottesville's social services director. ``We're concerned that if the state segregates those funds, we will be shortchanging the non-welfare working poor.''
Social workers and child-care professionals opposed the proposal Saturday at the first of four public hearings on the state's plan for spending the 1998 child-care block grant. They urged the state to apply the same sliding fee scale to those on and off welfare.
The state proposed putting $53 million toward child care for those receiving welfare. Another $42 million would go to low-income parents not on welfare, said Vincent Jordan, state day-care program manager.
Three other states - Georgia, Maryland and West Virginia - do not require a child-care copayment from welfare recipients, but do charge a copayment to low-income parents who make the same amount of money.
LENGTH: Short : 39 linesby CNB