Barriers to Making Ends Meet: Provider Perceptions of Resource Constraints Experienced By Low-Income Women and Children in Detroit's Racial-Ethnic Communities

Background and Purpose:

Prior to COVID-19, accessing affordable and high-quality family care resources in Detroit was already a challenge, particularly for low-income women residing within racial-ethnic communities. However, the pandemic forced school closures and significantly reduced the capacity of existing childcare facilities, further constraining women’s ability to work. Using data from seven racial-ethnic neighborhoods in Detroit, this study examines the role of neighborhood service providers supporting low-income families trying to make ends meet. Three questions guided our inquiry with service providers: (1) What resources are available to families in these target neighborhoods?; (2) What community/neighborhood challenges persist for women and families?; and (3) How could these community/neighborhood challenges be better addressed?

Methods:

A mixed methods approach was utilized to assess how the availability of and access to family care resources factored into women’s ability to work. Data from the State of the Detroit Child and the State of Michigan Office of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) were employed to identify and map family care resources in seven target neighborhoods in Detroit: Springwells/Southwest, Brightmoor, Warrendale/Warren Avenue, Livernois, North End, North Campau/Banglatown, and East Village. To understand how access to family care resources influenced women’s labor force participation, we conducted nine interviews and focus groups with local service providers identified through LARA and online searches. A total of 151 pages of verbatim interview transcripts were generated and reviewed by the research team. Atlas.ti was used to complete line-by-line, in-context coding of the transcripts. Thematic analysis was used to identify codes and larger themes.

Findings:

Thematic analysis revealed seven themes related to resource availability and community challenges. Service providers underscored the availability and importance of food, clothing, and utility assistance for families. Despite resource availability, service providers noted significant challenges in accessing these resources, identifying transportation, language, and lack of knowledge about services as key barriers. Additionally, providers noted a rise in mental health issues, heightened awareness of the digital literacy divide, and increased housing and financial instability. All interviewees underscored inadequate childcare options and insufficient slots available to families, corresponding with our identification and mapping of childcare deserts in six of the seven study neighborhoods. Given the inadequacy of licensed childcare, providers reported that women often relied on informal care by unlicensed providers or withdrew from the labor market to care for children. Service providers noted neighborhood needs for childcare, affordable housing, improved public transportation, more mental health services, and opportunities for education and professional development to support women engaging in the workforce.

Conclusions and Implications:

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many pre-existing community and neighborhood challenges in Detroit. Although service providers identified various community resources, the lack of adequate childcare remains a major impediment to women working. Accessing community resources is another challenge that women and families must navigate. Yet some service providers expressed frustration about the limited number of women working. One way that social workers can advance anti-oppression within practice is to place emphasis on eliminating the structural barriers preventing women from engaging in the labor force.