CALWORKS

THE PERCENT OF CALWORKS BENEFICIARIES HAS REMAINED STEADY AT ABOUT 6% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

This indicator reports the average number and percent of children per month under the age of 18 years receiving financial assistance through California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs).

Any change in the number of CalWORKs beneficiaries is an indicator of a change in poverty status.

The percent of children benefiting from CalWORKs is an indicator of Orange County’s capacity to help families struggling to make ends meet and, at the same time, responsibly care for their children. This indicator also reflects a widespread need for financial support among families in need across Orange County as CalWORKs beneficiaries receive financial and employment assistance. Among CalWORKs’ multiple goals, including reduced welfare dependency and increased selfsufficiency, it works to improve child well-being by encouraging parental responsibility through school attendance and child immunizations requirements and by assisting with paternity and child support enforcement activities.

• In 2014/15, 6.0% (42,345) of Orange County’s children received CalWORKs assistance which is a 26.0% increase from 4.2% in 2005/06. Overall Orange County is lower than California at 11.0%.

• Nearly one in three children who receive CalWORKs assistance is less than five years old.

• The highest percents of children receiving CalWORKs are in the cities of Santa Ana at 10.7% (10,444), Anaheim at 10.5% (9,473), Stanton at 7.4% (752), Buena Park at 7.1% (1,396), Garden Grove at 6.6% (2,772) and La Habra at 6.4% (1,006).

• Cities with the lowest percents of children receiving CalWORKs include Laguna Beach at 0.6% (23), Villa Park at 0.7% (7), Newport Beach at 0.7% (104), Yorba Linda at 0.9% (145), Aliso Viejo at 1.0% (129) and Rancho Santa Margarita at 1.0% (140).