"Aid to Families with Dependent Children" is a mouthful of a phrase with a tricky spelling. The pronunciation can be written in IPA phonetic transcription as ɛɪd tu ˈfæməliz wɪð dɪˈpɛndənt ˈʧɪldrən. For non-native English speakers, the irregularity of English spelling can be confusing. The use of IPA helps to accurately represent the sounds of the spoken word. In this case, the spelling of "children" is particularly challenging, as the "d" and "r" sounds are often omitted when spoken.
Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) refers to a federal assistance program that provided financial aid to low-income families in the United States. AFDC was established under the Social Security Act of 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policy to alleviate poverty and support families experiencing economic hardships.
Under AFDC, eligible families could receive financial aid to help cover basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare. The program specifically targeted families with children and required that the children be deprived of parental support or care due to factors such as death, disability, or absence of a parent. AFDC aimed to provide temporary assistance until families could regain self-sufficiency.
The program operated on a state-federal partnership, with the federal government providing funding and setting certain guidelines, while states had flexibility in determining eligibility criteria and implementing the program. However, AFDC faced numerous criticisms over the years, including concerns about dependency, lack of incentives for work, and potential abuse of the system.
Beginning in 1996, AFDC was replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as part of welfare reform efforts. TANF introduced new work requirements and time-limited benefits, shifting the focus from long-term cash assistance to promoting employment and self-sufficiency among low-income families.