Aid to Dependent Children
Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) was established in 1935 as part of the Social Security Act, primarily to assist families lacking paternal financial support. Spearheaded by female social reformers, the program aimed to address the needs of impoverished women and their children, filling a gap in the New Deal initiatives that largely overlooked these groups. ADC provided cash assistance to what was deemed the "deserving poor," focusing on widows and emphasizing moral worthiness for eligibility. Initially, it operated on a federal matching fund system, which incentivized state participation by offering federal funds to complement state expenditures.
By 1939, the number of children benefiting from ADC had grown significantly, reflecting its increasing importance in post-World War II America. The program's combination of federal support and state administration set a precedent for future welfare initiatives across various sectors, including housing and education. Despite its initial lack of attention, ADC sparked ongoing public discourse regarding federal welfare programs, highlighting the complexities of social assistance in American society. Overall, ADC played a crucial role in shaping the landscape of social welfare, particularly for vulnerable families.
Aid to Dependent Children
The Law Federal law providing financial support to poor families
Date Enacted August 14, 1935
Part of the Social Security Act of 1935, Aid to Dependent Children inaugurated a federal program that provided assistance to poor women and their families through federal matching of state expenditures.
Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) was enacted as part of the Social Security Act of 1935. Original proponents of ADC were primarily female social reformers who argued that New Deal social programs did not address the needs of poor women and their families. At the time of its enactment, ADC earned little notice given the rush of social-reform projects initiated during the New Deal and the controversies generated by other provisions of the Social Security Act.
The intent of ADC was to provide cash assistance to families who no longer had the financial support of fathers. The program was consistent with state social welfare programs at the time: Beneficiaries were meant to be the “deserving poor,” primarily widows, and the program required moral worthiness as a criterion for eligibility. An operating assumption was that the program would enable women to fulfill their role as nurturers and not be forced to enter the workforce. ADC was to achieve these goals by providing federal matching funds for state expenditures. Initially, this match was one dollar of federal money for every two dollars of state funds spent to aid dependent children. In 1939, the federal match was increased to one dollar in federal money for every one dollar in state expenditures.
Impact
ADC provided increasing support to poor mothers and children. At the time of the program’s enactment in 1935, 300,000 children were receiving benefits under state programs. By 1939, ADC was providing benefits for 700,000 children.
Although ADC received scant attention at the time of its passage, it became both increasingly important and controversial after World War II. Its basic operation—federal matching of state expenditures accompanied by a measure of federal oversight—became a model for numerous federal programs, such as those related to housing, medical care, and education. ADC also initiated the idea of a federal welfare program, which, particularly after World War II, continued to generate intense public debate.
Bibliography
Blau, Joel. The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Patterson, James T. America’s Struggle Against Poverty, 1900-1994. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1994.