The Weakening Link Between Marriage and the Care of Children

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, the proportion of births that occur to unmarried women has increased dramatically, children are now much more likely to experience the breakup of their parents' marriage, and a much greater proportion of children live at least part of their childhood with only one parent. These changes have occurred predominantly among nonwhites and low-income women and children, but have occurred among whites and higher income women as well. Since these changes have done well-documented damage to children's socioeconomic conditions and prospects, an important issue is whether we can improve children's well-being by strengthening the link between marriage and child care. For a number of reasons, however--cultural, political and economic--the role of public policy is limited. Nevertheless, stronger public support is possible for people who wish to marry or stay married, but who lack the resources to do so. In a nation like Japan, child care is left almost entirely to the family, while in Sweden, the state assumes much of the responsibility; the United States seems to occupy a sort of middle ground. It is likely that U.S. social policy will continue to rely on both the family and the state to care for dependent children, a strategy that implies a continuing tension between public acceptance of changes in family life and public sentiment for a return to older ways.