Needs and Challenges in Three New Jersey Communities: Implications for Welfare Reform

Examines challenges facing low-income parents, employers, and service providers in three high-poverty areas: Camden City, Cumberland County, and Newark. Finds that many low-income parents do not make use of tax credits, child care subsidies, and job placement services for which they are eligible. For most low-income parents, relevant jobs--those with low educational requirements--often have inconvenient locations or schedules, or involve tasks that draw heavily on basic skills. Welfare-to-work partnerships are seeking to link parents with services and relevant jobs, but these partnerships have created new interagency coordination challenges and have not yet filled some important gaps in support services.